Somehow, somewhere somebody has decided that it would be a good idea to put the Christmas decorations up already in some shops. You know, because September is such a traditionally festive month. No doubt this is aimed to provoke an orgy of consumerism from now until about mid-January. Joy. As always, I will be leaving my Christmas shopping until mid-December. If I was organised, I would of course do it mid-January and take advantage of the sales but a) that always feels a bit naughty even though nobody I am likely to buy gifts for would really mind (especially as they would usually get the same amount spent, just better gifts) and b) who knows where one is going to be in a year.
Anyway, this isn't really the point of the post. It was provoked by stumbling on an article (I don't know where so sorry for lack of link) about good presents to buy girls; not just for Christmas but generally. This is the antidote to that; good presents to buy guys.
Now before you girls start grumbling, "Guys are so hard to get presents for", we're not. This is a rough guide but hopefully it will provide inspiration. Of course, with all of this there's the pervasive caveat know your audience but that said, let's crack on.
Firstly, ignore guys that say they don't need anything. Presents are not about things that one necessarily needs but that doesn't mean they can't be useful or functional.
Most chaps I know love gadgets. There's a hierarchy here: if you can hurt yourself on it, it's close to the top. Swiss army knives are good here. I've had mine since I was about 15 and it has honestly been one of the most useful things ever. After that are things with an electric circuit; if they light up or go "beep" that's a plus. After that come individual passions of the chap in particular.
The above is a bit flippant but it's not a bad start if you really are stuck. However, don't be afraid of seemingly "generic" presents. A lot of guys I know genuinely appreciate things that would normally be considered dull. I'm talking things like ties and cuff-links here. My male friends agree almost unanimously that they are proud of their collections of each. Both are largely sartorial flourishes these days but a good way to display how well you know the person. Be very wary of novelty items as they will normally be worn in a work or a formal environment. That's not to say they have to be totally dull. I have a pair that say "bow" and "stroke", the rowing equivalent of port and starboard which makes sense since I used to row. I also have a pair which are watch mechanisms mounted on a cuff-link which ties into my love of watches. Both show originality and personality without being garish so hit the spot nicely.
Pens are another possibility. Almost everybody has to write on a daily basis so why not make it a bit more pleasant with a decent pen. I'm not necessarily talking about blowing serious cash on a Mont Blanc; others can be obtained far more cheaply but are desirable none the less. A stainless steel Parker Jotter will give you enough change from a tenner to go for a drink afterwards but it also featured heavily in Goldeneye and therefore will be valued by anyone who remotely considers themselves a Bond fan. Or what about a fisher space pen - designed by NASA to work in zero gravity and write on all sorts of odd surfaces such as on grease or under water. This was achieved using some clever gel-ink which was kept in a cannister under pressure (it's interesting to note that the Russians had a device with similar capabilities... a pencil!) and again won't break the bank. See what I mean? Cool enough to be a gadget without being hideously expensive.
Drinking vessels are also good ones. Err on personalised and classic if going for tankards rather than a Simpsons et al one. Hip flasks are another good shout; there's almost limitless variety and a good one will last a long time. Most have metal surfaces that can be inscribed if you want an added touch. A favourite gift of mine was a cut-glass whisky tumbler I received for my 18th. It has stayed with me since and I love it. However drinking vessels don't necessarily have to be alcohol related. On my 21st I received a James Bond mug featuring a dust jacket picture and quote from Goldfinger. It was an add-on to my main present but I loved it (sadly it broke recently) and made morning coffee much more pleasant and morning generally just a wee bit more bearable.
On the subject of drinking vessels, drink is never a bad shout but again, know your audience. I love whisky and always genuinely appreciate bottles I've given. It has introduced me to whiskys I have never heard of (which is impressive) and opened my eyes to others I have yet to try. However, be careful; make sure it's their tipple of choice unless you have sufficient expertise in whatever you're buying to be nigh on certain they will like it.
See what I mean folks, the obvious stuff can be appreciated if done carefully.
So what have my favourite gifts been, apart from the ones already mentioned? Well my watch, kilt and some of my pens are certainly up there but not just the very expensive stuff.
An ex gave me a bottle of Floris 89 aftershave. This is the stuff favoured by Ian Flemming and James Bond therefore, as a huge Bond fan, I loved it. Not only does it smell nice but it must have required some fairly detailed research to find out.
On a similar note, my girlfriend gave me a James Bond monopoly set a couple of Christmases ago after I casually mentioned that I had seen one years ago and had been keeping an eye out for one ever since. She got serious brownie points for actually being able to find one (they are fairly rare) and even more for remembering one throwaway sentence in a conversation on one of our early dates.
She also got me a coffee maker with a timer which hit the spot perfectly. As a hopeless caffeine addict and coffee lover, it's not a good idea to get too close to me in the morning before I've had a hit. This is brilliant, set it up the night before, set the timer for 10 minutes before your alarm then wake up the next morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee with the only effort being stumbling into the kitchen and pouring it into a (James Bond - yeah of course I replaced the broken one) mug! It's doubly good if you remember and set it up before you go on a big night out so the coffee is ready and waiting for you the morning after... who says aromatherapy is rubbish?!
Slightly left-field was an electric razor. I look ridiculous with any form of facial hair so being clean shaven is a necessity. Wet shaving, though it yields fantastic results, is at best fiddly and at worst dangerous if done in a hurry, the electric takes the faff out on a daily basis again making mornings a bit less of a pain.
There are many others which I have loved but this at least gives an idea of appreciable things.
Now to berry my head in the sand and try to ignore the selection boxes in the supermarket.
JR
Anyway, this isn't really the point of the post. It was provoked by stumbling on an article (I don't know where so sorry for lack of link) about good presents to buy girls; not just for Christmas but generally. This is the antidote to that; good presents to buy guys.
Now before you girls start grumbling, "Guys are so hard to get presents for", we're not. This is a rough guide but hopefully it will provide inspiration. Of course, with all of this there's the pervasive caveat know your audience but that said, let's crack on.
Firstly, ignore guys that say they don't need anything. Presents are not about things that one necessarily needs but that doesn't mean they can't be useful or functional.
Most chaps I know love gadgets. There's a hierarchy here: if you can hurt yourself on it, it's close to the top. Swiss army knives are good here. I've had mine since I was about 15 and it has honestly been one of the most useful things ever. After that are things with an electric circuit; if they light up or go "beep" that's a plus. After that come individual passions of the chap in particular.
The above is a bit flippant but it's not a bad start if you really are stuck. However, don't be afraid of seemingly "generic" presents. A lot of guys I know genuinely appreciate things that would normally be considered dull. I'm talking things like ties and cuff-links here. My male friends agree almost unanimously that they are proud of their collections of each. Both are largely sartorial flourishes these days but a good way to display how well you know the person. Be very wary of novelty items as they will normally be worn in a work or a formal environment. That's not to say they have to be totally dull. I have a pair that say "bow" and "stroke", the rowing equivalent of port and starboard which makes sense since I used to row. I also have a pair which are watch mechanisms mounted on a cuff-link which ties into my love of watches. Both show originality and personality without being garish so hit the spot nicely.
Pens are another possibility. Almost everybody has to write on a daily basis so why not make it a bit more pleasant with a decent pen. I'm not necessarily talking about blowing serious cash on a Mont Blanc; others can be obtained far more cheaply but are desirable none the less. A stainless steel Parker Jotter will give you enough change from a tenner to go for a drink afterwards but it also featured heavily in Goldeneye and therefore will be valued by anyone who remotely considers themselves a Bond fan. Or what about a fisher space pen - designed by NASA to work in zero gravity and write on all sorts of odd surfaces such as on grease or under water. This was achieved using some clever gel-ink which was kept in a cannister under pressure (it's interesting to note that the Russians had a device with similar capabilities... a pencil!) and again won't break the bank. See what I mean? Cool enough to be a gadget without being hideously expensive.
Drinking vessels are also good ones. Err on personalised and classic if going for tankards rather than a Simpsons et al one. Hip flasks are another good shout; there's almost limitless variety and a good one will last a long time. Most have metal surfaces that can be inscribed if you want an added touch. A favourite gift of mine was a cut-glass whisky tumbler I received for my 18th. It has stayed with me since and I love it. However drinking vessels don't necessarily have to be alcohol related. On my 21st I received a James Bond mug featuring a dust jacket picture and quote from Goldfinger. It was an add-on to my main present but I loved it (sadly it broke recently) and made morning coffee much more pleasant and morning generally just a wee bit more bearable.
On the subject of drinking vessels, drink is never a bad shout but again, know your audience. I love whisky and always genuinely appreciate bottles I've given. It has introduced me to whiskys I have never heard of (which is impressive) and opened my eyes to others I have yet to try. However, be careful; make sure it's their tipple of choice unless you have sufficient expertise in whatever you're buying to be nigh on certain they will like it.
See what I mean folks, the obvious stuff can be appreciated if done carefully.
So what have my favourite gifts been, apart from the ones already mentioned? Well my watch, kilt and some of my pens are certainly up there but not just the very expensive stuff.
An ex gave me a bottle of Floris 89 aftershave. This is the stuff favoured by Ian Flemming and James Bond therefore, as a huge Bond fan, I loved it. Not only does it smell nice but it must have required some fairly detailed research to find out.
On a similar note, my girlfriend gave me a James Bond monopoly set a couple of Christmases ago after I casually mentioned that I had seen one years ago and had been keeping an eye out for one ever since. She got serious brownie points for actually being able to find one (they are fairly rare) and even more for remembering one throwaway sentence in a conversation on one of our early dates.
She also got me a coffee maker with a timer which hit the spot perfectly. As a hopeless caffeine addict and coffee lover, it's not a good idea to get too close to me in the morning before I've had a hit. This is brilliant, set it up the night before, set the timer for 10 minutes before your alarm then wake up the next morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee with the only effort being stumbling into the kitchen and pouring it into a (James Bond - yeah of course I replaced the broken one) mug! It's doubly good if you remember and set it up before you go on a big night out so the coffee is ready and waiting for you the morning after... who says aromatherapy is rubbish?!
Slightly left-field was an electric razor. I look ridiculous with any form of facial hair so being clean shaven is a necessity. Wet shaving, though it yields fantastic results, is at best fiddly and at worst dangerous if done in a hurry, the electric takes the faff out on a daily basis again making mornings a bit less of a pain.
There are many others which I have loved but this at least gives an idea of appreciable things.
Now to berry my head in the sand and try to ignore the selection boxes in the supermarket.
JR
No comments:
Post a Comment