Gift Ideas for the Men in your Life

Yes, it’s December, and if you’re anything like me, you have your kids’ gifts bought and maybe even wrapped and locked in the secret closet. You may have a gift for that Aunt you see but once-a-year, but you are at a loss for what to give your own husband. Like many, I struggle with buying gifts for the men in my life from my dad to my husband and brother.

Here are some helpful suggestions to get you through the rest of your shopping list.

  1. Tickets to a game or concert and/or a night out. Men are notoriously bad at keeping their own social schedule. Tickets to a game or concert is a boys’ night out for him and his friends or a date night for the two of you together. 

 

  1. Man crates. I just learned about these and will be buying a grilling set for my father-in-law. Many price points and options here for just about any interest from sports to fitness to a seasoned chef.

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  1. For the Bar. From his favorite case of beer to his favorite bottle of wine or whiskey, you can’t go wrong here. Glassware for the bar – think one of those retro Mad Men sets. I got my brother a Margarita set this year with the salt and accompanying mixes. Those Moscow Mule copper cups and ginger beer set is also a great gift (photo below via Pottery Barn). Custom/monogramed coasters and napkins. Artwork or signs for the man cave. Wine openers. Beer tap. Kegerator. Wine cooler or ice maker if you have the space.copper-moscow-mule-mug-set-of-2-o
  1. For the Garage / Outdoor. Grill accessories. Camping accessories. Tail-gating chairs and accessories. Gardening. Tools. Work benches. Tool boxes and organizers.

 

  1. For the bathroom: cologne, shaving kits, shaving mirror, new towels (who doesn’t love a high-quality, fluffy, new, crisp white towel?), heated towel rack.

 

  1. Tech: a new tablet, cell phone, or cell phone accessories. My husband uses one of these cell phone wallets that are a protective case and credit card holder all in one. Tile gifts – never lose keys again. Wireless headphones, e.g., Bose.

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  1. Games for the man cave like a dart board or bean bag toss here.

 

  1. Traditional gifts – clothes, watches, wallets, belts, socks, jocks (underwear, think higher-end ones than he normally wears), golf accessories, sports team apparel and accessories, hats, gloves, scarves, slippers, cuff links, ties (remember when Dad got a tie for every holiday?).

 

  1. Gift Certificates – think favorite restaurants, bowling alleys, stores, movies, theater, skiing, and other winter activities. For my husband, it’s anything at Dick’s Sporting Goods. He could spend days in there. Particularly, buying Under Armour T-shirts and clothes.

 

  1. Photographs, photo books, calendars and accessories, and picture frames (electronic and engraved ones). These are always great gifts for grandparents and in-laws.

 

  1. Fitness: gym membership, fitbit, home gym equipment, athletic gear (because exercising is always more tolerable in nice, new clothes, even for men), or one of the many APPs that track exercise and calorie counts.

 

  1. Winter weekend getaway and associated cold weather gear.

 

  1. Holiday light installation. It’s not too late to get holiday lights up on your house and trees. If you are in Pittsburgh, call Like Lights, one of our sponsors, for exterior holiday lighting, and save your husband countless trips to the hardware store and time on a ladder.

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Good luck and Happy Holidays.

–Carissa Howard

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Carissa Howard
Carissa Howard is a former litigator, Ivy League graduate, college athlete, wife, mom and writer. She grew up in the South Hills and attended law school at the University of Pittsburgh, living in Shadyside for several years. After six years on the West Coast, she moved back to Upper St. Clair with her husband and two kids in tow. Her posts cover many parenting and lifestyle topics from the quirks of having European in-laws (her husband grew up in Ireland) to questioning the usefulness of preschoolers playing organized sports to providing time management advice, usually with a solid dose of humor and honesty. She's also writing women's fiction novels and seeking that elusive literary agent to represent her and her manuscripts. Carissa is a regular contributor on the Huffington Post and blogs on her own personal site Shopping for Time. You can keep in touch with her on twitter and Facebook.