I would suggest that if you do find a guitar that sounds good to you and meets your needs, to make sure you can return it for a full refund in case your husband prefers something different.
That way you give him a nice present at Christmas, but he's not locked into the specifics of your choice in case he's got something else in mind.
You're doing a wonderful thing for him and your whole family - playing guitar is a great relaxation and something you can share with everyone.
Good luck!
I love acoustic guitars
!