The bulk of my holiday shopping is, sadly, for men. Buying gifts for women is delightful. Buying gifts for men is the pits. The men in my life, whom I love dearly, have a Grinch-like attitude towards obligatory gift giving, so I have my work cut out for me. There is no greater joy than seeing a grumpy, skeptical grown man surprise himself by delighting over his Christmas gift. A lifetime of shopping for dudes has taught me that a list of suggested items only solves your problem this year. Below, I’m sharing some tips to help you brainstorm year after year…after year after year.
Connect with Local Businesses
You will get access and early alerts to new book releases, limited edition alcohol releases, and unique products. Left Bank Books and The Wine & Cheese Place have great email newsletters. I also follow these businesses, as well as Lukas Liquors, our local magazines (Sauce, Feast, Riverfront Times), and even Schnucks’ Director of Wine, Beer & Spirits (@spiritssipssuds) on Twitter, so I can reserve a bottle of expensive, ridiculous, exclusive whiskey before my whiskey-loving husband even finds out about it.
Gift Experiences with Topical Gifts
I often gift tickets to an event or a class that either we can enjoy together or he can enjoy with friends. Consider combining tickets for a future event with a tangible gift for today. One year I bought my husband tickets to a sushi-making class at Kitchen Conservatory (I promise, he had expressed interest in learning), along with a fancy bottle of sake recommended by The Wine Merchant (there is a booze theme here), a sake-drinking set, and a sushi ornament.
Some ideas in this vein: concert tickets + iTunes gift card or Spotify membership, golf event tickets + golf accessory, Brewery tour + monogrammed lager glasses.
Start a Tradition
I usually get my dad a few gifts, and in this bundle every year is specialty coffee and a book. I used to find unique coffees through my travels abroad. Now that I have a toddler, South City is about as exotic a destination as I can handle. Luckily, St. Louis’ dedicated coffee drinkers have yielded a rich marketplace for roasted beans: Sump Coffee, Blueprint Coffee, Rise Coffee…and so many more. If the coffee lover in your life sticks to Starbucks or whatever is on sale at Dierbergs, expand his horizons!
I know the literary genres that interest my dad, so I typically rely upon the aforementioned email newsletter from Left Bank Books to alert me to exciting new releases.
For my husband, I continue a tradition started by my mom of gifting a special ornament related to our interests every year. The Women’s Exchange has a very fun selection!
Advent Calendar
My husband celebrates Hanukkah, so I got him these darling little bags numbered 1 – 8 and I fill them with fun candy from the Sugar Shack every year (he loves candy). For an all-Christmas household, I love the idea of a 12 Days of Christmas daily gift, featuring gifts like local food treats from Larder & Cupboard or Vom Fass, candy or other favorite indulgences, beer, etc. Consumables make great man gifts!
Practical, yet Indulgent
Men tend to be practical creatures, so I like to purchase a gift that has an immediate practical application but is a bit fancier than what they might spring for themselves: a luxury flashlight, really tremendous work boots, multi-functional winter gloves, Bluetooth earmuffs, to name a few examples from previous gifts.
Gag Gifts
Appeal to his sense of humor with a goofy game, ugly Christmas sweater, or a gift referencing an inside joke.
Gifts that Give Back
Donating to a cause that is meaningful to the guy in your life in his honor, or purchasing a gift that gives proceeds to that cause, salutes the true meaning of the season and the recipient’s priorities. I’ve given both as gifts, and the straight donation option is much appreciated by an “anti-stuff” guy.
