Gift Guide: According to the Guys

good-christmas-gifts-for-your-boyfriend

Guys are a mystery all year long, let’s be real. Around the holidays though, that mystery becomes very inconvenient when gift-giving time rolls around. So, we called in a expert: a guy. Guytalk columnist Aji is breaking down what he actually wants for Christmas, and what your guy will also be happy to see under the tree! Take it away Aji…

I want a lot of things, but my carnal thirst for the material is often tempered by more rational forces, mainly my budget. Another player in the game of wants vs. needs is practicality. I may want an exact replica of Wrigley Field at 1/50 scale or a robot that will make me dinner while “catching up” with my parents, I don’t need these things. Fortunately, or unfortunately, more often than not practicality wins out. However, the holidays can be a great opportunity to treat that special guy in your life to something he’s always wanted but would never buy himself.

But this is no easy task. Especially if your guy is one who either appears to be content with everything he has or responds with “nothing” when blatantly asked about what of kind of gift he would like. So for those of you not armed with psychic mind-reading abilities or a private investigator to tell you about your guy’s secret passions, here are a few gifts ideas that would put a smile on any guy’s face.

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(clockwise from left)

Hardwick Duffel Bag: This duffel is a stylish bag for gym-rats and jet-setter alike. It has plenty of carrying capacity for business trips or long weekend getaways, plus the nylon material is lightweight and water-repellent which makes it great for everyday use.
OptiGrill: This is a great gift to help your guy keep grilling all year long. Especially now, when using the grill would require trading in flip-flops and t-shirt for boots and a parka. And the grill’s cooking sensors means food is always prepared to your desired done-ness.
Slash Wallet: The Slash Wallet is great alternative to the traditional wallet or money-clip, especially as guys’ jeans get skinnier and skinnier. It has a simple design made from genuine leather and with two pockets, it has all the space he’ll need for the essentials.
How to Cook Everything: This book offers straightforward instructions and advice for a wide variety of dishes. It’s great for teaching the basics to beginners and expanding the repertoire someone who knows their way around the kitchen. If he’s only going to own one cookbook, it should be this one.
TechPlay 3-Speed Turntable: For the audiophile, what better way to separate the music you like from the music you love then to own it on vinyl? The TechPlay model has an old-school look that goes right along with the vinyl theme, plus decent set of speakers. And helping add to his collection will supply you with gifts for years to come.
1 year of q Prime: An Amazon Prime membership may not have the sex-appeal of some of the other gifts he’s getting this year, but practicality has its place too. With free 2-day shipping and unlimited access to books, movies and music, the prime membership has it all.
Santa Margherita Chianti Classio: Spirits likes like scotch and bourbon are safe bets when it comes to giving gifts of the alcoholic variety. But the Chianti Classio from Santa Margherita could be a pleasant surprise that he’s sure to enjoy.
Harry’s Custom Razor Kit. You could buy most of the above gifts for the price of an average razor or two. And who wants to waste their money on that? Not you, not me. Harry’s, a new hipster-fied razor brand by the guys who started Warby Parker, not only offers a custom razor kit that you can have monogrammed with your man’s initials, but it’s cheaper than the one you’ll find down at the neighborhood Walgreens, And it costs less to buy replacement blades, which means he’ll have more money to buy your Christmas gifts next year.