11 Classes of Men Gifts That Work All The Time

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June 15, 2016

“When you’ve dated the same guy for seven years, you begin to run out of gift ideas”. That’s a tweet I saw on my timeline and I laughed so hard. Follow me? (@KacheeTee).

I could definitely relate. By next year, I’ll have known Tee for 10 years! I honestly prefer buying male gifts to female gifts. It’s a whole lot easier! But judging from the comments on my Instagram, a lot of ladies have difficulty buying male gifts.

It’s Father’s Day on Sunday but rather than a Father’s Day guide, I thought I’ll just list my 11 classes of men gifts that work all the time. So you can get ideas for Father’s Day if necessary and also birthday and surprise gifts for all the men in your life. Including your brothers! Not everyday boyfriend or husband, sometimes brothers.

1. The Essentials

I’m just going to merge all of that in here – Socks, Boxers, Handkerchiefs and Vests! Please, why do they not realise that these need to be changed really often? Of this category, I absolutely love to buy socks! And no please, not boring black socks. But fancy pretty socks! Remember how I got stuck on buying Tee’s socks? Read it here. Oh, and sleeping clothes also count. I once bought a dog onesie! It was hilarious but cute.

2. The Classics

“Oh baby you’re a classic man… ohhh you’re a classic man”. Does anyone know that song by Jidenna? I only know the chorus. You know what goes in here. Shirts. Ties and Tie clips. A good briefcase, Cardholders and Wallets. Cuff links. A wristwatch. Sunglasses. A Suit. A pair of shoes. I’ve never been able to buy a pair of trousers, but I guess you can add that in here too.

3. Sport Paraphernalia

The average man probably is crazy about some kind of sport. Find it and get something related. Tickets to a game, Sporting Equipment, Jersey? Top on my elder brother’s list has to be an Arsenal Jersey. The husband loves one too, but too bad they don’t do ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’. Arsenal’s been so terrible recently, so I’m ignoring all their emails to pre-order the new jersey. But please, go ahead and buy for the men in your life.

4. For the Tech-Savvy

They love techy stuff and not necessarily the common ones like phones and iPads. They buy expensive big gadgets but often forget the little ones. Screen protectors and cases for devices. Headphones and Speakers. Travel power banks and car chargers. Apparently one of the best gifts I’ve got is a blue tooth speaker which costs only £20! When he beings to play KWAM 1* really loud in the house though, I almost regret buying that particular gift. Oh, how could we forget consoles (Xbox, PS4 etc) and related devices? For the men who are totally into this, a game CD is always welcome. In the alternative, give them the gift of not complaining while they go on for hours playing.

5. Groom Up

No, this is not limited to that time when he’s a groom. But absolutely anything that helps him glow up! So Perfumes. Shaving and Beard grooming sets. Hair clippers. Manicure and Pedicure kits. Women love body grooming, but men love it too. Even though many refuse to admit. So Bath and Body gift sets are a good one. But if they’ll rather not be seen with such, then maybe Spa Tickets will be preferred. That way if anyone sees them, they can say they were taking YOU to the spa.

6. Personal Development Stuff

This is quite a useful category. A training or course he’s been meaning to take? Gym membership or Swimming lessons, Photography or Cookery courses? His subscription to the Financial Times? Once I saw a financial related seminar on Groupon which I thought was really useful and I got it. Wifey brownie points anyone?

7. Money and Gift Cards

Men aren’t too fussy, or so I like to think. So if you’re really stuck, I’m so sure money will always be welcome. My younger brother falls into this category. Just give him money! And if you find it strange giving money, just get a gift card from his favourite store with lots of options to pick from. Save yourself the stress and hopefully, he can make up his own mind.

8. Food

I just had to put this in a separate category. They say the way to man’s heart is through his stomach? I can’t verify that statement, but food is always a winner. Special breakfast treat. Lunch/Dinner surprise or inviting a private chef to cook for you both. For the food and chocolate lovers, don’t forget to include that in whatever else you get for them.

9 Drink Up!

I know I know. Not every guy drinks alcohol. But the ones that do, really love a good drink, and those that don’t probably love coffee or teas. So you can always get something drink related. A vintage bottle of wine, a cocktail maker or a whisky glass set are pretty good ideas. For the coffee enthusiasts, really good coffee or coffee maker or even just a coffee mug should be welcome. I’ve got a personalised beer glass from the Heineken brewery in Amsterdam for both my Dad and Tee.

10. The Physical Activity Dudes

I mean the gym buffs and the guys who love DIY and fixing things up! For the former, you can always get a Fit-Bit, Gym outfits and some equipment. For the latter get some tools and a toolbox. Apparently, there’s something about a man getting old and owning his own toolbox. Once I was having a chat with a partner at work, and he said all he wanted for Christmas was a torch with a headband so he could have his hands free while DIYing. I really hope his wife did not attempt to spend millions on his Christmas gift.

11. You Figure it Out

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I can only give tips. And if there’s nothing appealing in 1 – 10, then you figure it out! You know the men in your life best. If he’s a fan of James Bond, get him the complete set of all the James Bond movies and if he’s a book lover, you cannot go wrong with a good book. If his spirituality is dwindling, get something to help raise it up and if he loves a particular artist, get something related to that.

In all of this, I’m such a fan of personalising stuff. So if you can add that extra layer of thought and throw in a card with some really nice words, I’m sure that’ll be great! And it doesn’t always have to be a physical gift, as you’ve probably realised. An experience counts as well. It appears girls would rather have a gift + an experience though. I know because 90% of the girls in this post said they’d rather have both.

Also, I don’t really think buying gifts should really be that hard, and I don’t really believe that expensive gifts are best. A little bit of thought (and a little bit of cash is all you need).

Finally, if in doubt, I really think it’s okay to ask what they need or want. Especially with stuff you may have no idea about like techy stuff.

What do you think of gift shopping for the men in your life? Which of the above is your go-to category? What have I missed out? If you’re a man, what’s the favourite item you’ve ever received and what’s the funniest?

I think I once bought a key ring, telling him the car key to be used on it will come later. Well, we’re still waiting…

Share your thoughts!

Love,

Kachee… Xx

pS: Writing this post just reminded me of how much of a good wife I can be. *clears throat*.

*KWAM 1 – Nigerian (Yoruba) Fuji Musician

Read too: First Date Disasters! and What are Your Sibling Goals?

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