It’s not tough for me to admit that Orlando is metrosexual.  I’ve written about how awesome it is before.  What is a little tough, however, is admitting that he’s nearly impossible to treat with a surprise gift or nicety of life.  I’m his wife, I should know him well enough to be able to do that, right? The problem is he either a) already has it or b) doesn’t like it and has no ability whatsoever to hide his true opinions from me.  He’s just not the type of guy that will receive the same pair of socks year after year and be thrilled beyond belief.  Nor does he have that one hobby (like hunting for example) that he’s going to stick with for life and I can always count on any type of gadget dealing with said hobby to knock his aforementioned socks off.

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I have, however, found a few ways to treat the man who has everything, aka my husband, that work any time of year and for any reason.  In fact, I think he appreciates the random surprises more than the grand Christmas gift anyway.  Mainly because he always just tells me what he wants for Christmas and it’s not a surprise, which is slowly killing my poor little surprise-loving heart.

1. Bring home his favorite candy.

Orlando loves these sour candy belts covered in sugar, and he has ever since we were dating.  His dad would actually ship huge containers of them to his dorm room in college, and we would sit around watching movies and eating them until our mouths were sore.  As a side note, we could also do this without gaining a pound or causing any digestive issues, but alas, those days have now passed.  Anyways, the point is it doesn’t matter if he just ate a pound of them yesterday, Orlando will always appreciate more of his favorite candy at any time.  I suppose it follows the old cliche that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but it’s true.

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2. Take him to his favorite store and tell him he can pick out whatever he wants with no judgement from you.

Although we love to go shopping together, Orlando and I are often pretty honest with each other when it comes to assessing a proposed purchase.  And since our two styles are very different, I often have a hard time “getting” the look he’s going for with a particular shirt, pair of paisley pants, or quirky hat.  Don’t feel bad for him, he does the same thing to me.  But if I take him to his favorite store and tell him to treat himself to a new outfit, but WITHOUT any criticism or judgement from me, that’s a gift in and of itself.  It’s like the Instagram photo I posted yesterday.  Just trying to be his soft place to land. Because who actually WANTS to be the nagging wife stereotype?

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{P.S. I’m 99% positive Orlando is going to hate me for posting this picture of him, but I just can’t get over how Cora is looking at him.  Be still, my heart.}

3. Send him to the gym/bar/sports game with no complaining whatsoever.

What’s the one thing your man chooses to do for HOURS at a time that drives you batty? For me, it’s the copious amount of time Orlando is capable of spending in the gym.  I’m glad he’s leading a healthy lifestyle, driven in his career, blah blah blah, but does it really take FOUR hours to work out? Really? I often express these not-so-pleasant thoughts when he’s just about to head out the door, which is basically too late to do anything but cause frustration on both ends.  But if I’m simply cheerful, supportive, and give him a kiss on the way out, it’s letting him know I appreciate what he does and I’m happy for him.  End of story.  BONUS: this gift doesn’t cost anything!

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4. Give him a massage for as long as he wants.

Another freebie, unless you count the medical bills from your hands cramping up.  I seriously do not know how massage therapists do it.  Giving a massage is EXHAUSTING, but every once in awhile I will acquiesce to his requests and massage whatever body part hurts from the gym that day.  Did you just snicker? Yeah, it was really difficult to write that sentence without giggling.  You may be wondering who that strange woman is massaging my husband in the photo below.  Or why Orlando has a towel on his head.  All will be revealed in the next paragraph…

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5. Set him up with a spa day and luxurious hair cut.

There’s a brand new salon for men in San Antonio called The Boardroom.  They have locations across Texas, but this spot in the Quarry is their first in the Alamo City.  The pictures throughout this post have all been from inside the salon, so you can see it’s luxurious, country club, old school barber shop type feel.  They also have pool and chess while you wait or if your man enjoys a spa day with his buddies and they all want to play together. When the kind folks at The Boardroom asked if Orlando might be interested in trying their services, I immediately thought this would be right up his alley.  I’m sure they weren’t expecting myself and a 2 1/2 year old to be in his entourage, but they made us feel comfortable nonetheless.

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The Benchmark service at The Boardroom is their signature package, combining a hair cut with a parrafin hand treatment, massage, steamed towel, the list went on and on.  It was by far the most extensive and luxurious hair cut Orlando had ever experienced.  Our stylist was friendly, accommodating, and kept the whole process moving along at a relaxed but efficient pace.

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The after!  Orlando has a very, very specific way he likes his hair cut, so I was shocked that he actually enjoyed the experience and felt like he would go back for the spa portion alone!  In all honesty, I do have to say he still returned to his regular barber the next day to fix a few spots he didn’t like in the hairstyle, but I have to stress that if your man requires just a simple buzz cut or trim he will be FINE.  I just happen to be married to the Jennifer Aniston of men, and the “Rachel” hair cut had to be JUST. RIGHT.  Regardless, the service and relaxation portion at The Boardroom was top notch, and I even picked up some Bumble & Bumble Pret-A-Powder product for myself! Nothing like turning a spa day for your husband into a treat for you too! 😉

That’s the whole jist of treating your husband though.  Making him feel special and loved isn’t just good for him, it’s good for your relationship.  It’s healthy for everyone to feel appreciated in whatever capacity they feel appreciation.  Be it a new shirt from Zara or a hand massage, being a spouse means taking time to support one another.  Because the rest of the world won’t always hand you your favorite candy and tell you you’re the best.

XO,

A

P.S. Orlando received a complimentary Benchmark service at The Boardroom in exchange for this review.  Don’t worry though, all opinions are our own!