This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s senior fall editorial intern Dalal Daher. Find her on Instagram at @dalalllldaher. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Oftentimes, the men on your holiday gift list can be the hardest to shop for, especially if you don’t know them extremely well. If you’ve ever been out of ideas and looked online, chances are the recommendations you’ve seen go something like this: whiskey, leather, belt, socks, soap, or other generic ‘guy’ accessories. While there’s no universal gift guide for every guy, and sometimes simpler gifts such as mugs or belts are a good idea, these stereotypical ideas can be a little restrictive. If you’re looking for gifts ideas for the men in your life that are more out of the box, read on!
*Note: this list has been peer-reviewed by several men, including friends and my boyfriend, for quality control
Chain necklaces or bracelet
For the fashion-forward men in your life, whether they favor streetwear or timeless outfits, a simple chain can never go wrong, particularly as a romantic gift. The upside to this idea is that you can personalize it as much as you want to their style. If someone has a more pared-down style, a simple silver or gold chain could be fitting, but you could definitely play around with the type of chain, length, and level of flair. This is definitely more so for men who do accessories with watches, rings, or other jewelry, or would enjoy this as part of a personal aesthetic. Another bonus is that you could get a matching necklace/bracelet set or gift one or the other for the next occasion!
Photo Album or Photo Printer
Another good idea for a romantic gift is a personalized photo album. If you and your man embrace your inner artsiness, designing, decorating, and curating a photo album would be a unique, nostalgic gift.
Another idea if the person you want to gift for is into photography or curating collages is a photo printer that connects to your phone, allowing you to print any image from your camera roll. I’ve always thought this was both a practical gift and a somewhat unique one. In that same vein, a digital camera or Polaroid camera is also a good gift for a more artsy, photography-enthused individual.
A Quality Experience
In my opinion, this is a good gift for anybody, whether it’s your partner, a friend, or family member, as it can be personalized to them entirely. Some ideas I had include tickets to a sports game, concert tickets, a trip to Topgolf (while this can get expensive it’s fun for groups as well), or even a cooking or mixology class. The beauty of this kind of gift is you can plan it with a large group or just the two of you, and you can often find deals or discounts when buying tickets.
Audio Energy
From AirPods to over the ear headphones, a quality pair of earbuds will last you quite a while and make a gift suitable for family members, friends, or romantic partners. Similarly, you could buy a speaker: this $20 shower speaker is a great find, or you could go with a more classic JBL model. You really can’t go wrong with a speaker or headphone set and if you want to make this gift more special, you could also include unique headphone covers like this edgy, spidery chrome model.
Lego Set
Adult Lego sets have become increasingly popular, with brands such as Target selling floral sets such as this adorable succulent plant kit for $40 or LEGO Architecture sets where you can build landmarks from the Statue of Liberty to the Himeji Castle. Take a trip down to a LEGO store to peruse what kind of set your loved ones would want! Since they come in all kinds of different themes, price points, and sizes, LEGO sets are an extremely versatile gift and fun activity for everyone!
Culinary Gifts
You can go a lot of directions with a culinary gift. From a quality coffee maker to a bartending kit for an aspiring mixologist, a kitchen appliance is a practical gift that will definitely not go unappreciated. If you don’t think the person you’re buying a gift for is in need of an appliance, you could also invest in a pack of their favorite beer or, if they’re a cigar aficionado, legacy premium Drew Estate cigars.
While I’m by no means an expert, and don’t nail every gift, my general strategy on gift-giving reflected in this article is not to buy general ‘guy’ items (because they might know what they like in that category better than I would or already have it) but to buy what the recipient would like but wouldn’t think of themselves. Hopefully these ideas can help spark some inspiration this holiday season!
Would you buy any of these gifts for your loved ones? What are your go-to gifts for guys? Let us know in the comments below!
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