Well, we covered the kitchen knife aspect last year, when I told him about Aldi's bargain forged Santuko knives and went right out to fetch him one. (He's thanked me many times for my effort on his behalf.) I also steered him towards their enameled cast iron pieces, so I know he's covered that way. My favorite cookbook covers meat dishes, and since I don't know if he's vegetarian, vegan or what this week, that doesn't seem to fit very well. I did give my favorite cookbooks to two nieces a few years ago (the one getting married, and another to her sister the maid of honor who was feeling like a slave at that point) which didn't make any kind of impression on either of them. I'm not ready to go there again. I'm leaning towards something more fun than kitchen tools. For example, one couple we were friends with received a trapeze they could hang somewhere as they always seemed to be taking people on tours of their beautiful old home. At least it was something to talk about! (I guess this would have been the second marriage, middle aged couple.) No, it's not appropriate for this couple, but I'd love to give them another ''story'' to add to their own. We've known our friend over 30 years, and would like something a little different I guess than the standard wedding gift you might give to someone just starting out you don't know very well.

One of my pet peeves, thank you notes. I told my son and my daughter when they were young that if someone thinks enough of you to buy you a gift, the least you can do is write them a thank you note. Just because you receive an invitation to a graduation, shower or wedding, a gift isn't mandatory! Write a thank you note to thank them for the gift they gave you and for remembering and thinking of you. I do agree that any thank you is better than nothing, but not much. I helped with a wedding shower a few years ago, the hostesses bought the couple their cookware and had a nice shower for them. A year and a half after they were married I got a form letter, and so did everyone else, I assume, telling us what all they had been doing, how busy they were and "thanks for the gift." I think after that amount of time, I would have just as soon they hadn't bothered. I'm sorry, but to me not writing a thank you note and thanking the person for what they bought and gave to you is simply bad manners and thoughtless! Anyone has time to write 10 or 15 notes in the evenings, until you get it done. If not, don't socialize so much!!

DH is built a lot like the photo pesky posted (who is NOT her DH, let's reiterate LOL), sans champagne, cigar, and truly frightening mullet. ;-) So I really, REALLY feel for her. DH is also extremely difficult to fit, especially those dang Incredible Hulk legs of his! Buying the suit for his mother's funeral about 8 years ago was a complete nightmare; we spent an entire DAY shopping, it all ended up costing us a month's house payment, and it doesn't fit right anymore either even though he weighs exactly the same now as he did then. (Ditto for the black dress suit I bought, although I was able to get it in 15 minutes and it cost a LOT less because unless I wanted to go to Boston I had a selection of Lane Bryant, Lane Bryant, and Lane Bryant! I weigh the same, wear the same size clothes, but neither the jacket nor the skirt hang right, and let's not discuss the trousers.) 99.9% of the time, unless it is specified that it is a formal occasion (and the last two evening weddings we went to were most decidedly NOT formal, so that "rule" is out the window!), DH gets away just fine with a NEW (unfaded) pair of black khakis/chinos/whateveryouwannacallthem, pressed to within an inch of their lives, black shoes (but you can get some good-for-a-half-dozen-wearings boring men's black shoes at Target for $20), new black socks (again, no fading), and a drycleaner-pressed button-down-collar white or oxford shirt. Regular undershirt, please, no "wifebeaters"! Tie for the ceremony itself but it comes off when the reception starts. LOL Back when they were more widely available DH found tab collars and band collars a lot more comfortable for thicker necks, but they're hard to find now. Thank heavens DH works in a business-casual office - if someone's wearing a tie to work there's instant gossip that they either have a date or an interview! - because if he had to wear suits we'd probably be living in a tent! I don't buy expensive shoes for DH because he destroys them. It doesn't matter if they're $20 or $200, they're trashed in short order (he wears through the leather on the sides). The $200 ones might last a few months longer, but they DEFINITELY don't stay nice looking ten times longer. The only time I spend money is on his running shoes (he does a half-marathon every other day), and even then I get last year's style/color at Sierra Trading or Campmor for half price. :-) Personally, unless you've got the bucks to burn, I think it's downright daft to spend a big fat wad of cash on a few pieces of clothing that you almost certainly will not ever wear again, and that may or may not fit (then there's more money down the drain on alterations, IF they can be altered), and that may or may not be hopelessly out of style should the occasion come up to wear that kind of clothing "someday"! If you KNOW the clothes will be worn again enough to justify the expense, that's another story, but I think pesky's made it pretty clear where on the spectrum her DH is... :-)

I keep a few simple picture frames on hand for this and similar situations. They cost less than $10, are lightweight thus cheap to mail, and everybody can use a cute frame at some point. The perfect gift for weddings, baby showers, birthdays, retirement dinners or any occasion where I don't really know the person but a gift would be polite. I'd mail 'em a frame with a nice note before the wedding - and then go and enjoy the festivities. Or, I might even skip the wedding and let my brother take a real date instead.