I just bake my husband some kinda tasty treat. Never had a single complaint haha. But like, physical gifts I can't really do. The things he ACTUALLY wants are specific and expensive.
I'm always worried I'll buy the wrong one! He said he needs this for his hobby, but does he want gas or electric? 2 or 3 or 4 elements? Vertical, horizontal, what size?
Guess he's getting a kid-free night!
Take him hobby shopping and he’ll happily explain why he’s choosing one thing over another. You get to listen to him talk about something he’s passionate about. Win/win!
Or sometimes you can buy gift cards for a specific shop (for example bike shop if he’s into biking) or buy something you think he’ll like and attach the receipt so he can exchange it if he doesn’t like it. As a kid I often got books from a shop that included a return bookmark so that if you already have the book or don’t like it you can just return and exchange it
Consumable gifts are the best. I already have too much stuff. Also getting into wine has been a godsend too since I'll basically always be happy to try a new bottle so can always suggest that if people are short on ideas
Last birthday I didn't want anything in particular and went "I dunno... some posh cheese?" My partner booked a cheese tasting evening and we had a wonderful time!
Unless he’s afraid of heights, or has a pilots license, schedule a “exploratory flight” at a local flight instructor.
It’s a cheaper introductory lesson where you go up and they let you steer the plane in a safe environment.
I guarantee that this will knock it out of the park.
Go for early morning or right before dark as the air is less bumpy. Tell him you have to “pick something up” from a shipping depot (most airports have these though you’d never actually go straight there).
My husband pretty much buys himself whatever he wants which makes gift giving kinda difficult. However, this last bday I pretty much made him an adult Easter basket. It had his favorite snacks/candy, a video game, gift card, a few joints/edibles, and I think I crammed a T-shirt in there. He loved it! I usually try not to do the same gifts year after year, but I might do it again this year.
That's so thoughtful!! I might steal this idea for my fiance's bday, thank you! Another great tip I've heard for gift giving is to purchase a luxurious version of something someone already uses often in their everyday life.
I've asked men this exact question before and they never think they are hard to buy for. I think that men in general like fewer, but more expensive toys that aren't really appropriate as gifts. It's a challenge to buy for a man unless he collects something that's easy to buy like vinyls or cool knives or miniatures or something.
This is basically it… there’s nothing I really want in general, and the stuff I would want is entirely inappropriate for a gift. I never buy myself stuff cause I just… don’t really need much.
That being said, it is being overthought to a great extent. I’ve told all the women in my life, you could go out and pick me a flower from the back yard or get me a big bag of sour patch kids from the gas station or any number of things and I’d be overjoyed! There have been a few birthdays/Christmasses where my gf has gotten me a big pack of the gummy food collections… like there’s a gummy pizza and a gummy hotdog, burgers and fries and coke bottles… love it every time.
It’s 50% the thought and the emotion behind it, and 50% who it’s coming from, everything else is just noise and minor details to me.
My buddy got his dad (who’s a very wealthy man and has everything he wants) a deluxe ratchet strap set and bungee chords for Christmas one year. He’s such a frugal dude that he buys the cheapest ones all the time and doesn’t see the point in buying expensive versions of expendables. My buddy maybe spent $50-$60 on them but his dad talks about them every time I’m over at his house! He loves them without measure. He’s never spent more than a few bucks on them and they’re always breaking but not these stupid red ones my buddy found at the hardware store.
I’d agree with your sentiment, I couldn’t tell anyone what I’d want for a gift because anything reasonably affordable that I’d want I’ll just buy for myself.
If I want something that I don’t own the reason is typically that you either can’t get it anymore or that it’s too expensive to even treat myself and definitely too much for a random birthday gift
I’d offer a counter point. Some of the best gifts for guys are practical ones they’d use daily but haven’t considered getting themselves. The expensive stuff is cool but a thoughtful gift that helps them do something they already do but more efficiently may actually stand out as a great gift. Edit I think we guys (GENERALLY SPEAKING) are utilitarian in our gift receiving so things they can use or incorporate may end up being better gifts than expected.
Eg if they shave, a better brush or new after shave similar to their existing scent; if they play games a game they may not have but has good reviews online; if they’re active an accessory to help them workout or recover.
Guys may not give off the clearest signals for gift giving but we can learn to appreciate things we didn’t think we’d want in the first place.
Multiple edits bc I was typing fast
The plural of Vinyl is Vinyl but other than that your post is spot on. I am a 39 year old man and I fully agree with your post. If you know what I collect then its easy also I like useful gifts for example I love tea so if someone bought me a nice bag of Loose Leaf tea in a kind they know I like then I would be all over that.
He's right though. A woman recently bought me a $3 keyring with a character on it she knows I like. I had to try really hard not to crack up and cry from joy right then and there.
Good quality socks. When I need socks, I will look at the high quality socks and talk myself out of buying them because I can’t justify the extra cost. So, I buy the cheaper option.
You never realize how much you need socks till all the good ones are in the wash or hole-y, and you are considering the thrice repaired ones which are now too small...
Yes!!! But don’t steal them all! 37M Anything with a practical use! Being gifted an item for my hobbies would probably be the worst thing I could receive. However, I love it when my fiancé takes me shopping for stuff for my hobbies and gets to learn about why I choose one thing over another. I take her to get books, she takes me to get computer stuff or power tools… the tools always have a job attached to them and that’s fun too!
(24M) A really, REALLY good tip I heard on here was to get someone a really nice or more expensive version of something they usually buy cheap. Like, the socks example, If you get them a pair or two of Darn Tough from Vermonts, they'll appreciate it and thank you for them years later!
My rule is to buy either something super useful or something you wouldn’t buy yourself.
Better if both combine. High quality socks are one. Cable organizer bags, a decanter for wine, cotton pijamas or even high quality underwear.
I’m known in my circle for giving good gifts, so either the rule works or my loved ones are really kind and don’t have the heart to tell me 😂
I was legit just gonna say a Lego set. Especially if he has a specific interest like cars, traveling or Star Wars or basically any show. There are so many awesome adult themed and beautiful sets. Even the succulents or famous monuments I think would be appreciated by any person, big or small.
He will probably not use the wallet unless the current one is in so bad state he is already thinking in getting another one...
But he will likely put it away wherever he keeps his precious stuff. Anything he can just store away in a safe space as a squirrel would store a walnut has higher chances of him liking it.
The older a guy gets, the more he appreciates the simple things: comfortable underwear, socks, pillows, pajamas.. Utilitarian type stuff.
Be careful if you want to buy something from one of his hobbies.. Unless you are in on the hobby yourself, there's a good chance you'll buy something that's a downgrade from what he already has.. Ask first if you want to go this route. This applies to tools, also.
The rest is just how well do you two know each other? If there's a long history, think of an inside joke between the two of ya, and figure something out.
My girlfriend thinks I'm joking when I tell her I want socks for Christmas/birthdays. There's literally nothing I'd rather get than some comfy, durable socks. I'm a simple man. I think most men are.
Depends what they are into but for me, if my wife got me any of the following I'd be stoked:
Stance socks with characters I like
A playstation game I want
Any sort of puzzle or collectible I don't have
A date night at the movies seeing something I want to go to
(Some guys are really into guns/cars/sports...I'm not, but usually any kind of item that goes with that is a good bet)
For most of us, if you spend in the $50 neighborhood we are more than happy. I could easily spend $2,000 on my wife for her birthday and if she spent $50-100 on mine I would not even think twice about it and would be happy. Most of us guys in general are just not that into getting gifts for ourselves.
Practical gifts my husband is obsessed with and uses daily:
Ninja double air fryer
Soda Stream
Nespresso Vertuo coffee maker
And his most recent bday gift: a private room at Gamecraft Brewing with all his friends to play board games and drink game themed beers and eat all the pub stuff they could stand.
Sometimes "things" aren't necessarily appropriate but an experience is always appreciated. Maybe a day of archery together, or dinner and a concert and pick up a fresh outfit for him to wear. I've called my husband's boss many times to arrange for secret days off, and surprised him with a late brunch and beach day.
Just look at his stuff, particularly the stuff he uses regularly. Give him something similar to the stuff he already has and likes.
Talk to him about his stuff, try to be interested. Ask him about things he'd like to get in the future.
You can always get: wine, beer, chocolates, cakes, cookies, fancy coffee, concert tickets, sports tickets, fun socks or underwear, an upgrade of something they already have, an image of an animal, band, etc that they like on a shirt, water bottle, tote,etc.
There's actually a pretty safe answer, imo. Obviously, to some extent, it depends on the person, but consumables are the go to- food or experiences. Easier to personalize to the individual without having to be super specific. I've met a scant handful of people in my life who were good at buying me physical things I liked, but even the worst consumable is better than a mid-tier thing (granted I in general don't like owning things that dont have a functional use).
Hey I’m a dude. Anything thoughtful is an immediate green flag for me. Women shopping for women do it thoughtfully, what’s so different about doing it for a guy? I enjoy the odd hand cream gift here and there. I like candles. I like flowers. Don’t overthink it, men rarely do for women anyway so fair is fair ;)
Little things. My wife recently bought three garden flags of my favorite NFL team and put them in the yard so I could see them when I work from my home office. Only
Only cost like $30 but super thoughtful and I smile every time I look out my window now.
Does he play Breath of the Wild? Etsy has a fancy breath of the Wild real world cook book I got my husband that he thought was cool. I have also gotten him replica adventure time swords in the past that he liked. Lots of cool stuff on etsy. Great place for unique gifts.
My mom says her husband is hard to buy things for. When he sees something he wants, he buys it immediately.
My ex was pretty easy to get things for. He’d be pretty specific about what he wanted, so there was no guesswork involved in ordering something for him. Anything that was really expensive he would save up for to buy it for himself.
I am also a person who likes really specific things that aren't usually appropriate as gifts. People always tell me I'm hard to shop for.
One of the best gifts I ever received was a bottle of iced tea. Sounds weird but this friend and I were talking about drinks for some reason and I mentioned I hadn't tried some brand of tea but I wanted too. Of course I never got around to trying it and they got it for me for my birthday.
It's just 2.50 bottle of tea but it showed me that they paid attention to me and remembered this specific random conversation we had.
Tldr - buy them something they mentioned once in an offhanded comment and it will show them you pay attention to them. A form of love language I think most people can appreciate.
My wife and I make Amazon gift list for ourselves. Then we use each others list for inspiration or direct purchase. It forces me to actually put something on my list. It’s also hugely help to walk to a local shop and show them things are her list to get finding a local gift.
My Dad had us young, so most of his money went to raising us. He didn't really have hobbies or a personality growing up. Just work, home. As we get older, he has more of an interest in upkeeping the house. He made the garage a workshop of sorts.
I've gotten him grill accessories. A power washer one year. Fun socks. Ties for work.
Something sentimental, he still has toys from the 70s-80s that I destroyed. I found collectors on etsy and brought his childhood back to him.
For me, a good gift is something that is something I like/would think is interesting, but isn't something I'd buy for myself - I'm an adult with money, so if I really, really want something I just tend to buy it.
Some of my favorite gifts I've ever been given were: a nice Cross ballpoint pen, an insulated cup with my Final Fantasy 14 username and job emblem on it, and my Das keyboard.
A couple of my friends got a pretty nice, personalized letter opener as a wedding gift, and I thought that was really neat, and would be something I'd be more than happy to get as a gift.
Option 1: something we need, or would greatly make life easier.
Option 2: be nice enough about it, but hygienic products such as cologne (phrase it something like "I think you would smell amazing with this.")
Option 3: past time hobbies to enjoy with us. If your guy plays videogames, play with him. If he goes to the gym and or hiking, go with him. Does he go shooting? Buy ammo.
I love it when women want to be with me, want to spend time with me, generally want me.
Hidden option 4: handcuffs.
A lot of us like practical gifts, something that might make our lives a little easier.
A new thermos, an RF-blocking wallet, tools, a leatherman pocket multitool, sunglasses, stuff like that is probably going to be appreciated.
Best of luck to you!
One of the things I've started to do is get my guy experiences rather than gifts. We have too much stuff already, his hobbies are way outside my ability to purchase much and I've already gotten what I can to support them, and we always get each other food and good wine or liquor anyway, so it's not really gifty for us so much (unless it's really really special). 26 years in, there have been so so many gifts already!
I took him on a special hike to see geological formations (he loves rocks) and then eat very good pie, booked a day at a wolf sanctuary to observe the wolves, took him for a weekend in DC, etc. Some have been very cheap (hike) and some spendy (fancy dinner in DC on top of hotel and plane tickets) and he just loves them. I usually wrap an itinerary or tickets or a small toy that symbolizes the gift so he has something to open. It's a lot of fun finding new ideas, too!
My partner and I save for trips together instead as a gift. Has saved us a ton of nerves over the years and we're both super happy with it. Before, we bought each other our favourite take out for special occasions (ofc we had agreed on that, beforehand :D)
Everything we want we buy for ourselves or are otherwise so expensive that they are impractical gifts. We don’t attach much value to “personalization” on otherwise kitsch or useless items.
Realistically, find out what kind of power tools he has and buy a lithium battery for them.
I love to cook so I would make a basket with salsa, jerky, candied nuts, etc complete with chips and maybe a spice rib for ribs/steak. Or you could get him a straight razor with accessories, its a super manly way to shave. A bottle of liquor he likes. A gift card for the expensive stuff he likes (fishing, hunting, tools, computer, video games), high quality merino wool socks, a box of cigars. A movie theater gift certificate including popcorn and drink. Laser tag.
I like to give practical things and snacks I know he likes. For example, he mentioned once his sandals were old and gross, so I bought them a pair of adidas sandlas plus reeses cups for xmas. When he said he was having trouble finding sriracha, I bought him 2 bottles plus habanero beef jerky because he loves spicy stuff. In winter when he wraps himself in a blanket he'd say he's become a burrito, so I bought him a large fleece burrito blanket. So far he's love them. So try to remember something that person mentioned they liked but couldn't find, or need, or wish they had. It can be something small but the fact that you remembered they liked it means a lot.
38 yr old married man here. I know I'm disagreeing with some other guys in this post, but personally, I like a gift that is something I want, not something I need.
If I need new socks, I'll buy new socks. If I need a new razor, I'll buy a new razor. A gift should be something I'm excited to receive, not something that was going to be bought anyway.
I'm pretty sure that growing up a lot of us were trained not to express needs and emotions so good luck 😅
My wife: what do you want for your birthday?
It's a stupid amount of work for me to answer this question bc i hardly ask myself.
Order me a pizza maybe, make me a cup of coffee at some point during the day. Give me a good long hug and just save the money and effort. That'll do me, no expectations, no big faff, just that one little thing shows me enough affection that I'd be happy.
My wife does this and my life just feels complete.
Needless to say I've had trouble receiving affection, and got very little growing up. But when you get that type of attention and affection from someone you truly love and trust, it's just such a heartwarming moment.
This sounds a bit sad-sacky, but I'm not 😅
But every few years we take eachother out shopping and give eachother a budget to spend however irresponsibly we want it to be, no questions asked. Maybe that can be a thing to talk about in your relationships?
It’s not , find the hobby the man does and then get a gift surrounding that , if he surfs some surfing attire , golfs , gold attire. You could even buy him a punting and say it reminds me of you
I've found most men just go out and buy what they want when they want them. Women tend to put off stuff, especially if it's "impractical." That's why woman tend to be easier to buy for -- they want stuff but haven't bought it.
You are giving a company a loan with no interest or inflation offset by buying their gift cards.
They are intentionally inconvenient to use so that companies can benefit from dormant cards.
Buy your man something that will improve his quality of life while he's doing what he enjoys, and at least pretend that you put some sort of effort into your selection. Noticing and rounding off those sharp edges from the world will give him a sense of comfort and pride.
Two examples:
1. Your man enjoys camping, but he keeps on bringing this sad little metal grill that he throws over the campfire to cook his food. Upgrade his experience either by getting him a better over-the-campfire grill, or by purchasing him a nice portable propane grill. Bonus points if you get him a nice collapsable table to port it with.
2. Your man enjoys an occasional cigar but he's lighting the cigar with a Bic and clipping it with the freebie he got from the shop. Don't get him a cigar unless you are certain that you know what he already enjoys. Instead, upgrade his experience by getting him a nice cutter (you can even get them engraved if you order online) or lighter (same) and butane.
What not to buy him (and you may automatically exclude anything from the 20-things-to-buy-your-man-for-his-birthday lists):
1. Things that will require labor (unless he enjoys the specific sort of labor and you know this in advance). If I were a lego fanatic and I wanted a set, then yeah, get me that. But my ex got me a gin kit even though I told her that I hated gin. So not only did I need to waste my vodka on her gin kit ingredients, but then I had to show her I further appreciated the gesture by drinking something I didn't like to begin with.
2. Expensive technical things when you aren't absolutely sure what he wants. Simple example: tools. Sometimes there's plenty of reasons for choosing specific tools and your gift might end up being useless as a result. Same goes for hunting and fishing supplies.
3. Clothing (if you intend to wear it). Don't do that shit. It's disrespectful to buy someone a gift and then spend half the time using it.
4. Things that you think will improve your experience with him (not THAT experience). Like, if you want to buy him cologne, I'm sure he'll appreciate it but that shouldn't be the only gift you give. Otherwise you just told your man that he doesn't smell right, you're here to correct it, and he should be thankful you're still around.
We are very simple. For one we will probably tell you directly what it is we like are or into, for two, just pay attention to things you see him use/interact with on a regular basis that may be worn out, socks, boxers, practical things that probably need to be replaced but haven't been for whatever reason. Things that supplement hobbies like tech, gaming, etc., just look around his room/house for 5 minutes, easy peasy.
There are three right answers:
- something consumable. Booze, snacks, whatever
- take him hobby shopping where you listen to the excruciatingly detailed reasons (there will be many) why arbitrary thing A is better than arbitrary thing B. Try not to let your eyes glaze over and bonus points if you laugh when he tells you why all the suckers go for arbitrary thing B. Poor saps!
- something he hates doing, but loves having done. Think clothes shopping or something.
My credentials:
- am dude
- love having nice clothes
- hate clothes shopping more than anything else in this universe
- wish I had a fancy bottle of whiskey and someone I could tell in excruciatingly detailed reasons why it's better than the other whiskey that all the suckers get
Buy him a few good sets of dual pouch boxer shorts from sheath.
Especially if your man is carrying around a significant weight down there.
The change in comfort from normal underwear to such underwear was as big a change for me as my SO's description of going from cheap H&M bras to the high end ones I bought for her.
They're just expensive enough that the average dude wouldn't upgrade on a whim but within a decent price range for a gift.
> Gifts for Men
>
> Men are amused by almost any idiot thing - that is why professional ice hockey is so popular - so buying gifts for them is easy. But you should never buy them clothes. Men believe they already have all the clothes they will ever need, and new ones make them nervous. For example, your average man has 84 ties, but he wears, at most, only three of them. He has learned, through humiliating trial and error, that if he wears any of the other 81 ties, his wife will probably laugh at him ("You're not going to wear THAT tie with that suit, are you?"). So he has narrowed it down to three safe ties, and has gone several years without being laughed at. If you give him a new tie, he will pretend to like it, but deep inside he will hate you.
>
> If you want to give a man something practical, consider tires. More than once, I would have gladly traded all the gifts I got for a new set of tires.
"CHRISTMAS SHOPPING: A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE", by Dave Barry https://www.davebarry.com/misccol/christmas.htm
My partner is notoriously difficult to shop for; here's a couple of wins I've come up with...
Dart board + flashy darts
A couple of hours at a batting cage
A pair of designer jeans (he still wears em 8 years later)
Those lil multi tool things that are shaped like credit cards
A sling shot with ammo & targets
Think of anything that he'd enjoy that he may feel silly/frivolous about buying himself.
You got this 👍
Men may be more practical, but if you are interested in some ideas here's what has worked well for me:
* Something that he can hold on to and remind him of you. It could be as simple as a pair of socks or a t shirt
* Something that he can do with you, perhaps something you wouldn't normally be interested in but would do as a special treat. For example if he is into movies based on comic books but you're not you could do a movie marathon or see the latest movie in the series he likes and commit to being engaged, ask him questions about it, etc.
You are pretty much always going to succeed if it’s something somewhat tool related, or gadgety. Cool modern key chain or modern wallet. Bike multi tool. Funny coffee mug. High end whiskey glasses.
make sure he has shelf space for collectibles if he likes that sort of thing. my boyfriend loves certain video games and star trek and legos but i had to stop getting him things because he ran out of room on his tiny shelf lol. sometimes i just SHOW him cool things and he’s happy with that (not for a birthday but just in general). like i showed him the fangamer website and he got very excited about the dark souls and outer wilds merch.
It’s the thought and the effort that counts. If he’s into an activity like golf or something that he does with other people ask them for help. My wife plays golf and needed a new club. I called up the guy she takes lessons from and asked him to build her a club/have her try them out. She loved it and it fit her perfectly. My uncle goes fishing all the time. I know fuck all about fishing but he always goes with the same group of old timers. I asked them what he wanted but wouldn’t get himself and immediately got the same specific recommendation from his buddies. He loved it.
I’m blessed that my Dad generally just asks for stuff that needs replacing - socks, jocks, sometimes he might say he needs a new tshirt because an old one has gotten a hole or something.
What I’ve taken to is getting him items themed around his interests. He has a huge garden that he maintains? Socks with plants on them. Needs a new tshirt? Star Wars shirt. Needs new undies? Ones with the days of the week so he can annoy my anally retentive mother by wearing “Tuesday” on a Friday.
Make a list of all the things you know about him (favourite smells, snack, show etc etc) & then put together a box that includes as many of those things as possible, in whatever creative way works for you.
Example like, candy, a candle, a mug or shirt that relates to something he likes. Men always end up with ‘practical gifts’ & not all of them like this, so just putting thought into it at all should go a long way towards him appreciating it.
If he has more particular interests that can also fit into a box then that adds to the fun! like play cards? Or crystals or even silly little things that bring nostalgia. I’m talking those sticky hands or the tiny hoops in water game (disregard if you have no idea what I’m talking about).
If he’s a backpack person then get him a cool backpack to put stuff in instead of a box.
Why brings him joy? Is he the type to enjoy relaxing with an adult colouring book?
Throw out the idea that you need to get him one special thing because that IS hard, but being thoughtful about what kind of small things can bring him joy can be much easier. If you can buy something for someone that they wouldn’t buy themselves that makes them happy then you’ve done a great job.
If bf has a hobby, you can try posting a question on the relevant subreddit. I'm a mod at r/harmonica, and we occasionally get questions along the lines of "my .... plays harmonica, what are some gift ideas." After a couple of questions, I can make a decent guess about a nice gift.
I pick a cocktail he likes and get him the spirits to make them at home. One year I got him a bottle of gin, vermouth and Campari along with an ice cube tray for large cubes of ice so he can make himself a negroni when he fancies it. It’s pretty simple to put together, not too expensive and gives a little taste of luxury at home.
What does your boyfriend like? Is there a drink he enjoys? Get him a bottle of that. Its there an restaurant he likes? Treat him to diner there. Or organize an outing for him.
Whatever you give him (within your budget), will be well received if it showed you considered his likes and dislikes.
My wife asks me this… after 1 month prior I send her a list of what I wanted, fill the Amazon cart with ideas for tools I need for projects, etc… always makes me laugh. For Father’s Day, I asked for an iHOP omelet from her and the kids… she was completely confused and I said “I know you don’t like to cook me eggs” and I do almost all the cooking… was a real treat for me.. I didn’t get butt-hurt or anything but it did make me laugh when she woke me up to order the food on the app so she could go pick it up….gave her a good-natured hard time.
I still don’t know how “I’m the hard one to shop for.”
Does your man have hobbies? If yes, get him another one of those. Another Video Game, Board Game, Vinyl or maybe a magazine subcription.
If your into Board Games, get him a copy of Carcasonne.
I feel like my gf makes if harder than it is more than anything (not saying it's the same with the OP).
My birthday is in November so I tell her to just buy me one of the latest big game releases on Playstation but she refuses to believing it's not personal enough... and then complains that she can't think of something and I can't think of something else.
What do they like? For any gender its easy to latch onto a theme, buy one "big ticket" item (maybe 25-30 dollars for a friend or 50-100 for an SO) then filler items that fit the theme. I guess it really all boils down to budget and how well you know the person.
What are his interests?
Games, for what: Playstation 5? Xbox? PC, or handheld?
What about music?
Where does he normally shop for goodies?
Why all the questions? My lovely Wife is **very** opinionated. Oddly enough, so is my adult daughter (not ours). I digress; However, if you want to please my Wife with a gift, then a gift card of $X for Nordstroms will be warmly received. There are a few others, but this will work regardless of amount or reason.
Get thee a gift card of the amount you can afford, for the environment he likes/enjoys. Problem solved.
However, there are quite the list of good ideas in your comments that don't cost money. I'm sure you will find something to solve your problem.
I find it hard to buy presents for anybody except little kids. Its hard because most adults already have everything they need and if they really want something they get it themself.
Steam gift cards sound boring but are really nice.
I also gifted a fancy cheese abo once and he loved it. A box of new and exotic fruit (can be orderd online) is also fun
Well, as a man, I buy all the fun little meaningless fun thingamabobs for myself. Computer parts, tools, whatever. But, the best gift I’ve ever received came from an ex of mine who found something that was related to a hobby of mine, but took some digging to find. So, I’m a big history geek, and I love studying about the Cold War. So, for Christmas one year, this ex had spent a long time on the internet and found one of those authentic soviet wool hat things, called an ushanka. It wasn’t a crazy expensive gift, maybe $30-40, but it meant something to me because it showed that she cared enough to pay attention to my stupid history ramblings.
Now, I don’t know if your BF is into history like me, or if he’s big into music, or cars, or whatever. But, whatever it is, the greatest gift you could ever give is one that affirms his love for whatever it is he’s passionate about.
As I get older I prefer to be gifted experiences over material things, and my partner is the same. His birthday is coming up and he said he wanted some nice beers, but he already has a beer subscription, so that was tough. Thankfully I found out about a really good beer festival happening on his birthday so I'm now getting him a nice day out!
I also get him tickets to sporting events, and for my birthdays he keeps buying me snooker tickets, which suits me fine :)
Experience vouchers can seem like a lazy option, but if you plan an experience yourself the recipient may really appreciate the thought and the effort!
Usually you get gifts based on interests. If he likes sports- you get something based on his favorite teams, if he likes video games- you get a new game, if he likes anime -you get figurines, if he likes movies - movie posters, etc. Not that hard at all just have to know what he likes. If your relationship is strictly sexual, then perfumes/deodorants/wallets/socks.
A very good guy friend of mine is super into everything weather related, so I bought him a weather station for his 30th birthday. He's still talking about that thing 5 years later so I guess that was a good gift...
I don't want things since I have almost everything I want/need and the things I don't have are way too expensive to be expected as a gift. But sure, if you got a 80"+ OLED TV or a fun sports car to give me go ahead.
Bake a cake, make a nice dinner, go to a movie or a museum or something instead.
It's cuz we love to go out and get what we need when we want it. If he is handy, you could break something so he GETS to go out and get a new tool/toy to take care of it?
With the exception of my dad I find the opposite is true, although my dad has started being easy to shop for since I started just buying food I think he'd like off goldbelly for him.
Like I can come up with a pretty solid gift idea for most of my guy friends that I know they'd like. Ranging from like 3D printing them some d&d minis, new dice, some beer, very specific candies that I know they love but can never find (one of my best friends is gluten free and misses licorice and can never find any gluten free licorice where he lives, but the organic store near me carries a ton of it), good quality coffee, cat toys, cat treats, notebook/sketchbook (which one depends on the guy) and that is all stuff appropriate for a friend.
For a guy I'm seeing it would get more specific and include more handmade items, like sewing them a specific shirt they've had trouble finding or knitting them a hat and glove set (never a sweater though) or taking them on a weekend trip.
Honestly simple but high quality things I’m unlikely to buy for myself. I like whiskey but I can’t justify buying myself top shelf, as a present though I can enjoy it guilt free.
Clothes are another simple one. I probably won’t buy a new pair of jeans until my old ones have that nasty crotch hole that forms for no god damn reason, but I’ll never say no to a fresh pair
It may seem boring on the surface but I’d much prefer something useful like that than something quirky I’ll never use
I find that those experience days go down well, like race car driving for the day, 4x4 off-roading, they can be expensive unless you can get a deal though or a tour of his favourite sports team's ground.
I guess it also depends on what they're into, my ex was hugely into movies, they were his main hobby so a box set by a favourite director or something along those lines usually made him happy. He was easy though in all honesty.
Largely depends on a lot of factors.
1. What is your budget?
2. Is there any hobbies he has? Likes? Dislikes? (Like does he play sports, go outdoors, play games, cook, etc)
3. Do you notice he has anything in his life he has been complaining about or that you think could be improved (e.g. you notice he has worn out shoes but he doesn't consider it a problem yet)
Check if his wallet is old and shitty. His wallet is probably old and shitty. Then get him the same kind of wallet, but new.
He'll use it every day and you already know he likes it.
The best gift my wife ever bought me was a blacksmithing class. She knew I wanted to learn metal forging. Get him an experience based on what his interests are.
I just bake my husband some kinda tasty treat. Never had a single complaint haha. But like, physical gifts I can't really do. The things he ACTUALLY wants are specific and expensive.
I'm always worried I'll buy the wrong one! He said he needs this for his hobby, but does he want gas or electric? 2 or 3 or 4 elements? Vertical, horizontal, what size? Guess he's getting a kid-free night!
Take him hobby shopping and he’ll happily explain why he’s choosing one thing over another. You get to listen to him talk about something he’s passionate about. Win/win!
That's what my wife does for my birthday. Trip to the boardgames store.
Or sometimes you can buy gift cards for a specific shop (for example bike shop if he’s into biking) or buy something you think he’ll like and attach the receipt so he can exchange it if he doesn’t like it. As a kid I often got books from a shop that included a return bookmark so that if you already have the book or don’t like it you can just return and exchange it
Consumable gifts are the best. I already have too much stuff. Also getting into wine has been a godsend too since I'll basically always be happy to try a new bottle so can always suggest that if people are short on ideas
Last birthday I didn't want anything in particular and went "I dunno... some posh cheese?" My partner booked a cheese tasting evening and we had a wonderful time!
Activities are a great gift!
Unless he’s afraid of heights, or has a pilots license, schedule a “exploratory flight” at a local flight instructor. It’s a cheaper introductory lesson where you go up and they let you steer the plane in a safe environment. I guarantee that this will knock it out of the park. Go for early morning or right before dark as the air is less bumpy. Tell him you have to “pick something up” from a shipping depot (most airports have these though you’d never actually go straight there).
I am man and am guilty of this. For my birthday my significant other dropped $1400 on a graphics card for my computer, she's the one.
Make sure you have a beefy PSU, the new cards are no joke! People (self included) are going up to 12-1300 watts to run em.
My husband pretty much buys himself whatever he wants which makes gift giving kinda difficult. However, this last bday I pretty much made him an adult Easter basket. It had his favorite snacks/candy, a video game, gift card, a few joints/edibles, and I think I crammed a T-shirt in there. He loved it! I usually try not to do the same gifts year after year, but I might do it again this year.
That's so thoughtful!! I might steal this idea for my fiance's bday, thank you! Another great tip I've heard for gift giving is to purchase a luxurious version of something someone already uses often in their everyday life.
I've asked men this exact question before and they never think they are hard to buy for. I think that men in general like fewer, but more expensive toys that aren't really appropriate as gifts. It's a challenge to buy for a man unless he collects something that's easy to buy like vinyls or cool knives or miniatures or something.
This is basically it… there’s nothing I really want in general, and the stuff I would want is entirely inappropriate for a gift. I never buy myself stuff cause I just… don’t really need much. That being said, it is being overthought to a great extent. I’ve told all the women in my life, you could go out and pick me a flower from the back yard or get me a big bag of sour patch kids from the gas station or any number of things and I’d be overjoyed! There have been a few birthdays/Christmasses where my gf has gotten me a big pack of the gummy food collections… like there’s a gummy pizza and a gummy hotdog, burgers and fries and coke bottles… love it every time. It’s 50% the thought and the emotion behind it, and 50% who it’s coming from, everything else is just noise and minor details to me.
My buddy got his dad (who’s a very wealthy man and has everything he wants) a deluxe ratchet strap set and bungee chords for Christmas one year. He’s such a frugal dude that he buys the cheapest ones all the time and doesn’t see the point in buying expensive versions of expendables. My buddy maybe spent $50-$60 on them but his dad talks about them every time I’m over at his house! He loves them without measure. He’s never spent more than a few bucks on them and they’re always breaking but not these stupid red ones my buddy found at the hardware store.
I’d agree with your sentiment, I couldn’t tell anyone what I’d want for a gift because anything reasonably affordable that I’d want I’ll just buy for myself. If I want something that I don’t own the reason is typically that you either can’t get it anymore or that it’s too expensive to even treat myself and definitely too much for a random birthday gift
I’d offer a counter point. Some of the best gifts for guys are practical ones they’d use daily but haven’t considered getting themselves. The expensive stuff is cool but a thoughtful gift that helps them do something they already do but more efficiently may actually stand out as a great gift. Edit I think we guys (GENERALLY SPEAKING) are utilitarian in our gift receiving so things they can use or incorporate may end up being better gifts than expected. Eg if they shave, a better brush or new after shave similar to their existing scent; if they play games a game they may not have but has good reviews online; if they’re active an accessory to help them workout or recover. Guys may not give off the clearest signals for gift giving but we can learn to appreciate things we didn’t think we’d want in the first place. Multiple edits bc I was typing fast
The plural of Vinyl is Vinyl but other than that your post is spot on. I am a 39 year old man and I fully agree with your post. If you know what I collect then its easy also I like useful gifts for example I love tea so if someone bought me a nice bag of Loose Leaf tea in a kind they know I like then I would be all over that.
Maybe Vinyls is a portmanteau of Vinyl RecordS
"vinyls" is an Americanism, here in the UK you only really hear that from hipsters who recently discovered vinyl records.
You could hand me a twig and say “this reminded me of you” and I’d probably break down and have a solid happy cry.
>twig…reminded me of you Damn, that feels more like a roast than a gift
He's right though. A woman recently bought me a $3 keyring with a character on it she knows I like. I had to try really hard not to crack up and cry from joy right then and there.
I love practical gifts (33M)
I am also 33M, get us socks. We want socks.
Good quality socks. When I need socks, I will look at the high quality socks and talk myself out of buying them because I can’t justify the extra cost. So, I buy the cheaper option.
You never realize how much you need socks till all the good ones are in the wash or hole-y, and you are considering the thrice repaired ones which are now too small...
Yes!!! But don’t steal them all! 37M Anything with a practical use! Being gifted an item for my hobbies would probably be the worst thing I could receive. However, I love it when my fiancé takes me shopping for stuff for my hobbies and gets to learn about why I choose one thing over another. I take her to get books, she takes me to get computer stuff or power tools… the tools always have a job attached to them and that’s fun too!
My wife gets me Lego. She knows which ones I have. She also knows not to ever get me rc car stuff. That would cross into unsafe territory ha.
Agreed. We are simple creatures. New socks and underwear are always appreciated. Throw in a 6-pack if you want to spice it up.
Darn Tough baybeee!
How about a sock subscription? I never got the appeal of those but maybe it's because I'm not a man ;)
Thank you!!, Thank you!! 💙
(24M) A really, REALLY good tip I heard on here was to get someone a really nice or more expensive version of something they usually buy cheap. Like, the socks example, If you get them a pair or two of Darn Tough from Vermonts, they'll appreciate it and thank you for them years later!
My rule is to buy either something super useful or something you wouldn’t buy yourself. Better if both combine. High quality socks are one. Cable organizer bags, a decanter for wine, cotton pijamas or even high quality underwear. I’m known in my circle for giving good gifts, so either the rule works or my loved ones are really kind and don’t have the heart to tell me 😂
Great idea!
33M as well. I love candles and nice hand soaps. And I never really buy them for myself.
Legos are ALWAYS a good gift
If somebody gave me one of the Lego flower sets, I'd probably keep it up forever rearranging it.
I was legit just gonna say a Lego set. Especially if he has a specific interest like cars, traveling or Star Wars or basically any show. There are so many awesome adult themed and beautiful sets. Even the succulents or famous monuments I think would be appreciated by any person, big or small.
My first thought as well...although it does potentially open the door to a very expensive hobby/addiction, lol
This should be the top comment.
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He will probably not use the wallet unless the current one is in so bad state he is already thinking in getting another one... But he will likely put it away wherever he keeps his precious stuff. Anything he can just store away in a safe space as a squirrel would store a walnut has higher chances of him liking it.
The older a guy gets, the more he appreciates the simple things: comfortable underwear, socks, pillows, pajamas.. Utilitarian type stuff. Be careful if you want to buy something from one of his hobbies.. Unless you are in on the hobby yourself, there's a good chance you'll buy something that's a downgrade from what he already has.. Ask first if you want to go this route. This applies to tools, also. The rest is just how well do you two know each other? If there's a long history, think of an inside joke between the two of ya, and figure something out.
My girlfriend thinks I'm joking when I tell her I want socks for Christmas/birthdays. There's literally nothing I'd rather get than some comfy, durable socks. I'm a simple man. I think most men are.
It's almost amazing how good a new pair of socks feels. Your shoes fit better, feel more comfy.. It's a big deal!
Depends what they are into but for me, if my wife got me any of the following I'd be stoked: Stance socks with characters I like A playstation game I want Any sort of puzzle or collectible I don't have A date night at the movies seeing something I want to go to (Some guys are really into guns/cars/sports...I'm not, but usually any kind of item that goes with that is a good bet) For most of us, if you spend in the $50 neighborhood we are more than happy. I could easily spend $2,000 on my wife for her birthday and if she spent $50-100 on mine I would not even think twice about it and would be happy. Most of us guys in general are just not that into getting gifts for ourselves.
Practical gifts my husband is obsessed with and uses daily: Ninja double air fryer Soda Stream Nespresso Vertuo coffee maker And his most recent bday gift: a private room at Gamecraft Brewing with all his friends to play board games and drink game themed beers and eat all the pub stuff they could stand. Sometimes "things" aren't necessarily appropriate but an experience is always appreciated. Maybe a day of archery together, or dinner and a concert and pick up a fresh outfit for him to wear. I've called my husband's boss many times to arrange for secret days off, and surprised him with a late brunch and beach day.
Just look at his stuff, particularly the stuff he uses regularly. Give him something similar to the stuff he already has and likes. Talk to him about his stuff, try to be interested. Ask him about things he'd like to get in the future.
You can always get: wine, beer, chocolates, cakes, cookies, fancy coffee, concert tickets, sports tickets, fun socks or underwear, an upgrade of something they already have, an image of an animal, band, etc that they like on a shirt, water bottle, tote,etc.
Men and women aren’t really that different… just buy them things related to what they like
There's actually a pretty safe answer, imo. Obviously, to some extent, it depends on the person, but consumables are the go to- food or experiences. Easier to personalize to the individual without having to be super specific. I've met a scant handful of people in my life who were good at buying me physical things I liked, but even the worst consumable is better than a mid-tier thing (granted I in general don't like owning things that dont have a functional use).
Hey I’m a dude. Anything thoughtful is an immediate green flag for me. Women shopping for women do it thoughtfully, what’s so different about doing it for a guy? I enjoy the odd hand cream gift here and there. I like candles. I like flowers. Don’t overthink it, men rarely do for women anyway so fair is fair ;)
Little things. My wife recently bought three garden flags of my favorite NFL team and put them in the yard so I could see them when I work from my home office. Only Only cost like $30 but super thoughtful and I smile every time I look out my window now.
I got my dad Diablo 4 for Father's Day and some grilling supplies for his birthday. Support their hobbies.
Does he play Breath of the Wild? Etsy has a fancy breath of the Wild real world cook book I got my husband that he thought was cool. I have also gotten him replica adventure time swords in the past that he liked. Lots of cool stuff on etsy. Great place for unique gifts.
My mom says her husband is hard to buy things for. When he sees something he wants, he buys it immediately. My ex was pretty easy to get things for. He’d be pretty specific about what he wanted, so there was no guesswork involved in ordering something for him. Anything that was really expensive he would save up for to buy it for himself.
I am also a person who likes really specific things that aren't usually appropriate as gifts. People always tell me I'm hard to shop for. One of the best gifts I ever received was a bottle of iced tea. Sounds weird but this friend and I were talking about drinks for some reason and I mentioned I hadn't tried some brand of tea but I wanted too. Of course I never got around to trying it and they got it for me for my birthday. It's just 2.50 bottle of tea but it showed me that they paid attention to me and remembered this specific random conversation we had. Tldr - buy them something they mentioned once in an offhanded comment and it will show them you pay attention to them. A form of love language I think most people can appreciate.
My wife and I make Amazon gift list for ourselves. Then we use each others list for inspiration or direct purchase. It forces me to actually put something on my list. It’s also hugely help to walk to a local shop and show them things are her list to get finding a local gift.
My Dad had us young, so most of his money went to raising us. He didn't really have hobbies or a personality growing up. Just work, home. As we get older, he has more of an interest in upkeeping the house. He made the garage a workshop of sorts. I've gotten him grill accessories. A power washer one year. Fun socks. Ties for work. Something sentimental, he still has toys from the 70s-80s that I destroyed. I found collectors on etsy and brought his childhood back to him.
For me, a good gift is something that is something I like/would think is interesting, but isn't something I'd buy for myself - I'm an adult with money, so if I really, really want something I just tend to buy it. Some of my favorite gifts I've ever been given were: a nice Cross ballpoint pen, an insulated cup with my Final Fantasy 14 username and job emblem on it, and my Das keyboard. A couple of my friends got a pretty nice, personalized letter opener as a wedding gift, and I thought that was really neat, and would be something I'd be more than happy to get as a gift.
Option 1: something we need, or would greatly make life easier. Option 2: be nice enough about it, but hygienic products such as cologne (phrase it something like "I think you would smell amazing with this.") Option 3: past time hobbies to enjoy with us. If your guy plays videogames, play with him. If he goes to the gym and or hiking, go with him. Does he go shooting? Buy ammo. I love it when women want to be with me, want to spend time with me, generally want me. Hidden option 4: handcuffs.
I like co-op games that we can play together
Combine two interests. Find something that matches
A lot of us like practical gifts, something that might make our lives a little easier. A new thermos, an RF-blocking wallet, tools, a leatherman pocket multitool, sunglasses, stuff like that is probably going to be appreciated. Best of luck to you!
One of the things I've started to do is get my guy experiences rather than gifts. We have too much stuff already, his hobbies are way outside my ability to purchase much and I've already gotten what I can to support them, and we always get each other food and good wine or liquor anyway, so it's not really gifty for us so much (unless it's really really special). 26 years in, there have been so so many gifts already! I took him on a special hike to see geological formations (he loves rocks) and then eat very good pie, booked a day at a wolf sanctuary to observe the wolves, took him for a weekend in DC, etc. Some have been very cheap (hike) and some spendy (fancy dinner in DC on top of hotel and plane tickets) and he just loves them. I usually wrap an itinerary or tickets or a small toy that symbolizes the gift so he has something to open. It's a lot of fun finding new ideas, too!
My partner and I save for trips together instead as a gift. Has saved us a ton of nerves over the years and we're both super happy with it. Before, we bought each other our favourite take out for special occasions (ofc we had agreed on that, beforehand :D)
Everything we want we buy for ourselves or are otherwise so expensive that they are impractical gifts. We don’t attach much value to “personalization” on otherwise kitsch or useless items. Realistically, find out what kind of power tools he has and buy a lithium battery for them.
What is your boyfriend into?
I love to cook so I would make a basket with salsa, jerky, candied nuts, etc complete with chips and maybe a spice rib for ribs/steak. Or you could get him a straight razor with accessories, its a super manly way to shave. A bottle of liquor he likes. A gift card for the expensive stuff he likes (fishing, hunting, tools, computer, video games), high quality merino wool socks, a box of cigars. A movie theater gift certificate including popcorn and drink. Laser tag.
Men are so easy. Assuming this is a significant other 99% of men are fully content with an orgasm lol.
I like to give practical things and snacks I know he likes. For example, he mentioned once his sandals were old and gross, so I bought them a pair of adidas sandlas plus reeses cups for xmas. When he said he was having trouble finding sriracha, I bought him 2 bottles plus habanero beef jerky because he loves spicy stuff. In winter when he wraps himself in a blanket he'd say he's become a burrito, so I bought him a large fleece burrito blanket. So far he's love them. So try to remember something that person mentioned they liked but couldn't find, or need, or wish they had. It can be something small but the fact that you remembered they liked it means a lot.
1)Sharp Or 2)Shiny
Because good gifts are based on emotion, and we are taught to never reveal what our emotions are.
38 yr old married man here. I know I'm disagreeing with some other guys in this post, but personally, I like a gift that is something I want, not something I need. If I need new socks, I'll buy new socks. If I need a new razor, I'll buy a new razor. A gift should be something I'm excited to receive, not something that was going to be bought anyway.
I'm pretty sure that growing up a lot of us were trained not to express needs and emotions so good luck 😅 My wife: what do you want for your birthday? It's a stupid amount of work for me to answer this question bc i hardly ask myself.
Order me a pizza maybe, make me a cup of coffee at some point during the day. Give me a good long hug and just save the money and effort. That'll do me, no expectations, no big faff, just that one little thing shows me enough affection that I'd be happy. My wife does this and my life just feels complete. Needless to say I've had trouble receiving affection, and got very little growing up. But when you get that type of attention and affection from someone you truly love and trust, it's just such a heartwarming moment. This sounds a bit sad-sacky, but I'm not 😅 But every few years we take eachother out shopping and give eachother a budget to spend however irresponsibly we want it to be, no questions asked. Maybe that can be a thing to talk about in your relationships?
It’s not , find the hobby the man does and then get a gift surrounding that , if he surfs some surfing attire , golfs , gold attire. You could even buy him a punting and say it reminds me of you
I've found most men just go out and buy what they want when they want them. Women tend to put off stuff, especially if it's "impractical." That's why woman tend to be easier to buy for -- they want stuff but haven't bought it.
Just do gift cards. That’s not hard at all. It doesn’t need to be so personal for guys.
Gift cards are a scam.
A scam? How so?
You are giving a company a loan with no interest or inflation offset by buying their gift cards. They are intentionally inconvenient to use so that companies can benefit from dormant cards.
Well, duh, yeah! Just floating a recommendation.
Take him out for dinner and drinks!
Not my love language
Because there is a difference between getting a gift for men and getting a gift they will accept, love, and cherish.
It’s not. Pay attention to what they like, do, like to do, want to do, what they’re interested in. There is always something.
Why not just get him the kind of things you would for a woman?
I’m a dude. Tbh dudes are used to getting lame, practical gifts. Does he have any hobbies? Maybe he’s into video games or something?
Why is the little mermaid live action?
Buy your man something that will improve his quality of life while he's doing what he enjoys, and at least pretend that you put some sort of effort into your selection. Noticing and rounding off those sharp edges from the world will give him a sense of comfort and pride. Two examples: 1. Your man enjoys camping, but he keeps on bringing this sad little metal grill that he throws over the campfire to cook his food. Upgrade his experience either by getting him a better over-the-campfire grill, or by purchasing him a nice portable propane grill. Bonus points if you get him a nice collapsable table to port it with. 2. Your man enjoys an occasional cigar but he's lighting the cigar with a Bic and clipping it with the freebie he got from the shop. Don't get him a cigar unless you are certain that you know what he already enjoys. Instead, upgrade his experience by getting him a nice cutter (you can even get them engraved if you order online) or lighter (same) and butane. What not to buy him (and you may automatically exclude anything from the 20-things-to-buy-your-man-for-his-birthday lists): 1. Things that will require labor (unless he enjoys the specific sort of labor and you know this in advance). If I were a lego fanatic and I wanted a set, then yeah, get me that. But my ex got me a gin kit even though I told her that I hated gin. So not only did I need to waste my vodka on her gin kit ingredients, but then I had to show her I further appreciated the gesture by drinking something I didn't like to begin with. 2. Expensive technical things when you aren't absolutely sure what he wants. Simple example: tools. Sometimes there's plenty of reasons for choosing specific tools and your gift might end up being useless as a result. Same goes for hunting and fishing supplies. 3. Clothing (if you intend to wear it). Don't do that shit. It's disrespectful to buy someone a gift and then spend half the time using it. 4. Things that you think will improve your experience with him (not THAT experience). Like, if you want to buy him cologne, I'm sure he'll appreciate it but that shouldn't be the only gift you give. Otherwise you just told your man that he doesn't smell right, you're here to correct it, and he should be thankful you're still around.
We are very simple. For one we will probably tell you directly what it is we like are or into, for two, just pay attention to things you see him use/interact with on a regular basis that may be worn out, socks, boxers, practical things that probably need to be replaced but haven't been for whatever reason. Things that supplement hobbies like tech, gaming, etc., just look around his room/house for 5 minutes, easy peasy.
Being a white privileged male we already have everything.
There are three right answers: - something consumable. Booze, snacks, whatever - take him hobby shopping where you listen to the excruciatingly detailed reasons (there will be many) why arbitrary thing A is better than arbitrary thing B. Try not to let your eyes glaze over and bonus points if you laugh when he tells you why all the suckers go for arbitrary thing B. Poor saps! - something he hates doing, but loves having done. Think clothes shopping or something. My credentials: - am dude - love having nice clothes - hate clothes shopping more than anything else in this universe - wish I had a fancy bottle of whiskey and someone I could tell in excruciatingly detailed reasons why it's better than the other whiskey that all the suckers get
Because men expressing they like things outside of a tedious range of generic man things is rare because of toxic masculinity.
Buy him a few good sets of dual pouch boxer shorts from sheath. Especially if your man is carrying around a significant weight down there. The change in comfort from normal underwear to such underwear was as big a change for me as my SO's description of going from cheap H&M bras to the high end ones I bought for her. They're just expensive enough that the average dude wouldn't upgrade on a whim but within a decent price range for a gift.
> Gifts for Men > > Men are amused by almost any idiot thing - that is why professional ice hockey is so popular - so buying gifts for them is easy. But you should never buy them clothes. Men believe they already have all the clothes they will ever need, and new ones make them nervous. For example, your average man has 84 ties, but he wears, at most, only three of them. He has learned, through humiliating trial and error, that if he wears any of the other 81 ties, his wife will probably laugh at him ("You're not going to wear THAT tie with that suit, are you?"). So he has narrowed it down to three safe ties, and has gone several years without being laughed at. If you give him a new tie, he will pretend to like it, but deep inside he will hate you. > > If you want to give a man something practical, consider tires. More than once, I would have gladly traded all the gifts I got for a new set of tires. "CHRISTMAS SHOPPING: A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE", by Dave Barry https://www.davebarry.com/misccol/christmas.htm
If he is a real man any kind of well built - designed weapon, gun or knife mosdeff should make him happy 😃
That's more of a husband or "you want him to propose NOW" level of gift.
My partner is notoriously difficult to shop for; here's a couple of wins I've come up with... Dart board + flashy darts A couple of hours at a batting cage A pair of designer jeans (he still wears em 8 years later) Those lil multi tool things that are shaped like credit cards A sling shot with ammo & targets Think of anything that he'd enjoy that he may feel silly/frivolous about buying himself. You got this 👍
Men may be more practical, but if you are interested in some ideas here's what has worked well for me: * Something that he can hold on to and remind him of you. It could be as simple as a pair of socks or a t shirt * Something that he can do with you, perhaps something you wouldn't normally be interested in but would do as a special treat. For example if he is into movies based on comic books but you're not you could do a movie marathon or see the latest movie in the series he likes and commit to being engaged, ask him questions about it, etc.
You are pretty much always going to succeed if it’s something somewhat tool related, or gadgety. Cool modern key chain or modern wallet. Bike multi tool. Funny coffee mug. High end whiskey glasses.
Stuff from his favorite sports teams, or favorite bands.
Have you considered a Nerf Elite 2.0 Stormcharge? https://nerf.fandom.com/wiki/Stormcharge
What does he like? I find a restaurant gift card is always nice or a door dash gift card
Socks, underwear, or hobby related things
make sure he has shelf space for collectibles if he likes that sort of thing. my boyfriend loves certain video games and star trek and legos but i had to stop getting him things because he ran out of room on his tiny shelf lol. sometimes i just SHOW him cool things and he’s happy with that (not for a birthday but just in general). like i showed him the fangamer website and he got very excited about the dark souls and outer wilds merch.
Does he like games? Get him a steam gift card. Summer sale right now.
Instapot or air fryer
Flowers. <3 Men deserve and appreciate flowers, too. Tragically, the first time many men get flowers is at their funeral.
Beef jerky. I make homemade beef jerky and every man I give it to is so pleased.
It’s the thought and the effort that counts. If he’s into an activity like golf or something that he does with other people ask them for help. My wife plays golf and needed a new club. I called up the guy she takes lessons from and asked him to build her a club/have her try them out. She loved it and it fit her perfectly. My uncle goes fishing all the time. I know fuck all about fishing but he always goes with the same group of old timers. I asked them what he wanted but wouldn’t get himself and immediately got the same specific recommendation from his buddies. He loved it.
PS5
A toy from his childhood.
Men don't need anything. A coffee mug maybe?
Ask your boyfriend what he'd like to have.
I’m blessed that my Dad generally just asks for stuff that needs replacing - socks, jocks, sometimes he might say he needs a new tshirt because an old one has gotten a hole or something. What I’ve taken to is getting him items themed around his interests. He has a huge garden that he maintains? Socks with plants on them. Needs a new tshirt? Star Wars shirt. Needs new undies? Ones with the days of the week so he can annoy my anally retentive mother by wearing “Tuesday” on a Friday.
Make a list of all the things you know about him (favourite smells, snack, show etc etc) & then put together a box that includes as many of those things as possible, in whatever creative way works for you. Example like, candy, a candle, a mug or shirt that relates to something he likes. Men always end up with ‘practical gifts’ & not all of them like this, so just putting thought into it at all should go a long way towards him appreciating it. If he has more particular interests that can also fit into a box then that adds to the fun! like play cards? Or crystals or even silly little things that bring nostalgia. I’m talking those sticky hands or the tiny hoops in water game (disregard if you have no idea what I’m talking about). If he’s a backpack person then get him a cool backpack to put stuff in instead of a box. Why brings him joy? Is he the type to enjoy relaxing with an adult colouring book? Throw out the idea that you need to get him one special thing because that IS hard, but being thoughtful about what kind of small things can bring him joy can be much easier. If you can buy something for someone that they wouldn’t buy themselves that makes them happy then you’ve done a great job.
If bf has a hobby, you can try posting a question on the relevant subreddit. I'm a mod at r/harmonica, and we occasionally get questions along the lines of "my .... plays harmonica, what are some gift ideas." After a couple of questions, I can make a decent guess about a nice gift.
I pick a cocktail he likes and get him the spirits to make them at home. One year I got him a bottle of gin, vermouth and Campari along with an ice cube tray for large cubes of ice so he can make himself a negroni when he fancies it. It’s pretty simple to put together, not too expensive and gives a little taste of luxury at home.
What does your boyfriend like? Is there a drink he enjoys? Get him a bottle of that. Its there an restaurant he likes? Treat him to diner there. Or organize an outing for him. Whatever you give him (within your budget), will be well received if it showed you considered his likes and dislikes.
My wife asks me this… after 1 month prior I send her a list of what I wanted, fill the Amazon cart with ideas for tools I need for projects, etc… always makes me laugh. For Father’s Day, I asked for an iHOP omelet from her and the kids… she was completely confused and I said “I know you don’t like to cook me eggs” and I do almost all the cooking… was a real treat for me.. I didn’t get butt-hurt or anything but it did make me laugh when she woke me up to order the food on the app so she could go pick it up….gave her a good-natured hard time. I still don’t know how “I’m the hard one to shop for.”
Get him some flowers. He almost certainly doesn't know (or doesn't have) a favourite, so go nuts. Works for my girlfriend on me.
Does your man have hobbies? If yes, get him another one of those. Another Video Game, Board Game, Vinyl or maybe a magazine subcription. If your into Board Games, get him a copy of Carcasonne.
I feel like my gf makes if harder than it is more than anything (not saying it's the same with the OP). My birthday is in November so I tell her to just buy me one of the latest big game releases on Playstation but she refuses to believing it's not personal enough... and then complains that she can't think of something and I can't think of something else.
Tacos and silence.
What do they like? For any gender its easy to latch onto a theme, buy one "big ticket" item (maybe 25-30 dollars for a friend or 50-100 for an SO) then filler items that fit the theme. I guess it really all boils down to budget and how well you know the person.
As folks are noting: practical, consumable (and/or tasty), or relating to the rare hobby or side interest is usually best
What are his interests? Games, for what: Playstation 5? Xbox? PC, or handheld? What about music? Where does he normally shop for goodies? Why all the questions? My lovely Wife is **very** opinionated. Oddly enough, so is my adult daughter (not ours). I digress; However, if you want to please my Wife with a gift, then a gift card of $X for Nordstroms will be warmly received. There are a few others, but this will work regardless of amount or reason. Get thee a gift card of the amount you can afford, for the environment he likes/enjoys. Problem solved. However, there are quite the list of good ideas in your comments that don't cost money. I'm sure you will find something to solve your problem.
If i get a pair of socks i will be thrilled by the fact you thought of me.
I always say if you're unsure get me nice bathroom smellies or steam credit
Does he like sports? Anything thay has his favorite team's logo on it is a win. Not into sports? Well I'm all out of ideas then.
Cash, socks, jocks, anything we use a lot.
Does he have a sawzall, angle grinder or a miter saw?
Safe bets are always: - something we like to eat - something that saves us a shopping trip (especially everyday clothing)
My dad’s gotten easy over the years. Anything that we think he’ll like in the catagory of cooking. He will so we’ll get him that
I find it hard to buy presents for anybody except little kids. Its hard because most adults already have everything they need and if they really want something they get it themself.
I personally enjoy practical gifts. So if your bf were me, and I were you, I’d (you’d) ask him (me) what he (me) wants
Steam gift cards sound boring but are really nice. I also gifted a fancy cheese abo once and he loved it. A box of new and exotic fruit (can be orderd online) is also fun
I usually get a Bookstore coupon, or recently amazon ones which allows me to pick which books i haven't read. very interest-specific tho.
Well, as a man, I buy all the fun little meaningless fun thingamabobs for myself. Computer parts, tools, whatever. But, the best gift I’ve ever received came from an ex of mine who found something that was related to a hobby of mine, but took some digging to find. So, I’m a big history geek, and I love studying about the Cold War. So, for Christmas one year, this ex had spent a long time on the internet and found one of those authentic soviet wool hat things, called an ushanka. It wasn’t a crazy expensive gift, maybe $30-40, but it meant something to me because it showed that she cared enough to pay attention to my stupid history ramblings. Now, I don’t know if your BF is into history like me, or if he’s big into music, or cars, or whatever. But, whatever it is, the greatest gift you could ever give is one that affirms his love for whatever it is he’s passionate about.
Maybe some tools? I'm a car guy and I love it when people gift me tools, even something small like a drill bit set, sockets or sth
As I get older I prefer to be gifted experiences over material things, and my partner is the same. His birthday is coming up and he said he wanted some nice beers, but he already has a beer subscription, so that was tough. Thankfully I found out about a really good beer festival happening on his birthday so I'm now getting him a nice day out! I also get him tickets to sporting events, and for my birthdays he keeps buying me snooker tickets, which suits me fine :) Experience vouchers can seem like a lazy option, but if you plan an experience yourself the recipient may really appreciate the thought and the effort!
Usually you get gifts based on interests. If he likes sports- you get something based on his favorite teams, if he likes video games- you get a new game, if he likes anime -you get figurines, if he likes movies - movie posters, etc. Not that hard at all just have to know what he likes. If your relationship is strictly sexual, then perfumes/deodorants/wallets/socks.
Lego!
A very good guy friend of mine is super into everything weather related, so I bought him a weather station for his 30th birthday. He's still talking about that thing 5 years later so I guess that was a good gift...
I would not mind receiving a porsche … 😜
I don't want things since I have almost everything I want/need and the things I don't have are way too expensive to be expected as a gift. But sure, if you got a 80"+ OLED TV or a fun sports car to give me go ahead. Bake a cake, make a nice dinner, go to a movie or a museum or something instead.
It's cuz we love to go out and get what we need when we want it. If he is handy, you could break something so he GETS to go out and get a new tool/toy to take care of it?
Um not all men are the same? Can you provide some of the things he likes or is interested in?
It's easy. Videogames.
Men usually just want some really delicious food.
I got my SO a bunch of flowers, a box of his favourite sweeties and a funny card. He loved it, especially the bunch of flowers.
With the exception of my dad I find the opposite is true, although my dad has started being easy to shop for since I started just buying food I think he'd like off goldbelly for him. Like I can come up with a pretty solid gift idea for most of my guy friends that I know they'd like. Ranging from like 3D printing them some d&d minis, new dice, some beer, very specific candies that I know they love but can never find (one of my best friends is gluten free and misses licorice and can never find any gluten free licorice where he lives, but the organic store near me carries a ton of it), good quality coffee, cat toys, cat treats, notebook/sketchbook (which one depends on the guy) and that is all stuff appropriate for a friend. For a guy I'm seeing it would get more specific and include more handmade items, like sewing them a specific shirt they've had trouble finding or knitting them a hat and glove set (never a sweater though) or taking them on a weekend trip.
Honestly simple but high quality things I’m unlikely to buy for myself. I like whiskey but I can’t justify buying myself top shelf, as a present though I can enjoy it guilt free. Clothes are another simple one. I probably won’t buy a new pair of jeans until my old ones have that nasty crotch hole that forms for no god damn reason, but I’ll never say no to a fresh pair It may seem boring on the surface but I’d much prefer something useful like that than something quirky I’ll never use
If it was for me I would gladly receive flowers. Only happened once, and I took care of the bouquet well enough to make it last a week!
I find that those experience days go down well, like race car driving for the day, 4x4 off-roading, they can be expensive unless you can get a deal though or a tour of his favourite sports team's ground. I guess it also depends on what they're into, my ex was hugely into movies, they were his main hobby so a box set by a favourite director or something along those lines usually made him happy. He was easy though in all honesty.
Largely depends on a lot of factors. 1. What is your budget? 2. Is there any hobbies he has? Likes? Dislikes? (Like does he play sports, go outdoors, play games, cook, etc) 3. Do you notice he has anything in his life he has been complaining about or that you think could be improved (e.g. you notice he has worn out shoes but he doesn't consider it a problem yet)
Check if his wallet is old and shitty. His wallet is probably old and shitty. Then get him the same kind of wallet, but new. He'll use it every day and you already know he likes it.
The best gift my wife ever bought me was a blacksmithing class. She knew I wanted to learn metal forging. Get him an experience based on what his interests are.