What to Buy the Man in Your Life-Christmas Gift Ideas!
They say Christmas is not so much about opening our presents, as it is opening our hearts...but lets be real. I love presents!!
Sooo....It's Christmastime! This is my favorite time of year, and not just because of the presents. Me and my husband do really get into the gift giving though. I'm a little behind this year, but typically my whole house is engulfed in Christmas decor the day after Halloween. I may even put a few things out after trick-or-treating and getting the kids to bed. My husband and I like to have Alexa turn on some Christmas music while we eat candy and decorate for Christmas. It's like a party, really.
Some people have their shopping done, some just started, and some won't buy a thing until Christmas Eve. If you are anything like me, you wait till Black Friday to see what deals you can get and then go from there with the rest of the presents. No matter which group you fit in, you probably know a man. I know a few and they are the worst species to buy for! My dad will give me a list with 2 cheap little gift ideas on it. My grandpa refuses to give me a list, but instead constantly reminds me that I bought him a gift last year. And my husband gives me a list with over 50 random, insane things that I don't want to spend my money on. I mean, really, who needs a 3-pack of bacon and cheese flavored crickets.
He makes a wish list for my viewing pleasure on amazon and I swear he adds everything he sees to it. I feel like I am shopping for my kids when I go to buy his gifts. I pull out amazon for them and ask them to tell me what they want. We never get past the first page because they stop me for every gift and give me multiple reasons why they just can't live without the toy in question.
Now, on to the list!
The best thing about this list is that everything can be brought from the comfort of your own home. I went shopping in mid November and the stores were already packed with those crazy people who have never heard of Amazon Prime or free grocery pick up. Wait, why was I there then? I can proudly say I bought the majority of my gifts last year from my couch while binge watching an epic Netflix series.
If none of the ideas below sound good, men always like beef jerky.
Hey, btw, if you buy any of these cool gifts, let me know in the comments. If you have any ideas for cool gifts, also let me know those in the comments.
I always get my husband an easy, comedic gift like a mug, just for fun. Apparently 83% of adults in the United States drink coffee, so for a fact, a fun mug would be a good gift for 83% of people!
To add a little flair, you can also stuff the mug with some of his favorites, such as hot cocoa mix, specialty coffee, biscotti, or a small jar of Jack Daniels. My grandma used to give each grandkid a mug with a mug holder that she crocheted. In the mug she would give us cute little decorated hot cocoa spoons that she made herself. Basically, you can have fun with this gift and make it your own!
I hope I'm not the only one who knows a few men that could benefit from this mug!
The love mugs
Everyone Loves A Good Massage
I bought my husband a massager last year, and he loves it! He has used it on his feet almost daily and he uses it on his back when it hurts after a long day. If you do want stuff to get done around the house, however, I would steer clear of this bad boy. Once it is plugged in and turned on, there is no going back. It sucks you in and makes you keep wanting more. It is almost like a heating pad and massager, all-in-one. BONUS!
The built in heater can be turned on or off, so after a hot day outside, you can get the massage without the heat. It also comes with an adapter so that it can go in the car and strap to your seat. A massage every time you get in the car!? WHAT!? Anyway, it is still going strong almost a year later and I steal it so much, I'm hoping there will be a massager shaped gift under the tree for me this year. Oh stop, I obviously mean the back or feet type.
If you are looking to spend a little more, they also sell the ones that can strap around a whole chair. It massages you on the bottom and your back at the same time. I had one growing up, and my parents were on it all the time. They have a ton of options out there and it looks like you can get a decent one from anywhere between $45 and $100. The nice thing about these is that some can go in the car, too. You can get ones without heat and ones with heat. If you get one with heat, it's almost like having a heated seat in the car. This would be really nice in the winter months!
Another option is a massaging gun. These look really neat, but the issue is they can't be done on their own. I can't buy my husband one of these, because then I would have to actually use it on him. I could buy it for him and have him use it on me, but something tells me he would frown upon that. If you do really love your husband and want to massage him, these guns are on the more expensive side. It looks like you would need $100 for a decent one. They have different attachments that can be used on different parts on the body. There is an attachment for bulk muscle groups, while also one that can be used on delicate parts like the neck or spine.
I wouldn't mind one of these myself, actually!
Bluetooth Speakers and Smartwatches
No Christmas list is complete without tech gear on it. It doesn't matter if you are buying for mom, dad, husband, wife, daughter, son, friend, or family, it is a safe bet to assume like they electronics. In the United States, adults spend $1,200 on electronics per year. When my husband and I got the Kohls ad this year and looked at the electronics page, we were shocked to find that we owned each electronic that was listed on that page. I got my husband a smartwatch for his birthday two years ago and he loves it. We do Fitbit challenges and all other kinds of neat things with it. This year, he has a Bluetooth speaker on his list. There are so many options for both of these items out there. Airpods are another huge hit this year. We don't own any currently, but who knows what Santa will bring this year.
Budget Option $28
Fitbit Versa $120
Tactical Gear
If you man is anything like mine, he loves tactical gear and thinks he needs to be prepared for the end of the world at any time. We live in a small town with no woods around us, yet on my husbands list every year is at least 15 items that are of dire importance when lost in the woods. Last year he wanted a Mylar blanket, solar flashlight, 3 different types of compasses, solar charger, a portable water purifier, MREs, a tiny, foldable shovel, fire starters, and a wide variety of knives. I bought a few things for him from that list and needless to say, most have not been touched. Good news though, they are in a go bag for when he does get lost in the woods. There is a neat tactical pen on amazon that my husband uses all the time. It has a flashlight, bottle opener, window breaker, and a sharp edge for self-defense.
A Man Crate
Have any of you hear of a Man Crate? I bought my husband one a few years back and we had a lot of fun with it. You have the option to get it fully wrapped in duct tape to make it difficult to get into. As if that isn't enough, the crate is shipped in a sealed wooden crate with a laser-etched crowbar. I have yet to learn of a man who has not loved this gift. I've heard of some people who even buy one for their boss, but it seems a little steep to me. Every crate they offer has great reviews. They have all different types of crates and some you can personalize.
Here are some examples:
Grill Master Crate
Cow-pocalypse Crate
Exotic Meats Crate
Personalize Whiskey Crate
My husband, of course, opted for the Make Your Own Duck Call Crate. If there is something weird or out of the ordinary, thats what I buy for him. He also likes the Chef Knife Making Kit and that one was a lot of fun.