Gifts For Men in 2018

Your guy-in-mind is hungry for gear, but what do you get for the man who has everything? We’re about to dish it out in one of our most comprehensive overviews to date. There’s constantly explosive, cutting-edge technology and innovations, giving you an ample palette of one-of-a-kind gifts to choose from. If he thinks he has it all, he doesn’t know what he’s missing; you’re about to get ahead in this gift-giving game. Here’s everything from top to bottom when you’re buying gifts for men.

Using The Gear Hungry Wishlist

If you’re not already a Gear Hungry member, you’re missing out on some serious perks. It doesn’t cost anything, it’s just a three-step process to make an account, and it’s primarily used for making epic wish lists. We’re popping the best gear on here every single day, from singular reviews to in-depth buying guides with immense coverage. When it comes to our gift section, we’re thinking forward about what the guy in your life is looking for.

You’re able to set your newsletter frequency to weekly or monthly, and even edit your profile a bit. Categorize your favorite items from Gear Hungry posts, and get ready to post them to either Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Google+. You’re also able to leave ratings on your favorite gear and guides and get suggestions based on your preferences. Think of us as the quintessential Pandora radio, but for killer gear that you’ve been missing in your life.

These gift wish lists are a perfect way to prioritize what you want to get your guy or to have him make his own wishlist, and check-off items as the year goes on. The most beneficial aspect, which is why we added this feature in the first place, is to never misplace a post, or forget about that life-changing bit of gear you saw in previous issues.

If you remember the good old days, when people actually sent you their wish list (we’re predating eBay here), then you’ll know where our heads are at. We don’t know why people stopped giving those out, but it makes it super simple to make sure you get the right gift, and stave-off all the unnecessary sales that pop up and don’t give you any room to think. It’s all about men’s gear, all the time, so no matter what his interests or hobbies are, there’s something for him. Now you just have to find and save it.

Buying For Men Doesn’t Have To Be Hard

In truth, most men are easy to shop for, but we’re so damn picky when someone asks us. Men don’t want to be an inconvenience or cost anyone money, which is why when you ask, “Hey, what do you want for X (birthday, Christmas, you name it),” he’s going to tell you that he doesn’t want anything, or simply shrug (don’t worry, we’re going to cover each holiday in a little bit).

Boil it down to its most basic elements, and it’s simple: men don’t want to be an inconvenience. We’re all creatures of habit, and our interests are pretty straightforward. If you’re the SO, you’re spending enough time with your guy to know what their main interests are. However, that’s not always enough to know what to get them. Even if your guy has a niche hobby or specific interest, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to love whatever you get them. There’s a way to identify their next step in their hobby, and we’re going to teach it to you.

A gent with vast interested in the automotive world, woodworking, collecting, and everything in between, all share one main trait: they’re progressing. Nobody starts a hobby for no reason; they have goals in mind, thresholds, milestones they want to achieve. Using this mindset is the first step in identifying the perfect gift for the guy on your list.

Each hobby or interest is going to have different items for beginners versus experts. Is this a new interest, or an off-and-on hobby they’ve been going at? Being thoughtful with your gift is just as good as the item itself, so understanding where they are in their journey will help you figure out where you start from.

If you’re zoning-in on their interests, use the knowledge at your disposal to garner a good foundation. If you’ve heard anything in passing, such as, “I’d really like to do this, but I don’t have X to do it with,” you just figured out something vital: they don’t have everything they need to complete their desired tasks, and you now have a much more narrow margin of error. Bonus points if you remember exactly what they said they needed, even if it’s something that’s not inline with your interests.

Stylish Gifts For The Fashion-Conscious Gentleman

We’ve taken care of a lot of the doubt you might face when shopping for the fashionable gentleman. We have numerous lists bolstering twenty to thirty excellent mix-matched products, giving you a healthy palette for the different styles out there that you might not be aware of, and opening up the possibilities as to what to get them.

Some guys are far more attentive to their personal style and fashion. How many pairs of boots/shoes does he own? Is he big on rings, watches, sunglasses and the like? There are roughly three types of men when it comes to personal style and fashion, and we’re about to break them down to give you a better scope of what to, and what not to look for when figuring out their next gift(s).

The Stylistic Amigo

This is the guy who doesn’t just maintain his facial hair; he styles it, he has precise tools and instruments that each serve a specific purpose. He’s much more prone to buy sunglasses online, rather than looking at the CVS rack and randomly selecting the blackest pair. If he owns more than one pair of shoes, he’s likely to fit on this list. A gentleman with style understands how to make an outfit work, because while clothes don’t make the man, they do play a vital role in one fundamental part of their lives: first impressions. He pays attention to body grooming a lot more, as well. From face moisturizers down to beard trimmers (if he’s into that sort of thing), and so on. It’s not just enough to shower, shave, and hop into clean clothes; every piece of their attire serves a purpose.

There’s thin ice to tread, though. When a man is conscious of his style, he’s going to take certain gifts with a bit more doubt. This guy requires a bit of extra work to figure out his ideal style gift. If he’s not into boots, and you grab a pair of Chelsea’s for him, it’s going to feel more like, “This is what they want me to wear, not what’s in line with my style.” To avoid that, we have a section further in the guide, all about color-matching with certain skin tones, and their current wardrobe. That’s going to show some real dedication and attention to their style, while still getting something that compliments them.

Average Joe

There’s nothing wrong with paying less attention to the stitch colors of a jacket or messenger bag, or not minding how the boots look, as long as they function. There’s a lot of guys out there who would much rather receive practical gifts, rather than something that essentially doesn’t serve a purpose (more on this shortly). They don’t find expensive clothing as attractive as a fuller wallet, which is totally okay. This guy understands and appreciates a new, hefty jacket to protect him from the elements when his job or trade requires him to work outside. He can find the joy and thoughtfulness in these items that blend function and fashion but generally enjoys the more practical or usable gifts.

In our opinion, this is the easiest guy to shop for. He’s not going to be upset, but may not be totally enthused, either. Unless you get him something that blows his mind, or at least all other gifts out of the water, you’ll probably end up prying about how much he really liked the gift. They’re a bit less reactive and often quieter about how they really feel about a gift, whether positive or negative.

The Technical Man

We’re going to cover a lot more on this in a minute, but a brief overview of this guy is basically that he doesn’t really care about a lot of gifts or find them as awesome, unless he can use it every day, or it enhances his ability to use everyday items to their fullest extent. There’s a whole mentality that goes along with this, so hang tight.

Does the guy on your list identify with any of these? There’s a lot more to grabbing the right gift, but if you can start by pinpointing their primary interests and hobby, and what type of guy they are when it comes to style, you’ll be able to continually narrow down your list. Nobody wants to get a gift that the other person doesn’t absolutely flip over, so as we continue, we’ll minimize the possibility of that happening.

More Practical Gift Ideas And Identifying Which To Get

These guys usually have hobbies that are a bit more technical, relying on their hands, minds, and a keen sense of what they’re doing. Automotive guys who always have a parts car, or spend some of their weekends getting their hands dirty, or guys who enjoy DIY, building models and woodworking, are just a few of those who want something they can use and could care less about how it looks.

This isn’t a bag thing, but it also comes with an additional difficulty factor, one that we wanted to flesh out in an entire section. The practical guy has three types of people who are going to understand his hobbies or understand what items will make his career/job easier to perform. They see these gifts as optimizing their life, which is a big up for the happiness factor. The types of people and the reactions they can expect are as follows:

Significant Other

If you’re splitting up the bills, sharing your combined income to maintain your home, children, or anything else, then you’re with someone who gives their all and doesn’t expect much in return. While that’s a great trait (and one you don’t want to take advantage of), you’re treading on thin ice when it comes to gifts. These men want to feel humbled; not spoiled, and not like you’ve gone out of your way or had to inconvenience yourself to get them this gift. If they’re the breadwinner right now, and you’re doing your part to maintain the house, children, and everything else, some of these guys may get defensive and just not want you to spend any of that money at all. They’ll feel like they could have gone out and bought it for themselves since they technically earned the cash.

This is just going to put a big strain on the entire gift-buying and giving process. If you’re a SO, and this is your type of guy, we truly commemorate you for proceeding with all of this in mind. Keep in mind, barring any reaction, that they’re practical and don’t necessarily want overly lavish items. Make it functional, effective in their current life, and try to keep the budget on the lower end.

Parent/Sibling

You guys have all the fun. You grew up with/raised this guy, and you’re fairly certain you know what he enjoys. You know enough about his job, his hobbies, and his habits to get him something truly spectacular. There’s also a little bit more expectation resting on your shoulders, for all the reasons listed above. It may be a bit upsetting if you miss the mark entirely, and don’t get them something that fits in line with their life. They may negatively take it as, “Wow, I guess they really don’t know me after all.”

If you feel like that’s the case, or your lives have just gotten hectic and you haven’t seen each other as much lately, it’s a good time to phone their SO or best friends for some ideas. We put our ideas all into all of our gift guides and reviews, allowing you to pick with pride and confidence, so long as you know where to start with them.

Best Friend

Friends are the family you choose, so the pressure’s on. If you’ve been chumming it up for a while, then you’ve got some hefty expectations resting on your shoulders, just like the SO and family members. It’s about wanting to get them something they’ll love; not just doing it because an event or birthday are passing by. They do everything with you, and you two probably share a lot of the same interests. Out of the whole list, while there’s a bit of pressure, you might have the easiest time grabbing a gift for them. The longer you’ve been best friends, the better time you’ll have picking out their gifts.

Personalized Gifts

Personalized gifts give you a bit of leeway. We’re a big fan of these for a few reasons, but the first is that they’ll apply to another section later in our guide, all about once-in-a-lifetime events that don’t roll around based on the calendar. Personalized gifts allow you to focus more on the sentiment than anything else.

These are less about function, and more about getting a trophy for a milestone or significant occasion in the guy’s life. Because of that, there’s a lot less expectation on the nature of the gift, but you do need to signify a greater meaning behind it. With that pressure off your shoulders, it’s simple to contour it to the occasion. We’ll give you some examples:

One of our mates received an engraved pocket watch to commemorate him launching his new business, but it was fairly ironic. His business partner spent some good coin on it, engraving it with Maybe now you’ll be on time since he’d been late to every investor meeting to date. It gave some good laughs but was also an extremely thoughtful gift that also doubled as something functional.

Another good example of getting a personalized gift would be a custom messenger bag with an embroidered date, word or phrase on the underside of the leather handle straps, or somewhere along the exterior where it could be visible. Personalizing a gift is an action; it’s applicable to a laundry list of gifts.

There are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to personalizing. If they’re opening gifts at a wedding, business event (promotion), or anything where they could be embarrassed, it’s best to refrain from any inside jokes or inappropriate gifts personalized on the gift. They’ll be on the spot and expected to display it for all to see, and if there’s an engraving, they’ll read it.

All that being said, personalized gifts add a bit more oomph by letting the person know exactly how much you pay attention to them, or how in-tune you are with sentimental words and/or phrases. It can turn any gift from a simple object to something they’ll treasure for the rest of their lives. This writer has a customized Cross pen; it was an appropriate gift, given the profession, and engraved with one significant word. It’s still in use to this day and cherished above just about everything else. There’s some serious power behind personalization.

Struggling for Ideas? How About Gift Cards?

We also cover a large list of gift cards. They seem simple, and some call them impersonal. However, there are some guys that no matter how much you analyze what they like, you’ll either find out that they have everything they need for their interests, or they’re just too hard to read. If you’re hitting a wall trying to find a unique gift, you don’t have to stress about it. Gift cards are not impersonal gifts, so long as you have a basic grasp of what they like. Even if you can’t pinpoint the specific items that they want or need, you can generalize with a gift card to a specific place.

We understand that you might even be more in the dark than that. People often get gifts for their friends, their crushes who are also acquaintances, bosses, co-workers. For those guys, gift cards are a surefire way to go. It’s thoughtful without being too personal, allowing them to know that you care, that you want to get them something they can use (which is also good for the practical man we described in our last section), and helping to alleviate the anxiety that comes along with the obligation. If you look at our 30 most popular gift cards for men article, you’ll see a slew of different things you can do. We’ve broken them down into a gauge system, allowing you to pinpoint the most practical one to grab.

Restaurant Gift Cards

You work with the guy, you want to get something nice, but you just don’t know where to go. One of the main reasons to get a restaurant gift card is to tell them, “You deserve a night off, so this one’s on me.” There’s a little bit of careful planning that should go into it, though. Depending on your relationship with this guy, you’ll know a few basic details, like what city or town they live in, or what’s along the road on the way to, or coming back from work. The last thing you want is to get a gift card to a restaurant that’s going to be out of their way; you’re trying to make it convenient for them to get a meal essentially for free, so look at what’s along the way. This is a simple gift card to grab that doesn’t take too much knowledge, but buyer beware: try to get a feel for any possible allergies before you send them out for lobster.

TV Service, Movie, or Gaming Gift Cards - Just about everyone on the face of the Earth loves movies or at least video games. Getting something to an online download service for games, streaming service like Netflix, or a Fandango gift card to grab some movie tickets, shows them that you’ve paid enough attention to know what to get them. Maybe they mentioned a new movie coming out that they really wanted to see, or you know about a game title that’s about to drop, and they just have to have it. This takes the risk away from getting the wrong gift, by allocating the funds you’re spending on them to a specific service or set of services. If you’re not a gamer, and you grab the wrong title, the exchange and wait are a lot more awkward; gift cards put them in control, but you’re still treating them.

Uber and Airbnb Gift Cards

He travels a lot, he’s constantly taking Uber in the big city when he’s on a business trip, or just doesn’t own a car. Nothing’s more thoughtful than giving them a safe ride home from one too many drinks at the bar, or a safe place to stay when they’re traveling abroad. Airbnb gives them the ability to stay in multiple countries, as well, so international travel doesn’t have to include expensive hotels and a depleted level of funds.

Coffee and Book Gift Cards

One of our favorites for this is Barnes & Noble, considering that they also have a Starbucks located within about half of them. Nothing goes better with books than coffee. They can also utilize it on the drive-thru on the way to work in the morning, so they can get their favorite single-serve cup without spending their own cash. Depending on how much you opt for, you could be the hero that bought them coffee all month long. Some men just get more enjoyment from books than movies, especially if they’re the type of guy who says, “You know, that wasn’t how it happened in the book,” when you guys hit an AMC together. That’s being insightful into their hobbies.

Hotel Gift Cards

Grabbing a gift card from one of the major room retailers, like Hotels.com, gives you a unique opportunity to play the hero. He may spend it on a free night during business travel, or he might spend it to take the family out and take the financial pressure off of a weekend of fun. Either way, it’s an ace in the hole that he can keep in his wallet for when the proper time arises.

Music Gift Cards

Make that morning commute to work a little less painful. Whether he’s hopping on the train or driving forty-five minutes to make ends meet, if he’s a music lover, you’ll be able to transform that commute into an experience. Spotify gift cards are excellent for streamers with endless data, or an iTunes gift card for local storage music if they don’t have an unlimited GB bucket. Either way, there/s some new tunes, all courtesy of you.

Outfitter Gift Cards

Is he a major man of style? He’s always kicking in Vans shoes or slipping into Hollister when you guys hit the mall together, and appreciates high-end clothing; you’ve just found your perfect gift for him. For men like this, there’s never enough room in their wardrobe, and they’re constantly making amendments. Grab him one of these gift cards, and you’ll be able to let his credit card take a break before he burns a hole clean through the mag strip.

Travel, food, entertainment and more; there’s definitely a gift card for every guy on your list or that special someone that you want to impress, but don’t know where to go. If you know their favorite outfitter or online department store preference, then you can always go with those as options as well.

Gift Wrapping Ideas for Men (Eleven Killer Examples)

Gift wrap is the first line of defense. Depending on how you personalize it, they’ll get a sense of excitement before they even rip into the package. We’ve got a ton of different ideas to specifically wrap gifts for guys, but we ended up narrowing it down to a select few so you didn’t get so exhausted reading this. We have fifteen fast examples of the best way to gift wrap, and at the end of this section, we have the mentality behind it.

Wrapped in a Dress Shirt - The title says it all; they’re going to get an extra shirt out of it! Take a dress shirt, and as nicely as you can, wrap up the gift. You get bonus points if they give you the side-eye and you have to urge them to unwrap it.

All-Black Box and Ribbon - This classic wrapping is agreeable, and more defined for professional gifts, or ones that they’ll be opening up in front of people. Grab a simple black gift box, toss some simple black ribbon across the top of it, and you’ve got a quick, relatively simple way to present your unique gift.

Alcohol-Inspired Gift Tag - Gift tags are usually cash-grab items that we don’t really need, but if you do it this way, you’re getting function out of it, and possibly a laugh if you’re creative enough. Strap a $2.00 alcohol nip to the tag, and write something like, “I know I drive you to drink,” or something else that’s light, SFW humor along with it. This is perfect when towing the line with your boss or co-worker at a Christmas party, and saves you from having to wrap the entire gift.

Just Like the Newsies - There’s just something classic about brown paper and leather strip tying it all together. This is fairly cheap since the paper isn’t bleached or treated in most cases. It also saves you from buying a big roll of wrapping paper when you’re only wrapping a single gift. This wrapping is excellent for gifting clothing or stylish items.

The Dapper Switcharoo - We’ve all seen YouTube videos about switcharoos; you put the gift in a non-related gift box. In this case, you can usually get away with this wrapping completely for free. Take a box from one of your expensive pairs of shoes, or a hat box (you can usually check if your friends have branded boxes to signify an expensive gift is inside), and act like it’s no big deal when you hand it to them. They’ll open it, and everyone will get a good chuckle, while they get the gift that you knew they wanted.

Simple Character Wrapping Paper - Marvel fan? Star Wars buff? They’ll appreciate their favorite brands and characters on simple wrapping paper, so long as you didn’t put a horribly out-of-bounds gift inside. You can usually pick up on the right brand or icon to go with based on their t-shirts and movie choices.

Corporate Casual - A straightforward way to wrap a corporate casual gift, say at an office party or outing to a co-worker’s birthday after work, is to grab an inexpensive belt from your nearest store and wrap it around their present. It’s low maintenance, and while it allows them to see what the present is, it’s a corporate-friendly way to go about it and get a quick smile from the guy in question.

Make Them Work For It - Similar to the switcharoo, you can simply wrap their present, then stick it in a gift box, then in a gift bag, and put some gift paper on top of it. It’s a tedious way for them to get a few laughs (comedies come in threes) while making them work for their gift and joking around with them on the way. This is a really fun way to add a twist.

For the Traveler - Gift wrapping paper isn’t our first go-to; we like to get more creative than that. However, if you’re having a going away party, or it’s the end of university and you know your classmate is going to study abroad, getting world map-themed wrapping paper can be a nice bon voyage.

Custom Photo Paper - This one comes with a great deal of creativity. Custom photo wrapping paper might cost a little more, but you can make it fun. If the gift recipient has a good sense of humor, you can plaster a funny photo of them all across it, or anything that comes to mind that you know will get a rise out of them.

Well Played - If you want to throw some DIY in the mix and make it the most auspicious gift they’ll receive, this one’s pretty fun. All it takes is a large cardboard box, one sheet of wrapping paper, and a stapler. Put the box vertically, and make a 2x3 grid of circular cuts. Lay the wrapping paper along the inside and make it like a carnival game, while putting their gift behind one of the hole punches. It’s also fun to have them go through all of them without having the gift inside. When they turn around baffled, just hand it to them; you’re sure to get a laugh from the room.

Buying Clothing for Men

We’re in an era where men’s fashion has a huge focus right now. There are cliches being shattered all over the place because men actually like to go shopping for clothes and unique style items more than they ever did. Every man should have a certain set of items in their wardrobe and based on those categories, you’ll be able to pick out something from the pile that they’re certain to fall in love with. We’ll go into each category of clothing, and break them down one by one.

Formal - Every man needs a black suit and a pair of dress shoes, but these days, gents are taking fashion by storm with a more formal wardrobe. We’re all reminiscent of the roaring twenties through the fifties, around the time that suits and dress shirts started to die-out, and more modern clothing started to stick. Men actually enjoy looking their best, meaning you can choose between cufflinks, dressy boots, and shoes, or watches to complete their formal outfit (we have an insane catalog of watch buying guides depending on what they’re into).

If your guy likes to meld their wardrobes with a more formal look, they’ve got a more refined taste for name-brand items that just come in higher quality. For them, it’s going to be more about the durability and fashion sense of the clothing over quantity. You don’t necessarily have to get an entirely new outfit, but a nice addition to their ever-amassing wardrobe is certainly a way to his heart.

The Outdoorser - They’re more about having activity-specific clothing. Patagonia jackets, hiking pants, functional clothing like altimeter watches; these are the sort of thing they’re looking for. Even if you haven’t joined him out on the trail, or taken a camping trip with him, it’s a part of who he is, and how he spends his weekends. Getting something with the great wilderness in mind is going to really resonate with him.

If you’re not particularly fond of the outdoor life, then you’ll have to do a bit of recon to figure out what they don’t have, or what can improve their excursions into the wild. It’s never about fashion out in the woods, so durable clothing (even something as simple as a paracord bracelet) can be a thoughtful gift.

Collector - Buying clothing doesn’t mean you have to stick to shirts and pants. If they’re more interested in the finer things in life, the augments that amplify their unique look, you’d do well to check out items that aren’t necessities, but will line the shelves in their walk-in closet, and give them a plethora of options when it comes to that black-tie affair or a simple day of relaxing out on the town.

These men love to have options and are usually described as taking a while to get ready. Each set of attire feels more like a series, one that they’ve meticulously built from individual pieces. They can’t have too many watches, cufflinks, shoes, boots, belts, or messenger bags.

So you know what to look for depending on their style, but what if you’re not entirely certain what their “style” really is? Well, there’s going to be a certain gray area that you’re able to cling to. Go with function, go with neutral colors (which we’re going to talk about in-depth in a moment), find items that appear to be universally accepted by most men.

Guys are generally picky about their clothing, which is why going clothes shopping in an actual store can be sort of a bummer. Many people don’t realize that men encounter self-consciousness, as well as not knowing where they should be shopping for their style (another chance to grab gift cards, by the way). You’re going to help them bridge that gap with the perfect clothing-related gift.

Color Matching

Part of the reason that many men don’t know what they look good in, is because they’re embarrassed or uneducated. Up until a short while ago, societal issues made it awkward or nerve-racking for men to pay serious attention to their style. Those anxieties are instilled, and it’s a tough barrier to break. When they don’t know what they look good in, you have a safe area to bench on that most men will look good in, and it’s all about color matching.

Depending on their normal, everyday attire (if they wear the same pair of boots everywhere, they always have a denim jacket, etc.), they’re going to have a certain color setting that will blend with them beautifully. We take a few things into consideration here when it comes to color matching.

Firstly, you have to take skin tone into account to get the right look. If their face is a bit redder than most, getting red clothing is going to make then look flush. If they’re a bit darker-toned, getting a jacket that exactly matches their skin tone is going to wash them out. Clothing that exactly or closely resembles skin tone is a bad idea, but getting something that matches their eyes is a hidden gem of fashionable men everywhere.

When a certain thread of clothing can make their eyes pop, no matter what color they are, it brings a sense of uniformity. They can’t change their eye color, so they’re contouring their wardrobe to their eye color, and that works. It’s taking their natural elements, and applying them to the wardrobe choices. So we want to go with some clothes that contrast their skin tone, and some that match their eyes to draw attention. One of the first things you’ll notice about anyone, regardless of gender or body type, is their eyes. By bringing focus to them, you’re instantly making them more approachable.

Now, all this talk is great and helpful, but if your guy doesn’t consider himself to be ultra stylish, you have to look out for something. SOs, you have to make sure they don’t feel like you are trying to dictate their wardrobe like you want to see them in something else instead of their normal day-to-day wear. You want to avoid seeming insultive, so you’re going to leave all this talk out of why you got that specific jacket and pair of jeans for them.

Men are also more angular than curved, which gives you something excellent to work with. Straight lines and sharp edges are a man’s best friend; they compliment naturally masculine features, even if they appear to be a bit under the surface. Think of seams and stitching that cut straight across, belt buckles that aren’t rounded on the edges, and shoes/boots with a bit of a point to them, or a square tip.

That last rule is why you’ll see men with square watches, generally with broader bands than standard watches. Pocket squares, sharp-angled ties, and flattering patterns all play into the rugged stud style, as well. If you end up going for a tie, go with stripes, lines, or a plaid design. It’s all straight-cut, giving more dimension to the angles of their face, and their body.

One last tip is to shop for materials that hold these patterns well, or at least compliment them if they’re apart of different clothes. You can rarely go wrong with leather, cotton and a touch of suede every now and again. Thicker fabrics that stand up to the wear-and-tear that they’re going to put them through during the daily grind, you know? Alright, we’ll get off clothing, and hit the next topic now.

Exchanging Unwanted Gifts

So you’ve gone to all the trouble to find what you thought was the perfect gift, only to read the expression on their face, and thank the stars above that you kept that gift receipt or proof of purchase. This is where you’ll have to pay serious attention to shopping online. Buying from stores that have brick and mortar establishments nearby will allow you to go with them, and physically exchange the gift for one of two things: store credit, or an item of equal or lesser value.

It’s wise to take a look at the specific store policies before you actually follow through with the purchase. If you go with an online store, such as Nordstroms, you’ll get a blanket policy that applies to specific departments. It gets tricky when you go through mega sites, like Amazon, because you’re not necessarily dealing with Amazon directly. There are loads of 3rd-party sellers that incorporate their own policies about a return, all under the guise of being posted on a familiar site that consumers know and trust.

Some exchanges may require you to bring a form of photo ID, even just for exchanges. If there’s a physical store, you can go for the same item in different colors or sizes, or as we mentioned, something of equal or lesser value. In the end, you could even grab the store credit, and transfer it over to the gentleman on your list who didn’t like the gift. That way, he’ll be able to go pick something out or use it with his own money for a larger purchase.

When it comes to exchanging, you might hit restocking fees or shipping fees if you’re going to send it back to an online store or manufacturer. Restocking fees generally apply to electronics or other easily damaged items that need to be inspected and tested before they can be put back on the shelf. Even if you gently opened the box, they can still require new packaging, and again, it’s all depending on store policy. You can pay anywhere from five to twenty percent for a restocking fee, which will require you to fork up some more cash if you’re trying to get a gift of the same caliber.

Returning Unwanted Gifts

Returns are a totally different story. This is when you just want the money back, which sounds fairly simple. If only companies and stores made it that way. When you go to return an item for a cash or debit refund, you’re going to have to bring along a slew of information and items.

We’ll start with the one that’s going to make your life the most simple: a gift receipt. These are like Willy Wonka’s golden tickets, giving you free range to correct your error as pain-free as possible. Even with these, you’ll still have to provide a form of photo ID in some places. It’s rare, but it’s something you don’t want to be caught without, especially if you’re stuck in the return line after a major holiday.

We’re also going to advise that you don’t handle the return at the biggest or necessarily closest location. Crowds get nuts, and if there’s one thing we’ve seen plenty of times, it’s someone in the line ahead of us, battling a manager or concierge member about their policy. It’s lengthy, and they (the store staff) try to be nice about it, but it’s a time-eater. Returning online, nine times out of ten, is going to be more convenient for you.

If you end up getting ahold of someone that handles this, instead of waiting on three-day email gaps and letting your frustration build, remember that you get more with honey than you do with vinegar. You’ll be dealing with someone who’s had a really rough day with every other call, so a bit of kindness and understanding can help you in the long run. If you just hit Google and search for firsthand accounts from customer service agents, you’ll see tales of waived fees and additional aid galore. It’s out there, and so long as you’re kind and have everything necessary on your end to commence the return, you’ll be in good hands.

Gift Categories

Trying our best to give some broad categories, these are the best areas you can focus on when it’s time to give a gift. Based on Gear Hungry readers, our own personal experiences, and the numerous men we’ve talked to about what they actually want as gifts, this is where you’re going to find yourself searching.

Entertainment Gifts - This comes down to gift cards for streaming media services, gaming equipment, and basically anything they can use, and pass the time with. Video games and gadgets, fidget spinners, attention-grabbing items and so on. Nobody likes to be bored, so these tend to include a lot of electronics, like speakers and drones, cameras and… you know what? You could check this guide out for some of the best electronic and entertainment gifts for your guy.

Travel Gifts - They travel a lot, either because they like to, or they have to for work. Either way, being out on the road is distant and lonesome, and the right travel gift can put a smile on their face when they least expect it, and remind them of good friends at home. These tend to be practical and useful, optimizing their time out on the road (or up in the skies) and making things easier on them.

Aesthetic Gifts - Housewarming items, things they can hang up and show-off to everyone else. These tend to not be as functional, but provide a touch of masculinity and a new elemental twist to their living space, office desk at work, or maybe even give them something they never knew existed. There’s a big term, called “the man who has everything.’ Truth is, he doesn’t; not yet.

Optimization Gifts - EDC tools and functional items, things that they can actually use in their day-to-day life that optimize tasks. These say that you’ve been paying attention and that you have values in line with theirs: saving time wherever and whenever possible. Multi-tools and gadgets that can simplify their lives are all thoughtful, and things you can still see them using down the road.

Culinary Gifts - If he loves to eat, grill it up, handle the kitchen, or he’s a major coffee connoisseur, then you’ve got a wide range of gifts you can get that he probably doesn’t have. There’s always cutting-edge culinary tech or new high-end cutlery that’s emerging onto the market, which we like to put our focus on from time to time. He may not be a master chef, but with your thoughtful gift(s), who knows? He could be on his way.

Style Gifts - We’ve talked at-length about personal style and how to avoid insulting that style, so with your newfound Gear Hungry knowledge, it’s time to put it to good use. When it comes to style and grooming, we’ve covered thousands of products from the top down. Every man wants to feel his best, and to do that, he has to look his best.

Outdoor Gifts - If he’s all about the outdoors, then it’s time to give him a hand and help him live the dream. There are endless camping, hiking, and outdoor activity gifts to grab for them. If you can get a look at their current setup, then you’ll know exactly where to go from there. For these gents, it’s about function, and being lightweight (since they’ll be hauling all this stuff on their own).

Subscriptions and Gift Cards - Okay, so you still don’t know what to get him? There’s a killer list of masculine subscriptions, whether it’s craft beer, men’s fragrances, loot boxes and more. When you get them a few months of a subscription, you’re giving them something to look forward to every single month. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving. Literally.

Holiday and Event Gifts - Christmas isn’t the only time of the year where it’s appropriate to give him gifts. Whether it’s Saint Nick hitting the chimney in a city near you, anniversaries, promotions, graduations, it doesn’t matter; you’re going to have the perfect gift for the occasion. Don’t worry; we know we are your secret weapon, and it makes us feel good, too.

Be Wary of Delivery Times

We’ve covered a lot so far, but picking the gift is the easy part; that’s what you’ve got us for. Now comes time for logistics. Delivery times can be a real ball-buster when you’re trying to hit a deadline, like a birthday or an upcoming event that just can’t be moved to a different date. Giving a gift after the fact isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it’s not ideal. Not in the least. We’ve got some tips to help you steer clear of crappy delivery times, and ensure that it’s going to show up plenty early.

For one, procrastination is not your friend. If you’re reading this in a panic, you’re not alone. There’s a lot of last-minute gifters out there, but from this point going forward, you can’t procrastinate. Nobody likes the anxiety of trying to grab a last-minute gift, only to find that all the shipping dates suck. Since a lot of the products we review are available on Amazon (what isn’t, right?), we’re big advocates of getting Amazon Prime to cut-down on delivery time restrictions. Even during the holiday season, they manage to pull off miraculous deliveries that still shock most of us.

Then, you get exclusive access to Prime shipping, which gives you a leg-up on everyone else. Not everything is going to come with Amazon shipping, though. If you’re opting for a very specific gift, you’ll have to check out the earliest possible time it will show up, preferably without ripping your pockets out for expedited shipping.

If pay dates are a restriction, it’s also possible to go 50/50 with another friend, so long as you pay them back after your next paycheck. This can help you reduce mistakes with late orders, and take the weight off your shoulders. Even in precise logistics, there’s a margin of error. Having a bit of wiggle room with your shipping and delivery dates is a good thing.

Some items aren’t going to come with anywhere near what you want for a shipping option. When we review gear here, we take a lot of factors into consideration and try to make sure everything has a healthy window of shipping and delivery. When you get items on the cheap from overseas, you can expect to still be waiting throughout, and past certain holiday seasons.

One more thing to take into account is the clip-on coupons you’ll see with a lot of online stores. These sometimes give you an extra 5% or 15% off, but then, there are some that benefit you in order to optimize their delivery procedures. If you’re getting this gift plenty early (which we’re about to discuss), you can opt-in for these little coupons, and get cash back rewards or digital downloads at discounted prices, just for delaying the delivery window by a few days or a week. If you’re getting the gift for someone, and it’ll be here in plenty of time, then why not treat yourself a bit?

Plan Ahead of Time

With all that shipping information at your fingertips now, there are a few things you can do to plan ahead of time so your guy doesn’t miss his perfect gift. For one, you’ll do well to grab it a month in advance and stow it away on the top shelf in your closet (because childhood taught us that the best gifts go there). Take gift receipts and return policies into consideration. We already talked about these higher up in the guide, but to reiterate, it sucks getting a gift you didn’t actually want. Getting it returned or exchanged can be the light at the end of the tunnel, but not if your gift receipt exchange window expired. Pay close attention to that when planning to purchase ahead of time.

We can’t tell you how to budget, but planning as far ahead of time as possible will keep you from experiencing unexpected expenses during rough seasons, and maybe even allow you to treat yourself for all the research and thoughtfulness you’ve done today. We do know that putting proper provisions in place allows you to stave-off all the anxiety and worry that comes with gift buying, and allow you to focus on fantasizing about their reactions.

Budget ahead of time, order ahead of time and expect delivery delays. We would also like to add that if you’re in a highly-populated area, you’re going to be a prime target for box theft during the holiday season. It’s an unfortunate truth, but this is where planning ahead of time just saved your skin. If the delivery date doesn’t matter, you can ensure that you’ll be home for it without stressing for time. You hear a knock at the door, hop to, and boom: the package is safely inside.

Keep an Eye Out for Sales

If you can get the perfect gift and save some cash off the normal retail price, then you’re a champion. In honor of that, we’ve outlined the best time of the year to shop for gifts, based on the average number of sales we see from big box retailers and online stores. Some of these are going to be super obvious, while others may be a bit surprising, but it’s all here.

Sales on electronics happen in early February just about each year, usually around whatever the upcoming “big game” is. Big box retailers use these days to bring in a lot of foot traffic, but in recent years, have found that they actually make a lot more money by doing it online. They reduce labor, advertising costs, and battle it out with their competitors to give you killer prices. For online sales, you can expect to see some of these roll-outs about a week early, to allow for shipping time.

If you’re going for big gifts, you’re going to want to hit late February for President’s Day sales. While these tend to apply to major appliances and mattresses, furniture and things of the sort, that could be the perfect thing. If he’s a gamer, and you’re going for a stellar top-budget gift, you could always check out gaming desks or gaming chairs. The trick to utilizing these sales is to see what their doorbuster items are. These are generally things they use to get people in the door (even virtually), and then sell them on great deals on larger items. Some brands even sacrifice making any profit off these items by dropping them so low, just to get you on their site. You’ll also see sales like this come around in late May for Memorial Day sales.

Deciding to go with a stylish clothing-related gift? Hitting Easter sales in mid to late April will blow your mind. These sales tend to focus on women, but assuming that their man is with them, or he’s also trying to look good in his Sunday best, they throw out some excellent sails on formalwear, and “kickback clothes” for the festivities and parties that take place after the actual events of Easter. Whether you’re religious or not, everybody can appreciate these sales.

So he’s more of a hiker; that’s okay. July has Independence Day sales on a lot of hiking gear, outdoor furniture, and even grills. It’s the dead set center of the summer, and in certain areas, those are the only months where they can really do anything with the great outdoors. Give them an addition to their hiking arsenal, and pocket the shaved-off top of the budget to keep for yourself (or grab them an additional gift). You’ll also see similar sales on Labor Day come the beginning of September.

We love Amazon, which is why their July 10th/11th celebration of Prime Day gives us something to cheer for. It’s arguably bigger than Cyber Monday sales, where Amazon utilizes their would-be slowest day of the year, and turn it into something truly remarkable. This one is our favorite because it basically applies to anything that’s on your list, that’s applicable with Amazon Prime shipping, so long as you have your Prime membership.

Taxes suck, but Tax-Free Weekend always hits around late July to early August and makes it all suck a little less. These have recently applied to digital sales as well, and can even help to shave-off the costs associated with digital media downloads and buying year-long memberships to some of your favorite streaming services. Certain stores and online platforms will recognize these days with a, “Take an extra X percent off” type deal. Our recommendation: capitalize on those.

Clothing and just about all forms of apparel can rack you up a pretty penny. If you wait until early October for Columbus Day, you’ll be able to snag some killer deals from some of the most well-recognized brands in America. If you’re going to bulk-up on a wardrobe or give out gifts for just about every guy on your list, this is the time to do it. If you’re a real pro, and you read our section about planning ahead, you can take care of Christmas shopping right around this time too, and beat the holiday mall rush.

November brings us one legendary sale, but before then, it’s all about Veterans Day sales to seriously stock up on housewarming gifts, home appliances, and small electronics. This is one of the more minor sales when it comes to gift-giving, but still a noticeable blip on the radar. If he’s a bit culinary guy, you can grab him something along the lines of a new countertop appliance, or take a look at the selection of grills. If he’s in a more snowy environment, it’s a good time to grab one of these for later and gift it during the summer months.

Now, we get to the most notorious American shopping holiday, heard ‘round the world: Black Friday. This, along with the predecessor of Thanksgiving Day doorbusters, make up one of the greatest and most iconic shopping experiences in America. In recent years, it’s been rolled-up into a three-day extravaganza with our next addition but still offers some killer digital sales. We’re not going to recommend venturing out into the wild, wild world of Black Friday shopping, but sitting online at home is definitely the way to go.

Cyber Monday comes next, and what a wonderful day it is. People make entire six-hour shopping days out of this, spending thousands online to secure every Christmas present, birthday, and upcoming event (usually weddings) all without having to get up to pee. Grab your pajamas and comfortable attire on the previous sale, and nestle in. This is the time when you’ll want to be on top of your newsletter stack, and watch out for flash sales.

Last but not least, we have post-Christmas sales and make no mistake, they’re a lot better than the days leading up to Saint Nick’s descendance. These give you a chance to grab some gear on the cheap if you’re following our gift wrapping ideas up the page in this guide, as well as smaller items that are just taking up floor space. They need to move inventory, and you’re just the person to handle it.

Flash sales are a little add-on that people don’t take advantage of. They offer you the option to hit perfect windows so that these companies can move their inventory before they have to pay for more warehouse storage. This is when you want to pay attention to your newsletters the most and categorize them in a specific folder in your email so you don’t miss a thing. Subscribing to the Gear Hungry newsletter also gives you the chance to hear about epic weekly items, and if you throw them in your Amazon cart, they’ll notify you when the price drops to a number that you’re happy with.

As a friendly reminder, just be sure to grab gift receipts and the like, especially if it’s around a busy holiday. We’ve covered exchanging and returning gifts, and in the heat of the moment during the jolly season, you’re more likely to slip-up and forget to grab this ultra-important little slip of paper.

Experience Days

If you’ve never had an experience day, then you’re seriously missing out. We’ve got a load of ideas here on what you can do for your guy to give him an experience day that they’ll never forget, but first of all, let’s break down exactly what you’re doing here, and how to do it.

These are time-spending events that you sign them up to or hand them a voucher for. Your biggest roadblock when giving experience days is going to be schedule conflictions, and upholding obligations. Not for you; for him. Experience days are something you could make an entire reality television show out of because they allow a man to either enjoy something you know they love, but can’t afford, or break them out of their shell and let them try to live on the wild side for a change.

Experience days help remind them that there’s more to life than the mundane that we’re all trapped in from time to time. In truth, it’s one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give, because it shows you took a moment to take an analysis of their likes and dislikes. Buyer beware: don’t get them skydiving lessons if you know they’re afraid of heights. There’s living outside your shell, and then, there’s embarrassing yourself because you didn’t jump out of the plane.

We’ve got some killer ideas here for giving him the best experience day imaginable, so skirt down the list and figure out what you should be getting for him.

Brewery Tour and Tasting - One of our personal favorites. This gives him a chance to taste a private reserve, or meet the brewers and talk about the process. If you know they’re big on discovering new brews and batches, you’re about to give them the thrill of a lifetime. Find a local brewery, and discover their tasting room and private tours. It may cost you a nice chunk of change, but it’s an experience that they can’t just walk through the door and get.

Skydiving - Yeah, we joked about it, but it’s a thrilling experience. If he’s an adrenaline junky, the guy who just can’t get enough of life in the fast lane, this will make his head spin. These are also systematic with parachuting and hang gliding, though those usually require a more remote location. Falling safely out of the sky throws caution to the wind, while still playing it safe and enjoying the time of your life.

Nothing But Blue Skies - Work’s beating them down, and their body is a wreck. Who can afford to only work forty hours a week these days? An experience day at a pampering, relaxing retreat, all just for one day, is enough to convince them to take a load-off for once. It’s near impossible to justify a small vacation, but a one day only pampering event is hard to refuse. It allows them to still provide, and enjoy a guilt-free experience that’s selfishly about them, and nothing else.

This Round’s on Me - Going out for a drink is the age-old expression of downtime, and telling someone that you want to spend a good few minutes with them, while also treating them to something. These are a great impromptu way to help them take a load off while being able to enjoy some quality time with them yourself. You can also save a bit of money here, so long as you don’t get them blackout drunk, you know?

We’re Going to the Races - It doesn’t have to be a NASCAR event, but there are plenty of racing tracks around the country where you can hop in, rent a car, slap some insurance on it, and cruise ‘til your heart’s content. These are an epic way to add some adrenaline to the mix, without necessarily putting any crazy expectations or fears on the day.

A Night at the Opera - Maybe musicals are more his thing than traditional movie showings. Take a gander at upcoming shows in your area, and plan the night out. We personally recommend matching this with a gift card to a nearby restaurant for before or after the show, turning it into an experience instead of just attending a show.

Ziplining - Pretty self-explanatory, here. Ziplining is a safe way to enjoy a low-tier adrenaline high, and they usually don’t cost all too much. These are generally priced, much like skydiving, matching the difficulty to get you into that position, mixed with the time spent. Shorter events, easier setups, and a lower cost helps both of you out.

Offroad Fury - Do they like spending a good amount of time in the great outdoors? Similar to the racetrack situation, you get to grab a few ATVs or a couple of dirt bikes, and hit the great wilderness. This is a total day from start to finish, so you’ll get the entire campsite ready, hit the dirt roads and wide open range, and return back to hit a hike before the stars come up. This one is an all-day affair of giving them the best of the best, and you might surprise yourself with how much of a good time you’ll have, too.

Scuba Diving - This is something that a guy can’t justify spending the money on when it’s just going to be him. Not only that, but nobody wants to travel down in the murky blue without a mate by their side. If you know they’re lovers of the ocean and all things aquatic, then it’s time to slip on the wetsuit and roll back off the boat. These can also be coupled with a day out on the boat, which we are about to cover next.

Deep Sea Fishing - He’s an angler, but rarely has the time or the companionship to head out on his own. Grab a few poles, some tackle, and hop on one of those deep sea charters. It’s usually a few hours out from the coast, making this an all-day, Saturday kind of affair. If some rest, relaxation, and a fair share of drinking (which is why you hop on one of those charters) sounds like a good time, it could be the perfect gift for him.

Most experience events, if not all, should also have you included in the initial cost. It’s not much of an experience if they don’t have someone to go with, and if you’re a best friend or sibling, you know them intimately enough to get something they’ll truly, deeply enjoy. That’s an experience that they’ll want to share with you. The biggest mistake that experience day shoppers make, is not including themselves and running into financial problems. Just understand those experience days, on average, don’t include the cost of transit, tolls, food, drink, etc.

The Right Gift for Big Events

We’ve spilled the beans about the different gift categories, everything about style, function, and the whole shebang. Now, it’s time to figure out what you should be focusing on dependent on what event or milestone in their lives that you’re going for. We’ve broken down a few major events in a man’s life where a gift can really make a meaningful impact.

Promotion at Work - He works his fingers to the bone, and he’s being given a serious promotion. The kind of promotion where there’s going to be a celebration. Whether you’re orchestrating it or not, it’s up to you to get something that really makes an impact. These events don’t call for functional items, but rather, significant and personalized trophy-style gifts. Engraved pens, embroidered briefcases (for their new office), or a new custom nameplate for their new desk. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. We’re personal fans of blending a few items with commemoration, and function. Things like custom mugs, custom luggage sets (if their new job means they’ll be traveling a lot and things of the sort.

Opening a Business - This is a serious event in his life. He’s worked, planned, and gotten ready for this day for potential years. This calls for something for his business, something that he may one day pass down to his children when they inherit it. Custom frames for their first dollar, posh decorations for their office, or even a nice, strong bottle of top-shelf liquor with a custom label (that’s one they’ll probably bring home, but it’ll mean the world to them in their liquor cabinet).

Retirement - It’s everything that we’ve talked about, but on the flip side. They’re finally taking the final load off, and kicking their feet up on top of all their accomplishments. You can’t really get them anything for their career or business, so it’s all about them. For this, a relaxing experience day is just the ticket, or a celebratory night out with you, them, and a couple of others. Pay the tab on the food and drink, and give them a night they’ll never forget.

Wedding - Everyone always thinks about the house or the bride, but few think about what the husband wants on his big day. They’re melding two lives together, so he should have something equally excellent to hang up in their home with pride. If you’re the best man, you’ve got a hefty responsibility to get something meaningful and stylish (and avoid inputting inside jokes, as well). Make it meaningful, and ready to warm their house for years to come.

First Child - There’s a limited number of gifts you can do here, and since it’s such a meaningful experience, jokes should probably be left off the table. Getting a nice cigar humidor, or a top-shelf bottle of their favorite liquor are meaningful gifts that tell them to kick back and celebrate the occasion. A thoughtful gift mixed with your presence is exactly what they need.

How to Buy Gifts for Your Guy Per Holiday

We told you about the best sales, and how you logistically coordinate your budget and shopping days is completely up to you. If you’re not exactly an elitist when it comes to holiday shopping, you’re not alone. Most people don’t really learn how to shop, they tend to panic, make regretful purchases, and hope for the best. To avoid all that drama, this is what to do on each major gift-giving holiday.

Birthday - When a lad’s hitting a milestone marker (the fun ones, like eighteen or twenty-one), he’s going to need an age-appropriate gift. Apart from that, yearly birthday gifts are a complete stab in the dark at what they’ll want. This is when we refer back to the beginning of the guide when you analyze their hobbies, interests, and try to find a thoughtful way to aid them in elevating their game. Birthdays are about them and totally randomized in accordance with sales and most major holidays. Basically, you don’t have a specific sale day of the year to gloss over and pick something from. It’s got to fit them, their interests, and the time of year is usually not on your side.

Valentine’s Day - Men like to be spoiled too, okay? If you’re a SO that doesn’t live by Valentine’s Day, you’re not alone. In fact, most of us aren’t too big on the day, but it does bring up one undeniable benefit. Even if we would all like to think we cherish the guy in our lives, and show them every day how much they mean to us, it’s just not possible. You’ll be worn-out by a week in. Life picks up the pace when you’re with someone, and that honeymoon phase will eventually whittle down. That’s okay, because gift cards to his favorite restaurant, a night out on the town, or a pampering experience day are all ways to show him how much you care, and rekindle the flame on this chilly February day.

Anniversary - Every year, you have one less gift you’ll be able to get them. We know mates on their twentieth anniversary who already have a handful of engraved, personalized items, and all the gadgets their inner child could ever want. This gets tricky, but it’s not a lost cause. For everything he has, you can branch-off and get him something else. He enjoys his fine liquors; get him a new glass set. He’s a collector; there’s a never-ending list of watches we’re accumulating here. When in doubt, build on what’s already been built upon. It may no seem as “custom” to you, but if they have a clear interest in it, they’re going to appreciate it more than you think.

Christmas - Even if it becomes about the kids, or you’re always visiting his family for the holidays, you still can’t miss out on spoiling them with the right gift. Christmas usually comes with a few extra days off, whether it’s a four-day weekend or the upcoming New Year’s celebrations. This is the perfect time to introduce them to an experience, or grab a few gift cards and make an entire day out of federal holidays.

Top Things to Avoid When Grabbing a Gift for the Guy on Your List

There’s do’s and don’ts in everything, and when it comes to gift-giving, we’ve covered everything you should do, so now, it’s time to cover the flip side of the coin. These are a few cardinal rules to follow to avoid most of the potential issues, save for very specific circumstances with unique men.

Spending more doesn’t make the gift more valuable; in fact, it can actually spark more of an argument than just ignoring the event, and not getting him a gift at all. If you’re the SO, you might spark a feeling of indebtedness from the gift recipient. Even in our progressive world, there are still issues where men will feel inadequate based on their spouse earning more than them, providing more “value” to the family (however they like to measure it), and so on. Getting a gift that’s expensive or out of an acceptable price range, could send a bad message. Men are simple, and enjoy simple gifts; study what you believe they’ll want, but don’t overthink it and psych yourself out.

Buying one gift is great, two gifts are fine, but buying too many gifts will diminish the value of each additional gift you give to them, rendering the sentiment essentially useless. More thought packed into a single gift beats half-a-dozen smaller ones. It’s not about physical size or the price tag. Understandable occasions are when it’s more than one item to complete a single gift; you wouldn’t buy him just dress pants, would you? You’d opt for a two or three-piece suit. Getting multiple unrelated gifts gives off the idea that you were in a frenzy, and while you threw money at the sentiment, that you were more panicked about getting gifts than making sure they were truly meaningful.

The time association rule directly affects what you should be spending, and how big of lofty a gift you should be looking at. Opting for smaller gifts is better for a short relationship time, whether you’re dating or just friends. If I have a friend for six weeks, and I knew their birthday was coming up, I’m going to get them something small that’s half-obligatory, half “Hey, we’re buds, have something nice.” The longer you know or are with someone, the higher the expectation is on the gift.

If he tells you not to get him anything, don’t. Men tend to naturally speak with their actions more than their words, and if they push the envelope that they don’t want anything, it could be for a few reasons. They might feel awkward or weird accepting gifts, or if you’re living off a joint income, it could just be for monetary reasons. There are old cliches of women telling their men not to get them anything for a birthday or event, and then getting upset when they don’t get them anything. This idea comes to people’s heads, but in all our experience, it’s actually a pretty clear instruction.

One last thing; don’t put the pressure on them for a reaction. Men don’t want to make others feel bad if they don’t like the gift, and the gift-giver is lighting up with anticipation of a reaction. Men will provide honest reactions, but the more and more pressure on them, the harder it’s going to be for them to reveal their reaction, and make the situation deflate/awkward. Don’t put the pressure on.

Make sure to bookmark this guide and come back to it whenever you need a refresher course on gift buying for men. What did this help you achieve? Perfect gift for your SO? Did you put the oomph factor into your boss? Let us know how you liked it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and be sure to check out the numerous guides we have with specific gift categories and broad style ranges in mind.

Looking for detailed buying guides? Make sure you check out our detailed product reviews and everyday carry exclusively at Gear Hungry.