Buying gifts for anyone can be hard, as there’s so much pressure to get it right and prove to that person, whether they’re a friend, partner or family member, that you do know them well and you can get a gift which shows how much you care. Still, this often becomes even harder when the person for whom you’re buying the gift is a guy. There are no stereotypical gifts marketed towards men, which seems to be a product of the gift industry, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use your personal knowledge of your guy friend to get them a personalised and deeply significant (or silly) gift without pulling out your hair in stress.
Of course, there are lots of gift ideas out there, but it can be hard to sift through the overwhelming array of potential options when you’re limited by time and you’re panicking about getting it all right. Whether you’re buying your guy friend a gift for his birthday, Christmas or as an anniversary present, if they’re your partner, you may still need a little guidance, even when you do know them like the back of your hand. Here are some gift-buying tips when you’re trying to find the perfect present for a guy.
An online subscription.
This is the best gift one friend can give another in the modern age of Netflix and online shopping is a subscription to their favourite service in the world. You could buy them one item of their favourite clothing or perhaps gift them a film you know they’ll love, but a subscription - whether it’s for a month or a year, and you renew it every time their birthday swings around - is a gift which lasts in the long run, just like your friendship.
The great thing about a subscription, whether it’s for a weekly offer on clothing or a year-round subscription to entertainment, is that your guy friend has a limitless gift. They will be able to binge their favourite show online and then binge another favourite show of theirs after that, rather than plowing through the one show or film you’ve gifted them within days or hours. The hardest part of buying someone a gift, whatever the occasion, is buying them something which lasts, and this is the best way to do so.
Technology and gadgetry.
Along the theme of the previous suggestion, it’s a stereotype, but men do often love their gadgets. If you know your male friend or partner doesn’t fit into that box, then maybe you should overlook this point, but it’s always a safe bet to go for tech when you’re really struggling to find something that you know, with certainty, your guy pal will want to use every day. Drones are really taking off as of recent years (if you’ll excuse the terrible pun), and they’re a winner as a gift for pretty much any guy you could imagine.
Jewellery.
This might seem like a weird suggestion, but jewellery encompasses far more than earrings or glittery necklaces. You could look into options for mens diamond rings, because jewellery can really mean something special to a significant other or even just a very close friend. Whatever we may think of jewellery, it isn’t “just for women”, and your guy friend will likely appreciate such a thoughtful gift.
A funny twist on a passion of theirs.
You might be struggling to get your guy friend the perfect gift, but the answer is likely already in your head. If they’re a dear friend, and this is especially true if they’re your partner, then you know pretty much everything there is to know about them. You know what sports, films, music, foods and drinks they love. Of course, perhaps you’re thinking to yourself that you’ve exhausted every possible gift they could love over the years; you’ve bought them every music album and every different kind of chocolate under the sun over the course of multiple birthdays, Christmases and perhaps even anniversaries, if they’re your significant other.
Yet, you might not have thought to put a twist on their passions in life. If they love wine, then you could buy them a fancy designer cooler in which they can store one of their wine bottles on the move. Perhaps one won’t be enough for them, but it’s the thought that counts. If they love films, as another example, you could create a quirky poster for them to put on their wall, but choose their second favourite film, rather than their first. You’ve likely exhausted all their “most” favourite things over the years, so it’d really take them by surprise to get a gift revolving around their next best favourite thing. Thinking outside the box is a great way to show your guy friend or more-than-friend that you truly care about them and you know about far more than the likes or interests they show on the surface.
Practical gifts.
I know - boring, right? Well, practical gifts might seem like an unimaginative idea on the surface, but the older we get, the more we appreciate them. Your guy friend likely has a mental list of all the things he needs at the moment, as do we all, and the best way to really bowl him over on this special occasion, whatever it may be, is to choose something practical.
Yes, fancy chocolates and shiny objects designed to “wow” might impress your guy friend in the moment, but when you think back to birthdays and Christmases on which you received such items, usually the novelty is short-lived and those presents end up forgotten. A gift with a practical use, such as a woolly hat or an addition to your friend’s DIY kit (if they “claim” to have one) could be a great way to give them a present which they’ll use for years rather than five minutes.
A surprise trip.
One of the best gifts you can get a guy friend, if you’re struggling to think of ideas, is something non-physical. A trip to their favourite place in the world, or simply somewhere they’ve always wanted to visit, is a gift which will last them a lifetime in the form of memories. Not only are you taking them somewhere which they will love, but they’ll be getting to spend time with you, and possibly other friends or family, which is a gift far more special than any amount of chocolate, technology or good wine. The gift of company is something your guy friend will treasure more than anything, even if they don’t say so out loud.
Food.
Whether it’s a meal out or a cake you baked specifically for them, there’s nothing like food to make somebody’s big day that extra bit special. There’s so much scope here; you could take your partner out for a romantic meal, which is always going to go down a treat no matter what the occasion. Perhaps you could combine said meal with a surprise trip, which was a gift idea mentioned above.
There’s no “one way” to do things; you can combine different bits of pieces of gift ideas to create the ultimate day for that special someone, whether they’re a friend, relative or your significant other. Of course, when it comes to food, you just can’t go wrong. You could add a little personal touch by making dinner or dessert yourself, but if the thought of homemade food gives you visions of a disastrous kitchen set ablaze, the prospect of a meal out will probably be just as meaningful to your friend or partner.
