Gift Guide: For The Guys In Your Life

Ahhh, it’s holiday gift guide time! (It’s my first one of the season.) This makes me so excited, because it means holiday shopping season is officially HERE.

I looooove shopping early for holiday gifts, because that makes the Type A in me so very happy. (I may or may not have a Google spreadsheet that contains a list of everyone I need to buy for, gift ideas/gifts purchased, budget/amount spent, etc. Okay, I do. I do have one.) However, I’m a staunch believer that Christmas-themed things — decorations, music, movies, cookies — shouldn’t start until AFTER Thanksgiving. I mean, give each holiday its due — that’s all I’m saying.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move on to gifts for the guys in your life. Whether you’re buying for your husband, boyfriend, dad, brother, uncle, etc., hopefully this round-up will come in handy in making gift choices. (Because I know we say it every year, but that’s because it’s TRUE every year — guys are hard to shop for!):

1. Comfy Robe. This one’s cozy and festive, too!

2. Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer. Call this present a compromise gift. Most guys who like to cook really like the idea of deep-frying a turkey. But this video and the hundreds of others just like it reveal that the risk of severe burns, house fires, and the question of what to do with five gallons of turkey-tainted oil make the whole thing less fun than it seems. Char-Broil’s Big Easy is more like a grill than a fryer: it’s much easier to use, far less of a mess, and considerably less likely to burn your house down.

3. Push-Pin Wall Map. For the well-traveled guy in your life, a way to celebrate and document his explorations could be the perfect gift (and makes for a good piece of wall art for a Man Cave, too).

4. Minimalist Wallet. For the man who only wants the essentials, hook him up with a way to keep those essentials super low profile and easy to tote around.

5. Everyday Hoodie. Sometimes it’s fun to get a nice version of an everyday item as a gift. You can count on this classic hoodie being in style for years to come.

6. Fulton & Roark Men’s Grooming Products. I mean, you knew this brand was going to make the cut, but it’s for good reason. This stuff makes for GREAT holiday gifts, especially for the on-the-go type. Oh, and there are some recently released products this year, so even if your guy is familiar with F&R, he might be excited to try something new. Their 2-in-1 shampoo + body wash is brand new, as is their latest Limited Reserve cologne, Sterling. (Want to save 15% off your purchase? Just use the coupon code “curious” at checkout!)

7. Instant iPhone Printer. Is your guy the nostalgic type? Gift him with a way to easily fill his life with hard-copy photos printed straight from his phone.

8. Kettlebells. Whether or not your guy has “bro tendencies,” a single kettlebell might be the most useful piece of fitness equipment a guy can have. What’s more, if your man is a Star Wars fan AND a fitness enthusiast, there’s really only one gift to consider. As a little extra gift, a session with a certified kettlebell instructor will make sure he’s got a good foundation before getting started. (Pro tip: make sure that he’s interested in kettlebells or is already lifting — otherwise you might hurt a guy’s feelings.)

9. “Ball of Fire” Fire Pit. Looking to jazz up an outdoor space? Any guy is sure to love something as dramatic as a ball of fire, right? Plus, this is a useful gift that lots of people will be able to benefit from. (Maybe even you, if you live with him!)

10. Fitness Tracker. It’s time for your guy to join the fitness tracker family if he hasn’t already done so. The Fitbit Surge, delivering automatic sleep tracking and continuous heart rate monitoring, along with the ability to customize tracking based on your activity, makes for a great all-purpose foray into the fitness tracker space.