Buying gifts for your loved ones around the holiday season is the best. Especially for guys! Some women find the male species difficult to shop for, but it can be fun! Plus, it’s an opportunity to be thoughtful and show how much you care.
Do you know what your boyfriend would like for a holiday gift?
Meet HCMU’s gift guide for your significant other, whether he is for the moment or a lifetime:
1. Movie, Sporting Event, or Concert Tickets
Buying gifts for any “boyfriend” can be a complicated, and sometimes risky, undertaking. First of all, if you want to stay “safe,” go for symmetry in gift-giving. Stay in the same range as what you expect from him. If you go overboard with gifts for your guy, you can come across as overly-forward, eager, and clingy. It might even scare him off. But, giving a thoughtful gift is one way to show that you are ready for another level in the relationship. If this is a guy you really like and you can handle the potential “awk!” moment, consider doing something extra. Otherwise, simplicity is the way to go.
A simple gift that often works involves a gift that you two can do together- such as a movie, sporting event, or concert tickets. When you give a gift like this, you are saying, “I enjoy your company. I want to spend time together.” This type of gift is appropriate at all phases of a relationship, particularly if the tickets are geared towards an event that suits his interests and tastes. Score!
2. Gag gifts
When you are in the early phases of dating, there are a lot of uncertainties. You may even be wondering, “Is a gift really necessary?” Venturing forth with a gift is up to you, but it speaks to interest. Consider if he’s dating another girl who doesn’t give him a gift for the holidays, and you did. You become the classy one. Even if the relationship doesn’t go anywhere, you have taken a higher road. And, more often than not, the giving of a gift in a relationship bonds that relationship even further. But, again, there are a lot of uncertainties in relationships and sometimes us ladies are not sure exactly where we stand with someone. If you want to give a gift – but also keep things in the relationship light – I recommend that you consider a gag gift. Most guys really appreciate humor in a girlfriend. When giving a gag gift, I’m not a fan of low-brow stuff like whoopee cushions or fake teeth…Instead, try to find a funny tee with a witty logo, a book on a humorous topic, a musical card, or a funny photo that he can frame and put up on a wall in his place. Guys like gag gifts!
3. A classy body spray
Feeling bolder than a gag gift? Go for it! You can’t go wrong with a nice cologne or body spray, particularly if you restock what he already uses. If you don’t know what he uses, most guys like intense woodsy scents. So, when in doubt, go for a rugged scent. Try the men’s collection at Bath and Body Works. They usually have sales during the holiday season. And, overall, their products are more affordable than Versace or Giorgio Armani. Frankly, they are just as good. You can buy more for less. Cha-ching!
4. Workout clothes/gear
Is your guy a fitness guru? Check out Sports Authority or Dick’s. Let’s face it, a lot of our guys are wannabe athletes, and that’s good! You don’t want a couch potato! So, help him live out his sports-warrior dream. But, if you are planning on buying him workout clothes, make sure you know his sizes! Other good options are a nice water bottle, a sporty watch, or some type of gear or equipment that you know suits his interests.
5. A mix tape
If you are dating one of the hipster, free-spirited types, a mix musical tape is a unique gift, particularly if you record it. A gift like this one may very well take you out of the “just-a-friend” zone and move you into “girlfriend” status. It’s a gift that says, “I noticed you. I know you like 80’s music, but also Lupe Fiasco and Bruno Mars. Let’s jam to this together in your car.” Tune up your skills with converting YouTube videos to MP3’s, or play around with iTunes and Listen Rhapsody to create an eclectic, yet fun gift. Another way to make this gift even cooler is to perform the art on the album cover. Sometimes, it takes an artsy type to know an artsy type. So, get creative!
6. A Victoria’s Secret gift card
HA-HA-HA. Yes, a Victoria’s Secret gift card. This is super-creative and super-intimate. Reserve this move for that special, exclusive guy in your life. This gift says, “You are a very lucky guy. Don’t mess this up…” What you can do is give him the gift card in an envelope or tiny box with a handwritten note that S-p-e-l-l-s it out. (Because some guys – God bless them – are clueless.) Tell him that he can pick out some items and you will wear them just for him. Scandalous? Yes! But, what guy would not appreciate that? Spice it up!
7. Manly gift cards
Guys love gift cards! Trust our gift guide on this one. To some women, a gift card might come across as, “I’m really busy, and I didn’t know what to get you.” Guys are not like that! They love having control, so gift cards are a direct hit for guys. A wide range of options include: The Art of Shaving, Champs, Lids, Foot Locker, Express, Hugo Boss, Armani Exchange, REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sports Authority, Calvin Klein, Target, and Costco. Any gift card to a restaurant he likes is also a winner.
8. Write a love letter
Ooo-la-la. Who really writes love letters anymore? They were a staple of the dark ages, yet seem to have been lost the digital age. Take out your pen and go for it. Good communication skills are sexy. Be romantic, and tell him about how much fun you two have together, what a good boyfriend he is, and how much you appreciate your relationship. If done with style and touch, this gift is forever memorable and will never go out of style. You can easily accompany a love letter with another small gift, and he will probably think of it more than you know for a long time.
The big secret to giving someone the “perfect” gift is to communicate, “hey, I care about you!” And if you go interesting, unique, and deep into your guy’s needs or interests, you can create a special feeling and even a lasting memory.