| Men’s Gift Shopping – Making it Easy
Buying gifts for men is notoriously challenging. His birthday is coming up, and you have no idea for something interesting. Or worse, Father’s Day is around the corner, and you have to help the kids find something original, something more than just another pair of socks or a tie.
Believe it or not, shopping for men does not have to be hard. I’ve identified an easy 3-step process to make finding out a great mens gift idea easy; by the time you’ve gone through this checklist you are sure to have found that perfect gift for him!
Step 1: Identify his interests.
Make a list of everything he enjoys, whether those interests be computers, fishing, golf, building things, traveling, sports, antique car, or anything. It doesn’t matter how out of the ordinary it is - list everything you can think of. Someone came to me recently and said her husband was in to gold prospecting – that’s great! It’s an interest, which helps get started.
Once you have a list of interests, go through and think about each one. What could be useful or helpful for that interest? Guys love getting something useful, especially if it’s related to something they really enjoy doing. For example, for the lady whose husband likes gold prospecting as a hobby I suggested a quality, rugged, outdoor men’s vest with lots of pockets, great for poking around the rock piles outdoors with.
If he is into building or fixing things as a hobby, you could get him some tools or materials to help him with his next project. If he’s into traveling, yes, you could buy him a holiday away or, if that doesn’t quite fit your budget, perhaps an overseas guide book, foreign language phrase book, or travel bag would be more in order.
If sports are his thing, get him a DVD of some of the game’s greatest plays or some memorabilia from his team. If its cars, get him a framed print of his dream car or a wall clock branded by his favourite manufacturer.
I think you get the idea – if he has any interests whatsoever, take advantage of them and get him something along those lines.
Step 2: Create a Memory
Okay, so he already has enough golf clubs and football t-shirts to sink a ship. Looking at his interests didn’t solve the problem. The next step is to think about an experience that he would enjoy, ideally something he could do with one of his friends, or with his family.
Experience gifts are all the rage at the moment, because they create a memory; and it’s the memories that will still be there years after all the more traditional gifts have rusted away or been lost or broken.
There are many companies now who would be more than happy to sell an experience gift to you, whether it be skydiving, white water rafting, spelunking, sports car racing, etc.
If white-knuckle excitement isn’t really his thing, though, you still have plenty of options. You could get him tickets out to a concert, or plan a nice evening out at a restaurant – pick somewhere which makes it a bit different, like a rotating restaurant or dining on a river cruise. The key is to pick something which will make it memorable.
You could even keep it simpler still, by packing a picnic and going out to the beach or park somewhere and spending some quality time, or getting an ice cream down at the city park. Of course, when going the more rustic route you need to be prepared for the unexpected. One of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had was at the beach. It didn’t work out quite as anticipated, as there was an abnormally high tide we almost got flooded out - but that’s what made it a great fun experience which I still remember years later!
An alternative to this idea is to commemorate an already special memory which you share. This could be done very simply by giving him a photograph from the time in a nice frame, or perhaps a specially edited video.
If you’re looking for something for a co-worker, why not create a memory by organizing an office outing – have everyone take him out to do something crazy which will be remembered for a while. For example, a group of adults going mini-golfing or riding the bumper cars is always going to create a few laughs, but if that’s too off the wall I’m sure you could think of something more traditional. Of course, if it’s a going away gift the old signed t-shirt or some other commemorative memorabilia is always a winning option.
Remember, gifts last for a while; memories last a lifetime.
Step 3: Find something quirky
If all else fails, go completely out of character and get him something he really won’t expect!
There are all types of quirky gift ideas out there for guys, ideas which will make him laugh and make the special event just that extra bit lighter. Novelty shops have all types of weird and wonderful ideas from strange USB gadgets to novelty clocks and keyrings.
That is all that will fit today. Most of all, HAVE FUN WITH IT!
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