Year after year married couples torture themselves by battling the mall (or in my case, a low laptop battery) in search of the perfect holiday present for their spouse.  It’s hard enough buying for kids, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephew…Shall I continue or is your stomach in knots already?

Well, I can’t help with the mile long list of other gift recipients, but I have some pretty snazzy ideas for your husband that are unique.  I can only assume you gave him the Lexus with the giant bow last year.  What?  What’s that you say?  You DIDN’T?  How odd because Lexus seems to think it’s a perfect and obvious choice for a holiday present.  Here’s a collection of holiday gifts that don’t require a loan for those of us WHO ARE NORMAL!

Stainless Steel Shirt Stays - If your husband has to dress up at all for work, I’m sure he has a dress shirt or two that lost the collar stays to the laundry.  These adorable stainless numbers have messages of love or lust (your choice).

Golf Day - Think of a spa day for boys.  Buy him a round of golf at his favorite course, a box of balls (or a new driver), a new golf shirt and spring for a gift certificate for the club’s bar so he can have a beer or two after that hold in one*.

*Hole in One not guarenteed.

Sport Date - Another gift with multiple components.  Purchase tickets to a game for the two of you.  If you don’t live in a town with a professional team, check out minor league or college team.  To go along with it, you can get him a jersey, gift certificate to his favorite restaurant for before or after the game and if finances allow, a night in a hotel together for some post-game relaxation.

Beer of the Month - The gift of microbrews spread throughout the whole year. You don’t have to go through the club - just mark the dates on your calandar and pick up a unique 6-pack from your local speciality mart!

LL Bean Wrinkle Resistant Shirt - OMG, these are the best shirts ever.  They look great and they don’t need to be ironed.  FYI - do not use fabric softener.  That’s the key to keeping them wrinkle free.

Geek Gifts - I have a geek for a husband so the sports  gifts just don’t work for him, but this is more up his alley.  Go to Amazon.com and look for sci-fi books.  Usually they come in set, so you can get a whole series so he can read from beginning to end.  You can even buy them used and save a lot of money! Top this off with a movie or two his missing from his DVD collection, an action figure from his childhood, or a computer game.  For the private present, throw up your hair in the Princess Leia bun in the bedroom.

Be creative!  Special gifts that will linger in your spouses memory don’t have to cost much if you’re willing to put some time into the present!