[Thilo Ettelt]

Hey,

I was wondering what would be the best gift for a girlfriend to receive? This is going out to the ladies but also the guys who give it. What's been your most creative gift?

I'll post pictures of the gift I'm giving my girlfriend this xmas later... although she's not surfing here I'm too paranoid! But I think it will rock, I put some work into it


- Thilo

[Shaddim]

Go to Victoria's Secret (or Frederick's if you prefer) and get something special, show that you spent time thinking about it. In fact, buy lots of things there and have them all boxed and wrapped seperately. She'll be in heaven (and later on you will too).

[wallinbl]

Weekend at the spa generally gets great response. I try not to get things that she would otherwise buy for herself (clothes, jewelry, etc), although this year, I'm getting her a D-SLR.

[OreoCookie]

#1 A few years ago, my then-girlfriend got a star named after her. I wrote to the local Max Planck institute and donated some money to them, and I got some star charts, I copied them to something like 1x2 m^2 or so and gave it to her with some sweet words.

#2 Another memorable gift was a flight ticket from Mexico to Germany. Fortunately, the return ticket was included as well To be honest, this one was as much a gift for me as it was for her

#3 A self-made puzzle of a self-made collage. Unless you know how left-handed with both hands and feet I am, you cannot really appreciate this one.


My advice to all ya guys is: listen to your girl/partner, then it's veeeery easy to find a good present. The best presents are usually spontaneous ideas.

[Thilo Ettelt]

Well, I did this:

(Sara, wenn du das siehst, wehe du klickst es an! )

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Except these photos aren't up to date, I've put in another 2nd plate to hide another thing so now the golden coins etc are even laying higher making it look bigger less spacy.


- Thilo

[torsoboy]

Originally Posted by Thilo Ettelt

Well, I did this:

(Sara, wenn du das siehst, wehe du klickst es an! )

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Except these photos aren't up to date, I've put in another 2nd plate to hide another thing so now the golden coins etc are even laying higher making it look bigger less spacy.


- Thilo

I think that is a good idea, but is there anything in the gifts underneath or are they just empty boxes to make it taller? If there is stuff in them, that is pretty fun; otherwise the opening might be exciting, but the finding empty things underneath might ruin the excitement of it.

[RAILhead]

A crappy old chest full of Halloween candy?

[Shaddim]

Cool. But what do we do if our wives already have big chests?

[Thilo Ettelt]

Originally Posted by torsoboy

I think that is a good idea, but is there anything in the gifts underneath or are they just empty boxes to make it taller? If there is stuff in them, that is pretty fun; otherwise the opening might be exciting, but the finding empty things underneath might ruin the excitement of it.

D'oh, of course there's stuff in the gifts underneath I wouldn't give her a box with empty stuff in it lol


- Thilo

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

A crappy old chest full of Halloween candy?

Remember Maury, with the giving of gifts it's the thought that counts.

And it's not Halloween candy. It traditional European holiday chocolates. The gelt (sp?) are gold "coins" of chocolate. A modern-day version of what the aristocracy might give the servant class back in the day, excpet then it was really gold. The tradition has been transformed from one of master-servant to parent-child, friend-friend, etc.

[Thilo Ettelt]

It's spelled "Geld". Well the box is supposed to be a treasure. In german we say "Schatz" (which also directly translates "treasure") for "darling" in english. So this is a treasure for my treasure ("Ein Schatz für mein Schatz").


- Thilo

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Thilo Ettelt

I was wondering what would be the best gift for a girlfriend to receive?

DoofyLovin'.

Failing that, an Alfa Romeo.

[wdlove]

I think that is awesome. nice job.

I also second the idea of Victoria Secret. Just so awesome.

[Face Ache]

Originally Posted by Doofy

DoofyLovin'.

You might want to work on your branding.

"DoofyLovin'" makes me think of Jeff from Coupling.

[torsoboy]

so how did she like it?

[wdlove]

Originally Posted by torsoboy

so how did she like it?

I'm interested to hear myself.

[jonasmac]

Originally Posted by wdlove

I think that is awesome. nice job.

I also second the idea of Victoria Secret. Just so awesome.

You go WD!

[Cody Dawg]

If you are not giving her a beautiful piece of jewelry then you lose.

Big to you if you give her a treasure chest with no REAL gold in it.



Thilo, I like you, but I'm not being mean, just honest.

She'll be expecting real jewelry after receiving something like that, period.

The best Christmas present I received was my husband. We met during Christmas season many years ago and he gave me diamond earrings and they were little studs but just wonderful. He gave them to me under the starlight on a cold winter beach and they remind me of the stars in the sky over the ocean.

My husband is wonderful.

This year he bought us two new wedding bands, just plain bands, but he got down on his knee when I opened the box on Christmas morning and said, "Will you marry me...again?"



So sweet my husband is.



He's wonderful.

[paul w]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

If you are not giving her a beautiful piece of jewelry then you lose.

Big to you if you give her a treasure chest with no REAL gold in it.



Thilo, I like you, but I'm not being mean, just honest.

She'll be expecting real jewelry after receiving something like that, period.

The best Christmas present I received was my husband. We met during Christmas season many years ago and he gave me diamond earrings and they were little studs but just wonderful. He gave them to me under the starlight on a cold winter beach and they remind me of the stars in the sky over the ocean.

My husband is wonderful.

This year he bought us two new wedding bands, just plain bands, but he got down on his knee when I opened the box on Christmas morning and said, "Will you marry me...again?"



So sweet my husband is.



He's wonderful.

You know, I hate to break it to you, but jewelry is NOT what lots of women out there are looking for (thank god). It's more important to know the woman and give the give accordingly. In your case that might be something shiny and dear, but for my girlfriend that very same gift would rank rather low on her list.

I suppose it's because no matter how much nice jewelry she wears I tell her she doesn't need it, she's already too beautiful to improve, in my eyes.

[Cody Dawg]

I don't really like jewelry, but the thing you're giving her is a TREASURE CHEST.



I don't know too many adult women that like to get a TREASURE CHEST full of foil wrapped chocolate coins?

[paul w]

my girlfriend's treasure chest would have neither jewelry nor chocolate coins. It would have something else.

That's my point. If the girl liked it, then who are we to judge?

[Ratm]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

A crappy old chest full of Halloween candy?

What's wrong with you? Don't call someone's gift crappy.

I think it's a very creative and fun way of giving presents.

Maybe it's because he didn't spend three grand on his gifts like you did?

[Ratm]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

If you are not giving her a beautiful piece of jewelry then you lose.

Big to you if you give her a treasure chest with no REAL gold in it.



Thilo, I like you, but I'm not being mean, just honest.

She'll be expecting real jewelry after receiving something like that, period.

Thilo, don't listen to this sweet but deranged woman

Congrats to you Cody he seems like a really great guy.

[PDX Chris]

Originally Posted by Thilo Ettelt

I was wondering what would be the best gift for a girlfriend to receive? This is going out to the ladies but also the guys who give it. What's been your most creative gift?

- Thilo

I'm not the greatest artist in the world, but a few years ago I did an oil painting of my girlfriend. Sort of. I'm usually an abstract painter, but when the painting was done she knew it was her (you could tell by the body style and posture). In the painting she was smurf blue with angel wings on her back.

I chose to paint her blue because she had moved out to Washington state and we were about 3000 miles apart at the time and it was pretty depressing for us both. The distance pretty much ended our relationship, but we're still good friends to this day (I think we're closer now than we ever were).

I didn't think the painting was that particularly great, or would mean that much to her. It was just something I decided to do on a whim, and it ended up being one of the most memorable gifts she's ever received. I'm glad she liked it, and even though we're not together any more, I'm grateful for the time we've spent together and I'm happy that goofy painting brings her some good memories.

[Spook E]

i got mine a photo book whipped up with iPhoto full of photos from our adventures over the past year.

It made her cry, so if you wan't a good pressie i highly recommend the photo book, you get to have fun making it and she'll love it to bits.

then you get loved to bits everyones a winner!

[torsoboy]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

If you are not giving her a beautiful piece of jewelry then you lose.

Big to you if you give her a treasure chest with no REAL gold in it.



Thilo, I like you, but I'm not being mean, just honest.

Wow, I'm certainly glad I am not married to you... I would always have to worry about you thinking my gifts didn't cost enough to be REAL gifts. Way to take the fun out of gift giving. You talked about "small" diamond earings, but even the small ones cost quite a bit for us average earners.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by MacNStein

Cool. But what do we do if our wives already have big chests?

Get boobie holders for it

-t

[Cody Dawg]

He could give her fakes - they're nice also. I have a Moissanite ring that is beautiful (it's a fake diamond) and a gift from my son. I love it.

I'm just saying that a TREASURE CHEST should have more than sugar candy in it, that's all.

It's kind of grade school-ish to have candy coins in it? At least, I think so.

IMO that is.

[torsoboy]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

He could give her fakes - they're nice also. I have a Moissanite ring that is beautiful (it's a fake diamond) and a gift from my son. I love it.

I'm just saying that a TREASURE CHEST should have more than sugar candy in it, that's all.

It's kind of grade school-ish to have candy coins in it? At least, I think so.

IMO that is.

So when you're "grown up" you have to give real money, or presents that cost a lot? I get it now... grown up = spend more money.

Different people have different "treasures". Yours happens to be jewlry and gold apparently, but others value the time and effort more than the actual contents.

[PDX Chris]

Originally Posted by Spook E

i got mine a photo book whipped up with iPhoto full of photos from our adventures over the past year.

Yep, those make awesome gifts as well, but be sure you improve the quality of the iPhoto books first!

[TailsToo]

I got an ex an iPod Nano... doesn't get better than Apple stuff, does it?

[::maroma::]

Best gift my girlfriend ever got?

Do I really have to say it?

Well, OK then... MY PENIS!

(there i said it)

[Busemann]

Originally Posted by torsoboy

So when you're "grown up" you have to give real money, or presents that cost a lot? I get it now... grown up = spend more money.

Different people have different "treasures". Yours happens to be jewlry and gold apparently, but others value the time and effort more than the actual contents.

The point is that you shouldn't give your girlfriend a treasure chest half full of chocolate. Something personal that doesn't have to be expensive, yes, but drop the wall-mart sweets.

I think Thilo's gift was pretty cool since a great deal of thought was put into it, which is ultimately what matters.

[kellybelly]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

I don't know too many adult women that like to get a TREASURE CHEST full of foil wrapped chocolate coins? [...] I'm just saying that a TREASURE CHEST should have more than sugar candy in it, that's all.

*raises hand*

I would. Chocolate is chocolate is chocolate. As long as it's not the only gift in the treasure chest (which, according to the photos posted it wasn't) I'd be happy. Hell, I'd be more than happy since the "wrapping" was a helluva lot more creative than the usual holiday paper, and that shows that a lot of thought was put into it.

Originally Posted by paul w

You know, I hate to break it to you, but jewelry is NOT what lots of women out there are looking for (thank god).

*raises hand*

I'd be disappointed if I got jewelry (or something from the 'Secret, or flowers) since there are so many other things I'd rather have that would actually have some use to me. I have no use for that stuff, and if my boyfriend got something like that for me it would just show me that he has no idea what sort of things I like and am interested in.

My best gift this year is a tie between a Daylab CopySystem (allows you to make Polaroids from 4"x6" photos) and an entire 8mm movie setup (camera, editing equipment, projector).