7 Christmas Gift Mistakes Wives Make (and the One Gift That Fixes All of Them)
You know him better than anyone. So why is buying for him the hardest thing on your list? Usually, it's one of these seven.
None of these make you a bad gift-giver. They're what happens when someone who has everything says he wants nothing, and you have three weeks to figure it out. These seven come up again and again.
“I have laughed harder than I have in a long time AND that was just the 1st chapter.”
Asking him what he wants
You'll get “nothing” or “I don't need anything”, and he means it. The question puts the job back on him, and he's the one person who can't answer it.
Instead: stop asking. The best gift is one he couldn't have asked for, because he didn't know it existed.
Buying what he'd buy himself
If he wanted the new gadget, he'd have ordered it in October. When you buy it, you're just doing his shopping, and he may already have it in his cart.
Instead: give something that only exists because you made it.
Confusing useful with thoughtful
Useful gifts are fine. But a tool kit with his initials says “I needed something to wrap”, not “I know you”.
Instead: make it about who he is, not what he might need.
Falling back on a gift card
It's money with extra steps. He'll be polite about it. He'll also know you ran out of ideas.
Instead: if you're short on ideas, pick a gift built from what you already know about him.
Another bottle
Good whisky is a great gift once. By the third Christmas it's a habit, and it's gone by New Year's.
Instead: give something he keeps, not something he finishes.
Playing it safe
Slippers, a robe, a nice sweater. He'll like them. He'll also forget who gave them to him by March.
Instead: pick the gift people bring up at dinner for years.
Leaving it to the last week
Anything personal takes time to make and ship. In mid-December, you end up back at mistake 4.
Instead: start now. Personalized gifts need to be ordered by November 30 to arrive for Christmas.
A real novel where he's the main character
MagicBook by Tooxt
It's the one thing he couldn't buy himself: a printed, 180-page novel starring him, built from his habits, his job, his catchphrases and the little things only you know. His face is on the cover. His name is on the spine as the author.
You choose the kind of story. A comedy that roasts his golf swing, a spy thriller, a murder mystery, a sci-fi adventure, or the story of his life. It doesn't have to be a joke. It has to be him.
- You see his cover before you pay. Upload one photo and the cover appears in a couple of minutes, so there's no guessing whether it looks like him.
- Nobody else can give it. It's written from your answers, so no two books are the same.
- It stays on the shelf. People keep books with their name on them. Nobody re-gifts their own novel.
- Paperback or hardcover, with an optional dedication from you on the first page.
The Noise
Martin Hale could name a car's problem by sound alone.
A rattle, a whine, a tick: he'd have the part picked out before the hood was open.
“It's the alternator,” he said, without looking up from his coffee.
“Martin,” said Linda, “that's the dishwasher.”
He fixed it anyway. It has never run quieter.
1. Tell us about him
His name, a photo, the story style.
2. Tap what makes him him
Hobbies, quirks, who he is to you.
3. See his cover
Before you pay anything.
A second gift inside: he gets $10 off a book of his own, so he can write one about you next.
What happened when people gave it
“I purchased it as a Christmas present for my husband and I can't wait for him to open it and start reading. I have laughed harder than I have in a long time AND that was just the 1st chapter. Thank you for the best gift ever!!!”
“He couldn't put it down once he started reading it.”
“I can't wait to give this to him on our 22nd anniversary celebration in Vegas soon!”
Tooxt is rated 4.7 on Trustpilot.
Questions wives ask
Will the cover really look like him?
You see the cover on screen before you pay. If it doesn't look like him, try another photo or don't order. A clear, front-facing photo works best.
How much does it cost?
In the US, $39.90 for the paperback and $49.90 for the hardcover, with free shipping. Outside the US you see the price in your currency before you pay.
Is it actually a real book?
Yes. A printed novel of about 180 pages, in hardcover or paperback, with his name on the cover as the author.
Does it have to be funny?
No. Pick a comedy, a thriller, a mystery, a sci-fi or fantasy story, or the story of his life. You decide the tone.
What do I need to make it?
His name, one photo, and a few taps about what he's like. About two minutes.
Can I add a personal message?
Yes. You can add an optional dedication on the first page.
What's the $10 for him?
Every book comes with $10 off a first order for the person who receives it, so he can make one for someone else.
Will it arrive before Christmas?
Order by November 30 to have it for Christmas.
Is Tooxt legit?
Tooxt is rated 4.7 on Trustpilot. You also see the cover before you pay, so you know what you're getting.
Advertising disclosure: this guide is published by Tooxt, the company that makes MagicBook, and is paid advertising. Reviews are quoted from Trustpilot.
Skip all seven mistakes this year
A novel about him, with his face on the cover. See it before you pay. Order by November 30 to have it for Christmas.
Create his book