Gift Guide for Guys Holiday 2020

Hey everyone, 

I think the hardest category to gift for is dads, boyfriends, brothers, etc. Shopping for guys is really hard, most of the time. I try really hard to think of some more unique gifts to get every year so here are some ideas for this holiday season. Just click on the pictures to shop the product!

Gifts that work for any guy:

1) Quality time

    Most of the guys I know aren't very materialistic, or very particular about what they buy. So one of the easiest gifts to give is to spend quality time together. You could go fishing, eat a meal together, watch a movie, play videogames together, etc. This option is effective, works for any budget/age group, and it's arguably the most personalized gift you could give. 

2) Portable Speaker/ Headphones/ Earbuds

    If the guy you're buying for likes music, getting him a portable speaker is a great investment. Sound quality is important, so getting a Bose speaker or JBL will be your best bets. JBL is a little more affordable than Bose, but the price of a Bose speaker is justified by the sound quality and features it includes. Some Bose speakers will take calls just by responding with your voice! It's a great smart technology addition to the home. 

 

    In addition to that, you can also find some great deals on headphones on Amazon. I would suggest getting wireless bluetooth headphones from Bose for a big upgrade, or the Cowin brand ones are also very good. They are great for using at the gym so you don't have to deal with cords. 

    Also, for a good Apple Airpods dupe try the Tozo T6 earbuds from Amazon. They are under $50 and function just as well as airpods!

*The Tozo T6 are now called Tozo TWS and are on sale for $33 right now for Cyber Monday.

 

3) Good Quality Shoes

    If your guy doesn't already shop for himself, getting shoes is a little more exciting than getting clothes for most guys. Even if he is already fashion savvy, shoes come in so many styles that getting a new pair is always appreciated. 

    For guys that care about comfort over style, take him to a shoe store to get a pair of shoes that fit his foot arch and needs. Flat feet vs feet with high arches will need different arch support, so getting a specialist's opinion will help you get the most comfortable shoes. You can also look at different options based on if they're for work, running or hiking. 

    For guys that like to collect shoes, maybe shop around on GOAT or ebay for limited drops! There are also a few options in Raleigh to look at getting vintage/resale shoes for harder to find limited edition shoes such as Nike Air Jordans. One of them is Out of The Box on Hillsborough street near NC State. 

Dads

1) Tools

    I watch a lot of Storage Wars and they're always excited about finding tools to sell. Tools are useful around the house and there are a lot of different options to choose from. A gift card to Home Depot or Lowes is probably good too. 

2) Coffee or Tea 

    Coffees come in many different blends and types of beans. If your Dad already likes coffee, you could try a different blend in the same roast (blonde, medium or dark roast). Different blends means that the coffee is made of a blend of coffee beans that don't necessarily come from the same place, so no two blends will taste the same if the beans are from different sources. You could also try an Artisan coffee roaster such as Intelligentsia, Stumptown, etc. I've heard good things about Java Dog coffee in Wilmington, NC. 

    The same advice applies for teas, but instead of roast look for different types of tea leaves. Teas made up of flowers are typically lighter flavor while ones made of leaves are more herbal and strong. They can be blended to make unique flavors. There are plenty of places to find unique blends of tea leaves locally and online! I would suggest visiting Western Dragon Teas and Tisanes in Raleigh. They have a variety of tea blends and are a locally owned business. 

Boyfriends

1) Videogames

    Pretty much all guys play videogames these days. There are a lot of titles you could get for any console. The PS5 was just recently released with a variety of new games or Nintendo has a variety of titles that appeal to all types of gamers. You'll basically have to just ask him what game he wants or have him make a wishlist. If he plays games on PC, you might be able to get him a game off of his Steam wishlist. 

 

2) Merch from his Favorite Artists

    You could get him a T-shirt, CD, hoodie, or a poster from his favorite band or artist. Collaborations between brands and music artists is becoming more popularized these days due to the rise of social media marketing trying to engage people more authentically, so there might be an opportunity to get something cool and collectible that way. For example, Cactus Jack x Nike or Post Malone x Crocs. These are just a few examples but there are a multitude of collabs that happened across all genres of music!

Brothers

1) A Cool Phone Case or One that has LED lights in it

    My friend Adam recently got one of these phone cases. There are two kinds of illumination that it can come with. The cheaper option is the Glow phone case which basically works like glow in the dark material. It charges by sunlight and illuminates the picture on the back of the phone. It comes in all kind of designs and fits all types of phones. It goes for around $25 on average.

    The second option is to get a phone case with an LED light board. It goes through multiple colors and you an tap to change the color. Or it will cycle through by default. Check it out on the website to see the color-changing effects. This goes for about $45 each case, but it also comes in all types of designs and fits all phones. 

Younger Brothers

1) Computer Accessories

    I don't have a brother but if I had one he would probably play games online with his friends. So he would probably want a good computer headset or standing mic. Possibly he would want a mechanical keyboard, giant mousepad or a gaming mouse. Gaming accessories are designed for competitive gaming so the major brands like Razer, Corsair, Steel Series, and Logitech (and others) are all state of the art technology for more responsive button pressing and have extra buttons to bind to abilities in games. It depends on the person and game but if he plays League or Legends, Overwatch, Call of Duty, or World of Warcraft, the right computer peripherals will be a huge upgrade. Amazon has both inexpensive and expensive options for gaming peripherals, and both high and low end have worked great for me and my friends. 

Older Brother

1) Smart Watch

    If he doesn't already have one, a smart watch is an amazing companion for hands free utility. It's perfect for keeping track of fitness stats and and some have programmable workout plans. It can take calls and respond to text messages. 

2) Mug Warmer for Desk

    Everyone could use a mug warmer to keep their coffee or tea hot. This is an unexpected and inexpensive gift that could be great for anyone who likes to keep their drink hot at work, during zoom calls, or just throughout the day. 

Male Friends

1) Food Delivery Gift Cards

    If your guy friend works a lot, doesn't live with parents, and doesn't cook often, getting a food delivery gift card is a great way to show you care. 

2) Smart Home Light Bulbs

    When you're already in bed and don't want to get up to turn the lights off, or want to be able to change the color of all the lights in your home with the touch of a button... you get Smart Lightbulbs. These light bulbs work like normal lightbulbs except you an control them all from an app or can connect them to a voice assistant such as Alexa and Google Home. Something cool to use everyday!

Hope you get some inspiration from that. The categories are just for reference, but I think most of these gifts will work for any guy depending on his interests. Feel free to give a guy in your life anything you find would suit him. Thanks for reading!