What back-to-school gifts should I give my wife?
August 18, 2015 10:17 AM Subscribe
My wife (age 40) is going back to school to start her PhD in a month. She'll be in a different city for the first year, and I'm putting together a little care package for her, but I could use some gift suggestions.
So far all I've come up with is a set of quality pencil crayons and a few of those colouring books for grown-ups (both of which she has dropped hints for). The vibe I'm thinking of is a mix of whimsical and practical; she likes cooking, crafting (especially knitting), music and cute things in general. This question has a few good ideas, but it's pretty old.
Not needed: novels (she has more than enough of those), cookbooks (ditto)...pretty much any books that you read (as opposed to, say, colour).
So far all I've come up with is a set of quality pencil crayons and a few of those colouring books for grown-ups (both of which she has dropped hints for). The vibe I'm thinking of is a mix of whimsical and practical; she likes cooking, crafting (especially knitting), music and cute things in general. This question has a few good ideas, but it's pretty old.
Not needed: novels (she has more than enough of those), cookbooks (ditto)...pretty much any books that you read (as opposed to, say, colour).
Response by poster: I should add that I live in Toronto and really don't like to use Amazon, so if it's widely available in a bricks and mortar retail space, that would be best.
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:20 AM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:20 AM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
color-in-zines / stickers from artist Mel Stringer
stickers / zines / patches / temp tattoos from artist Gemma Flack
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:21 AM on August 18, 2015
stickers / zines / patches / temp tattoos from artist Gemma Flack
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:21 AM on August 18, 2015
Best answer: I've found some nifty things at Kid Icarus that have madee for nice gifts. I really like the Ontario road map coasters I picked up there, as a gift for me.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:23 AM on August 18, 2015
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:23 AM on August 18, 2015
Response by poster: She'll be in Kingston, Ontario and her program is Cultural Studies.
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:27 AM on August 18, 2015
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:27 AM on August 18, 2015
Best answer: I realy appreciated having ncie office supplies in grad school -- whether I was doing the shared desk in a shared office thing (which is probably likely her first year) or once I graduated to my own office, it was nice having a high-quality stapler, lots of colored index cards, good highlighters and pens in lots of colors, etc. My husband also got me a couple of cute desk knicknacks and a framed photo of us. It's nice for making your desk feel like somewhere you want to sit down and work.
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:30 AM on August 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:30 AM on August 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Best answer: There's lots of giftable doodads for her temporary abode, especially for organizing a small bedroom or working carrel, at Neat (Queen between Markham and Palmerston).
posted by Beardman at 10:33 AM on August 18, 2015
posted by Beardman at 10:33 AM on August 18, 2015
Best answer: Since you two will be living apart, it might be nice to have a series of small gifts wrapped separately with the instruction to open only one a week.
posted by phunniemee at 10:34 AM on August 18, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 10:34 AM on August 18, 2015 [12 favorites]
If she likes colouring books, Fantastic Cities is supposed to be very good and has a lot of Ontario locations. Watercolour pencils are nice to work with, too.
A really nice pen is great to work with. An excellent blanket to wrap up while reading/watching tv/on the couch in general. A gift certificate to a nearby cafe (to the school or her apartment). A cooking-based subscription box. Socks and/or slippers. A good travel coffee or tea cup (depending which she prefers).
posted by jeather at 10:48 AM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
A really nice pen is great to work with. An excellent blanket to wrap up while reading/watching tv/on the couch in general. A gift certificate to a nearby cafe (to the school or her apartment). A cooking-based subscription box. Socks and/or slippers. A good travel coffee or tea cup (depending which she prefers).
posted by jeather at 10:48 AM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is really sweet. If there are grocery delivery services, a gift card from one of those. That would save her some time during finals week.
posted by dovesandstones at 10:55 AM on August 18, 2015
posted by dovesandstones at 10:55 AM on August 18, 2015
Send her a gift certificate for a local massage with a card saying, 'I wish I were there to touch you but, since I am not, please accept this caress with my love."
posted by myselfasme at 11:22 AM on August 18, 2015
posted by myselfasme at 11:22 AM on August 18, 2015
If my husband had arranged for a cleaning service when we did this, I would have been a very happy lady.
posted by emkelley at 11:24 AM on August 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by emkelley at 11:24 AM on August 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Maybe a couple of your We Are A Couple belongings? That vase you bought wherever, that sort of thing. Bits and pieces to make her space feel like home and you two are together. This could also be a thing, depending on how you two like to display affection.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:49 AM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:49 AM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
In that situation, though as the one leaving, I did exactly as phunniemee says; I gave my husband a large envelope stuffed with small envelopes to be opened whenever he needed a lift. I wrote time-insensitive letters, directed him to a totally-ridiculous free website I made, had a gift certificate to a local food place. There might have been a zine or comic book or two because we are old and some origami because we were poor.
As a knitter, I'd say to try and find what's going on in the local craft scene and give her a list of the local yarn shops with a brief description, active knitting groups (email contacts or look on Ravelry to check), local fiber festivals, etc. That stuff can take a lot of time and it's always the sort of thing I'm looking for if I'm going to a new place. Likewise, a list of public transit/taxi/university parking options; again it's not that she can't find that information, but having someone else do all that labor would be pretty great.
posted by tchemgrrl at 12:12 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
As a knitter, I'd say to try and find what's going on in the local craft scene and give her a list of the local yarn shops with a brief description, active knitting groups (email contacts or look on Ravelry to check), local fiber festivals, etc. That stuff can take a lot of time and it's always the sort of thing I'm looking for if I'm going to a new place. Likewise, a list of public transit/taxi/university parking options; again it's not that she can't find that information, but having someone else do all that labor would be pretty great.
posted by tchemgrrl at 12:12 PM on August 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
When I was working on mine, my husband held the rest of my life together (I was also working full time). If she is going to be alone, maybe a slow cooker? I would have eaten nothing but fast food and lived in dirty clothes in squalor if it were not for him doing all of the things around me that I just could not find time for. Think of things that are essential but time sucks. It will not be fun for her (but definitely expensive) if she has to eat terrible food all of the time because she just doesn't have the time to cook.
posted by archimago at 1:55 PM on August 18, 2015
posted by archimago at 1:55 PM on August 18, 2015
Response by poster: Some great suggestions here, thanks!
posted by The Card Cheat at 4:49 PM on August 18, 2015
posted by The Card Cheat at 4:49 PM on August 18, 2015
Best answer: How about a little craft project a month? I got this for a while and loved it. None of the projects were particularly time or thought consuming just nice ways to pass an hour here or there. Pain a bird house, put together a beaded bracelet, paint a nice little canvas. All supplies are provided as are instructions. It's actually pretty high quality.
posted by susandennis at 5:54 PM on August 18, 2015
posted by susandennis at 5:54 PM on August 18, 2015
Best answer: I've mentioned this on AskMeFi before but Mochi Things has been my favorite grad school go-to for cute office supply things.
I personally buy a paper planner every year, which I fill up with stickers and such when I feel like productively procrastinating. You could buy one and maybe fill some cute calendar-related things in, like your anniversary or when you'll get to see her next or just random I Love Yous that may get her through some stressful lonely times.
posted by thebots at 11:06 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I personally buy a paper planner every year, which I fill up with stickers and such when I feel like productively procrastinating. You could buy one and maybe fill some cute calendar-related things in, like your anniversary or when you'll get to see her next or just random I Love Yous that may get her through some stressful lonely times.
posted by thebots at 11:06 PM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I can't find it in a physical store in Toronto, but this one of my favourite ever yarns: Schoppel-Wolle Cashmere Queen. (There are more colours here). One ball is (just) enough for a hat, two for a short shawl. Or you can just rub it against your face and purr.
If she makes socks, sock wool is friendly and colourful and you only need 100g for each pair. Most local yarn shops should have some (call to check), if you want to go and pick colours yourself. They're also excellent travel projects as they're little, and you can ignore them for weeks with no problem.
posted by kjs4 at 4:26 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
If she makes socks, sock wool is friendly and colourful and you only need 100g for each pair. Most local yarn shops should have some (call to check), if you want to go and pick colours yourself. They're also excellent travel projects as they're little, and you can ignore them for weeks with no problem.
posted by kjs4 at 4:26 AM on August 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by Etrigan at 10:19 AM on August 18, 2015 [1 favorite]