Christmas Gifts for The Boyfriend

True or false: Guys are easy to shop for. (Very true!)

You see, a blessing and a curse of having your significant other want to exchange gifts two weeks before Christmas because he’s leaving for THREE WHOLE WEEKS to be with his family in another state is that you get to make a huge occasion out of an otherwise mundane day.

You also get to learn just how dang good he is at picking jewelry/gifts in general. You also get to write about gift ideas without giving him any hints because you’ll have already given him his presents. Lastly, you get to enjoy your present much, much earlier than everyone else.

(However, he’s still leaving :(.)

But I digress, because this post is for those of us who love a guy (boyfriend, brother, uncle, whatever) and who are looking to make his Christmas (or birthday, a made-up holiday,etc.).

Now a lot of gals panic when it comes time to give their (new-ish) boyfriends something for Christmas or any other special occasion. They want to give their special guy something that feels just right–not too forward or lame–and a perfect reflection of the state/age of their relationship.

My experience in this realm isn’t extensive but I nevertheless think it doesn’t take much to make guys happy. In a way, they are just like us girls: When it comes to gift giving (or receiving, in this case), we all are simple creatures.

Now let’s get to to the reason why you’re here: GIFTS FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND

FOR THE TV AFICIONADO

Even if he says he doesn’t watch TV now (like yours truly’s dude), chances are at some point he used to (especially if he’s a Millennial). So if he liked the X-Files, or The Big Bang Theory, or Chuck, etc., and has told you on a couple occasions that that show was go good and everything but he doesn’t have any of the seasons :O, then what are you waiting for?! Help him start his collection!

But Annie, there’s Amazon Prime Video AND Netflix!

Solution #1: True, but being a child of the 90s, I happen to think media cabinets/closets full of DVDs look so rad, that I don’t mind investing a little in a certain movie just to have my cabinet look right. (Plus, what if the Internet died tomorrow–or WORSE, you’ve been asked to go camping–and all you’d have available were a TV set and a DVD player? Us 90s kids know how to live, y’all.)

Solution #2: So he already gets Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad on Netflix. Super! But does he get the official SOA faux leather jacket on Netflix? Or any of those shows’ official tee shirts, calendars, tumblers, books, etc. on Netflix? Didn’t think so.

HE’S GETTING INTO DESIGN

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HE DRINKS

I neither drink nor have dated men who drink but I’ve heard Wine- or Beer-of-the-Month subscription-type thingies are always a crowdpleaser. That’s all I know on that front :).

FOR THE WEEKEND WARRIOR

A lot of people argue gift cards are impersonal and more of a cop-out, but if the recipient loves a particular store or activity, why limit him to what you get them? Why not let him freely roam aisles as they look for what they want?

So capture your man’s his heart with a Home Depot, Ace, or Lowe’s gift card. Or even a heavy-duty toolbox or tool set. Something I’d love to get a guy (maybe my dad at some point once our garage is better suited for it) is a full-on work area with cabinets and workbenches.

HE’S TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL–BUT IS STILL IN SCHOOL

The economy may be improving but students are always “in a budget” and are therefore in need of some kind of help whenever possible. An Amazon Student subscription gives them Amazon Prime (you know, two-day shipping + an almost unlimited number of songs, movies, and TV shows available for streaming for “free”) for half the cost of a regular Prime subscription.

CLOTHES, CLOTHES, CLOTHES!

Chris has a great body but he’ll sometimes wear these big jackets that don’t flatter him at all. We had been on the lookout for a nicer jacket and because he had his eye on a specific one at some store, I knew to look for one like it at another of my favorite stores. Alas, I found it and when I gave it to him, not only was he excited, but he also looked oh-so-gooood. (The day after he even said that’s the jacket he’d be taking on his trip back home.)

HE’S A DO-GOODER

Does he like doing charity work, volunteering, or donating things? Then how about making a donation in his name to his favorite organization? I think that’d be such a sweet gesture. Or even taking him to buy things to donate but you’d actually be the one paying? Or even organizing a fund-raiser and, again, donate all that you collect on his behalf? OR buying him a bunch of tools for his favorite weekend project–a Habitat for Humanity build? Him seeing how much his volunteering means to you would help make him fall more quickly in love, believe me.

GADGETS WERE HIS FIRST LOVE

If every time you see him do–or not do something–you think of a gadget that’d be perfect for that particular (non)habit, then why not get it for him? Is he an Apple or Android geek hoping for a new iPad or Mac? Does he need a new DVD/Blu-Ray player? Does he love video games? Is he into fitness and is looking to get a fitness tracker? Does he enjoy photography like no one else? If it’s the right time in your relationship (and only you’ll know when that is), then beat him to the punch by surprising him with his new dream (potentially pricey) gadget.

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Hope these ideas inspired many of you but I’m not done yet. I’d love to know what’s worked for YOU or what else you’d recommend! So add them below and I might add them above!