Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, hopefully you’ve already had the chance to shop for your friends and family as Christmas break looms. If you made the common mistake of shopping only for yourself, worry not: this gift guide will surely inspire you and hone your gift-giving ability with a focus on what to get your guy friends this holiday season. Footballs and PJs are great certainly, but an awesome gift for your boyfriend/brother/close male friend sometimes lies deeper than the traditional ‘guy gifts.’ With that being said, sometimes a classic gift will still be a hit with the important man in your life. More on that later…
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Brushed fleece sweatpants from jcrew.com. This website is a great general place to begin your search, as J.Crew offers a plethora of comfortable and trendy clothing for both men and women. Now that we’ll be wearing long pants until April in Easton, check out these awesome sweatpants available both online and in stores. At first glance it looks expensive for sweatpants, but the price tag speaks to the quality of these multi use joggers. J.Crew frequently holds sales of up to 40% off with an additional, stacking 15% off if you join their email list from a simple prompt the first time you visit the website in a while. Act quickly, and you might be able to snag these comfy pants for $35 or less. I’ve owned these sweatpants for several years and I still wear them constantly, especially during the frigid winters here. The pants come with several color options, including black, navy, and grey, and are offered in both slim and tall sizes to fit guys of all sizes. Check out these awesome PJs as well, which are currently on sale for 50% off (sometimes the classic gifts are classic for a reason!).
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Sweaters from express.com. A slightly more formal option here, especially if you are purchasing for a work colleague or trying to impress a potential dating partner. These sweaters are unique, super comfortable, and pair extremely well with khakis, jeans, and sweatpants for a night on the town or a cozy evening in bed watching his favorite tv show. Keep an eye on what types of t-shirts/pullovers/sweaters he likes to wear, as there are many different styles from v-necks to button shawls to cardigans to choose from. Most of the sweaters are priced between 40-80 dollars, depending on any discounts. My recommendations are to keep it simple, as this wonderful v-neck pullover sweater is available in blue and several shades of grey and could also easily be worn in a professional setting such as at work, in class, or during a job interview. This merino wool sweater is another excellent option, and it comes in a myriad of sizes and colors. Express.com is currently having a mens sale, so all sweaters and shirts are buy one, get one for $9.90, a great deal at the current price point.
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Anything from untuckit.com. Anything. In all seriousness, this website to my knowledge has only been a big deal for a few years but they sell some truly awesome shirts for men. The company makes casual button-down shirts that are designed to be worn untucked and are perfect for family gatherings, going out, or even everyday use. The first time you visit the site you’ll be prompted to join their email list which automatically grants you 20% off your entire order. Check out the plaids and flannels section for a cozy, winter option or head on over to the classic, clean solids options which work perfectly for semi-professional attire such as a round of golf or a trip to a fancy restaurant.
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If you’re not looking to purchase a clothing item, look no further than one of these reusable drink containers from Yeti or Swell. Swell makes all-purpose water bottles which are vacuum insulated to keep beverages cold for up to 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. I’ve actually once put ice cubes in the bottle before sleeping and the ice cubes were still intact when I woke up 9-10 hours later. These bottles are seriously awesome, very durable, and come in a variety of sizes and colors so they can be fully customized. The Swell bottles are a bit of a pain to clean, but are otherwise a good choice. If the gift recipient is a big coffee drinker or spends lots of time doing outdoor activities, I’d recommend the slightly more durable Yeti containers which offer similar vacuum insulation and keep drinks hot for up to 6 hours. The Yeti tumblers are also dishwasher safe which is a huge advantage when it comes time to clean out the coffee grounds stuck to the bottom of the bottle. Either way, you can’t go wrong with these excellent bottles!