The holidays are here which means time to find a gift to wow that guy that makes you all warm and fuzzy. Girls are usually easy to shop for, you know what you like but guys can be a little more tricky. So I came up with a list of different types of nice and affordable (or free!) presents for your guy. Anything but the dreaded gift card, please reserve that for little brothers and uncles...
First let me say I love combo gifts, a few thoughtful gifts together make a big impact. So maybe your guy knows and loves all the coolest things culturally and likes to stay up to date on the newest movies and music. He probably likes 60's bands or maybe he is a new wave boy. Either way a nice mix tape of music you like (that he would also enjoy) is a great personal gift. Put in some songs that you both like to listen to together and also some obscure music you have found. Ask around to other friends with similar taste if you are completely at a loss. If he is an indie boy impress him even more by putting it on a cassette. The cassette also has great high school nostalgia to it. Decorate the cassette or
cd with paints and markers and watch him get all
blushy. This is a great thing to give if you are very low on funds and still want something he will treasure. It seems like a cliche present but really, guys love mix tapes. Add a book about music or movies that he likes and you have a great little present from a girl on a budget.
What about your guy that loves playing Stratego and Atari with his friends? It may seem impossible to shop for your cute nerdy beau. Not so! I recently gave a hot nerdy boy I am involved with a gift he went crazy for, a Talking Japanese Watch from Fred Flare. Unfortunately it doesn't look like these are for sale anymore. I bought the watch as a gift for myself when I turned 21 but I never ended up using it. He has been studying Japanese, so this was a great gift for him. I also gave him a sweater I thrifted a few years back, he has a thing for interesting sweaters. These are two gifts I found in my things that reminded me of him. I really think one of the best ways to shop for people is to look out for things that make you think of the person. Little trinkets and gadgets can be heart felt and really impress.
Going back to clothing, guys have been known to say they hate it when girls buy them clothes. Yes, girlfriends and wives have have been criminal buying terrible attire for their men at times but with a little work you can find something he will love. The sweater thing was easy, the guy is known for his sweater collection. Most men have a few staples they wear every day though. Is he a jeans and t-shirt boy? American Apparel tees come in all sorts of fun colors, just don't buy him a screaming color if he usually sticks to muted army greens and browns. An other idea is to get him a shirt of a band he likes, but find something fun and different. I once dated a guy that loved The
Ramones but he also had a soft spot for old rap. I found him an awesome Dee Dee King t-shirt on
Ebay that was right up his alley.Getting him clothing that has a fun twist on something he already wears is usually a great idea.
A nice top off to any holiday gift is some
tasty treats. I like to make cupcake cones. Buy your boyfriend's favorite cake mix, follow the instructions on the box but fill the mix into
ice cream cones. Follow the rest of the directions and let cool. Decorate the cones with fun colored icing and sprinkles, and you are done. If you want to get ultra fancy, tie
ribbon around the cones. This dessert always impresses and it is super cute. If he doesn't like cake or if he has dietary
restrictions think of dessert or treat he likes and make that.
Like everyone always says these days, people have missed the true meaning of the holidays. I have always felt that creative and heart felt gifts are the best things to give or receive. You really know someone cares if they put a lot of thought and love into your gift. Of course everyone would love that new video game or
perfume. It isn't something to get terribly stressed about though, if someone really cares about you they will like your creative and insightful gift more than any stupid price tag.
