Unique Gifts Ideas for Men - How to Surprise Him
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Gift-giving is such a wonderful experience - you get to show the people around you how much you appreciate them, in a way that stands the test of time.
It’s such a joyous feeling to look around you, in the comfort of your home or even at the office, and see little trinkets of gratitude from your friends and loved ones. I always keep the gifts I receive in sight, so that I’m surrounded by small reminders of the meaningful people in my life.
I throw a lot of house parties and my favourite part is when someone tells me “That painting is so great!” and my answer is “Thank you - it’s a gift from my best friend,” or when I’m wearing a special piece of jewelry or a new bag and someone asks where I got it from and it’s always a small pleasure saying it was a gift from my coworkers or friends. It’s especially great when someone gets you a gift that becomes a daily essential, like a reusable coffee cup or a fountain pen.
Finding the Perfect Gift for Men
However, we all know that, at times, finding the right gift can be a bit of a struggle, especially when we think of our best friends or significant others - they are the ones who probably receive the most gifts from us, and always finding unique buys can become difficult. And, let’s face it, it’s especially difficult to find gifts for the men in our lives.
The secret of buying gifts for men is finding something that blends quality and practicality. Something that the men in your life will be able to use on a daily basis will make for a great gift, and if it looks sleek and cool, it’s a winner. To find the gift that keeps on giving, pay attention to the things men are really passionate about (hint: they’ll probably talk about it a lot).
Here are some unique gift ideas for your brothers, husbands, coworkers and everyone in between.
A Gift for The Globetrotter
We all have that friend who’s always on a city break somewhere - the one who always has the greatest recommendations for what to see, where to eat, and how to find hidden gems even in the most tourist-filled destinations.
So, if you’re already thinking of someone reading this, you might also be thinking what can you gift someone who’s always on the move.
The answer is something they can always take with them that they actually need, and what is that one thing you shouldn’t leave on a trip without, especially if you’re going places with stranger currencies or places where paying cash is still a big deal (looking at you, every Greek island)? A wallet. I’m sure you’re thinking “Doesn’t everyone already have a wallet?”, and you might be onto something, but the trick is gifting a wallet that’s special in more ways than one:
- small enough to fit in that carry-on as well as your pocket while still being slim;
- one that has special places for both cards and cash without bulging;
- it holds your ID tightly while making it easy to get it out for all those airport checks;
- made of real leather, so that it stands the test of time.
A Gift for The DIY-er
As much as I’d like to think of myself as very independent and I usually fix things around the house myself, I have to admit that for some things I have to call my father or brother to help me out. And it’s true that the men in our lives are usually better equipped for things like putting up a shelf (even at 2 in the morning). My father has all kinds of tools and equipment that I’d never even thought existed, and I have more guy friends with bikes or e-scooters than I do girls.
As funny as it sounds, hand a man a tool and he’ll find something to use it on in less than 5 minutes. In my experience, they love it, too - they get as excited as a child on Christmas morning when they have to chance to fix something, or, even better, make something from scratch. And they’re always eager to help everyone out, so help them be their courteous selves by gifting the gift that keeps on giving: a pocket multitool.
Find one that’ll be easy to carry, it’ll make it that more useful and fun, with the most common tools on it, like:
- both a Philips and a flat screwdriver;
- metric and imperial wrenches;
- a bottle opener and a small cutter;
- slim and made of a super durable material, like stainless steel;
- and maybe some extra tools - that means extra fun and convenience.
The best part about a gift like this? They’ll always find an excuse to use it: to help friends out, or fix things around their own homes or garages, a multitool with several uses will keep them excited for a new project and new and fun ways to use it.
And maybe it’s just the boost they needed to get started on that DIY project.
A Gift for The Climate Conscious
It’s true that these days, as temperatures rise to historic levels almost every day, you can’t help but wonder if gift-giving is climate-friendly.
Fortunately, more and more planet-friendly products appear on the daily, some helping you reduce waste, some using renewable or renewed materials. These kinds of products are the absolute favourites of nature lovers and you’re definitely bound to have a coworker, cousin or boyfriend/husband who loves nature.
And trust me, you’ll know: they have a reusable water bottle or coffee cup, they use public transit or bikes as often as they can, and they’re super curious about every new technology or process that can help fight climate change.
Show them you care about the planet as much as they do with something that’s not only reusable, but versatile, as well. A reusable hand sanitiser bottle might just be the thing, because:
- it’s made of silicone and aluminium, making it 90% recyclable (by weight);
- it’s infinitely reusable;
- it’s lightweight and comes with a carabiner hook, so you can always carry it with you;
- it’s not just for hand sanitiser - you can fill it up with any liquid, making it truly sustainable in the long run.
This one also has a DIY sanitiser recipe included in the box, so it’s also a fun activity that you can do together. Another fun activity could be to find as many things as possible that you can fill it with (here are 5 1/2 to get you started).
And when you feel your reusable bottle has lived its life, try recycling its sleeve into something new.
Gift him The Mindful One, or get the BFF Pack for the two of you
A Gift for The Artist In Him
Maybe he’s a graphic designer, architect, or even a writer. If the man in your life is the kind that carries a lot of markers, pens, pencil, styluses with him all day long, he might be in dire need of a pencil case. Sure, he might not have thought to get one for himself since at least high-school, so this is your opportunity to show him that a pencil case can carry more than coloured pencils, while looking incredibly professional.
No more rummaging through his backpack for a pen, and just imagine how proud he’ll be to show it off in his next meeting:
- handmade out of soft natural leather;
- large enough that it’ll fit most writing tools, but still small enough that it looks super cool;
- made with a custom mould, so that it will hold its shape forever;
- bonus: an elastic band on the back helps him strap it onto his notebook, for extra sleekness.
This is the kind of gift that will help keep his creative juices flowing, while looking incredibly cool.
How cool is The Bookish One?
Finding Gifts That Will Surprise Him
When it comes to gifts for men, there’s surely a lot of options out there and it’s easy to get lost with endless searches. The best way to find a gift that will speak to him and that he’ll truly appreciate is to pay attention.
Look out for the things he mentions often, or the things he speaks passionately about. Chances are the idea for a perfect gift to give him is just a conversation away. Try talking to his buddies, as well - they might know him better than he knows himself.
Remember, the most surprising gift is the one that shows you care about his needs and passions, because they are unique to him - that’s the way to surprise him.
Happy gift-giving!