Alright my friends, November is officially here and the Hallmark channel has been playing Christmas movies for at least two weeks, which means I’m way behind on holiday list…because I haven’t started yet…*nervous sweats*
There are only 27 days until Hanukkah and 50 days until Christmas so I really need to hop on my gift game here.
To celebrate/prepare for the upcoming holidays (and pretend I’m not woefully behind) I’ve decided to make a few different gift list ideas for anyone else struggling with what to get people this year.
Gift guides for travelers, book lovers, and BFFs coming soon!
For me, the toughest group to shop for every year is the men. Zach in particular is the worst because he never gives me anything to go on. “What’s on your wish list?” I ask hopefully, only to be met with, “I’m not sure, I know you’ll come up with something good though.” At which point I set him on fire and throw him out the window.
I pride myself on great gift-giving, but this man does not make it easy. Anyone else out there feel my pain? It’s truly a constant struggle.
Anyways, since this is the toughest crowd I thought I would start off with a gift guide for guys based on the best gifts I’ve given Zach over the last few years. Whether it’s your boyfriend, friend boy, dad, brother, cousin, or office crush, there’s at least one thing on this list that he’ll love.
Unless you decide to just give them coal for being so unhelpful – I wouldn’t blame you.
10 Non-Lame Gift Ideas for Your Guy
1. Man Crates
If you haven’t heard of Man Crates before, welcome to the future of dude gift giving. Basically, they sell different themed packages that arrive in a wooden crate with a crowbar to pry it open with. If that doesn’t scream “this is the ultimate gift for men” I’m not sure what does.
There’s everything from alcohol themed crates to zombie survival crates so you can find something for pretty much any guy (and they’re pretty reasonably priced – huge bonus!).
I got Zach their exotic meats crate two years ago and it was a big hit. Watching him attempt to pry the crate open with the complementary crowbar was hilarious and the jerky inside was actually really good!
2. Cool Socks
Ok, I know what you’re thinking but not all socks are lame socks – we’re not talking about a pack of white tube socks here.
Zach has always been a connoisseur of cool socks so he’s an easy target for this one (especially when I can’t think of anything else) but I think any guy who isn’t a total stick in the mud would be happy with a funny/cool/unique pair of socks.
And you’d be surprised by all the different kinds you can find. For his birthday this year I gave Zach a pair of Whataburger socks (the best/our favorite fast food chain in Texas) and they’re killer.
To take your sock game to the next level, sign your man up for a Foot Cardigan subscription. I got Zach a three-month subscription for our first holiday together and he loved it.
With the subscription, you (or whomever you sign up to receive it) will get a mystery pair of socks in the mail each month, each with a fun design. They also do special edition socks for different holidays and ones with pop culture references like election socks, Mean Girls socks, and The Simpsons socks that you can order individually. Who doesn’t want Simpsons socks?
3. Custom Cuff Links
If your man tends to dress up often, custom cuff links are an awesome gift. There are also hundreds of options for custom ones! When Zach and I were long distance I got him a pair that had a map cutout on each cuff link: one of Denton, TX (where I was) and one of Morgantown, WV (where he was). He always gets tons of complements when he wears them and they’re just fun.
The other good news is that they aren’t all wildly expensive. I think the best place to find ones is Etsy – just search “cuff links” + whatever hobby/special thing you want to go with it.
4. Valet Box
And where will he put his super cool new cuff links? In his brand-new valet box!
A valet box is really just a jewelry box for men but with a fancier name. This one from Pottery Barn is the one I got Zach but there are tons of options out there. Even if your man doesn’t have a ton of jewelry, it’s a good all-around storage for small things guys seem to randomly have.
5. Duffle Bag
This is a great gift for guys in college or recent grads (or adult men who don’t have luggage). When Zach and I started dating in undergrad, he was using an old gym bag held together by duct tape for traveling. I have no idea how it made it through airport baggage alive, but I finally decided to get him a nice duffle bag as a gift.
It’s something he would never have bought for himself but one of the most used gift I’ve ever gotten (him since he refuses to check a bag when he flies) and it’s the perfect carry-on size.
This is the one I got him and it’s been fantastic, definitely recommend! It’s surprisingly spacious inside and masculine without being ugly.
6. Dopp Kit
A year after getting Zach his duffle bag I realized he needed something to keep all his toiletries in when he travels too so they don’t just float around. “Dopp kit” is a fancy term for a toiletry bag and there are a ton of different options out there. After lots of shopping around, I finally went with a canvas & leather one that matched his duffle bag.
7. Daily Calendar
This is a good one for new relationships, stocking stuffers, and guys who like a quick laugh.
I will admit that a calendar sounds a bit boring, but you might be surprised by what’s out there. You could of course go with a “regular” (i.e. lame) calendar or one with encouraging quotes, but what fun is that?
My favorites include the “anti-affirmations” desk calendar for any man with a sarcastic soul, the “365 facts that will scare the sh*t out of you” daily calendar, and any dog version like the puppies daily calendar and the We Rate Dogs day-to-day calendar.
8. Beard Bib
Zach has a beard and I love his beard but what I don’t love is tiny little beard hairs covering my bathroom after he shaves. Enter the Beard Bib!
I got him this nifty beard trimming mat before we moved in together and it’s been a life saver. Possibly the best $15 I’ve ever spent.
It ties around his neck and has little suction cups that cling to the bathroom mirror so whenever he shaves, all the little hairs fall onto the bib and then he neatly dumps them in the trash when he’s done. A miracle!
9. Case of Beer
When all else fails, go with beer.
This is a particularly great gift if your man is a “beer head” (not sure if this is a real term but it’s what I call beer enthusiasts) who’s favorite beer is obscure and/or hard to find. For example, Zach’s favorite beer is Shiner, specifically their holiday beer Shiner Cheer, but since we’re not in Texas it’s not always as easy to find so a case of it makes for a fun gift that’ll last a while.
10. Tech-y Stuff
Let’s face it, guys love tech cr*p. You could add Bluetooth to tampons and they’d be all over it. So if nothing else sounds just right, you can probably find some fun new tech thing that he’ll enjoy.
These are a few things on Zach’s wish list this year/items on my “good gift idea” radar:
- Wireless Headphones
- Wireless Phone Charger
- Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- Heated Nightlight Toilet Seat (A real thing! Not something Zach asked for but it would be pretty nice in winter…)
- Stormtrooper Alarm Clock
If you have any ideas to add to the list, let me know in the comments!
Aimee Lerman says
How about Zach’s favorite toiletry products from Bath & Body Works? A good pocketknife/multi-tool like a Leatherman is also a nice gift and Stanley has some great thermoses and travel mugs if you want to get away from the ubiquitous Yeti. When all else fails, dress your guy in flannel shirts and cable-knit sweaters from la LL Bean.
Clara says
All great ideas! Flannel shirts are perfect because they’re technically for him but we both know I’m gonna end up “borrowing” the softest ones.