Hi friends! I asked my boyfriend Damon to help me put together a holiday gift guide for men to give you a list of items that would delight the strong, handsome, and hardworking men in your life. I made sure that the recommendations listed here would satisfy most members of the male population and were not super niche things specific to him. I also asked him about his thoughts on some common “stuff advertised as gifts for men” like those fancy shave kits with dangling badger brushes, like do men really use/want those? Damon said he’s unsure because he’s happy with his low-cost monthly subscription razors and drugstore shaving cream. All in all, I think this is a well curated list that we hope will help you with your holiday shopping. Note: the last day of standard shipping is the 18th and last day of 2nd day air is the 21st!
Damon recommends the following (his comments in quotations)…
1. A sous vide, like the Anova sous vide ($149) or the Joule sous vide by Chefs Steps ($199). This is Damon’s latest obsession and I was originally unsure about whether this would be a good gift guide item. I didn’t even know what a sous vide looked like until he got one. Then one morning we had perfectly poached eggs for breakfast a la sous vide and it was so effortless and so reliable that I was sold. He said that it’ll make even an inexpensive cut of meat into amazing tasting steak. Men like steak. Damon recommends the Joule, which he has, and the Anova, which some of his friends have.
2. A really nice knife, like Shun or Global. Men really love their knives. If your man gives you a nice chef’s knife for Christmas, consider it a romantic gesture even if you wanted jewelry. Take a look at his collection to see if anything’s missing or if he’s mentioned wanting a specific knife, but a chef’s knife is always a good bet.
3. A knife sharpener / water stone ($27), so he can keep his knives sharp. Good accompaniment to Gift #2.
4. Lodge cast iron pan ($16). This is a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet and it’s under $16! It’s a no brainer. It’s inexpensive, durable, and does the job. You can save your money and buy the Le Creuset ones for yourself.
5. Clothing, like a nice shirt. It’s not so much that men want clothing for Christmas but that they really don’t want to shop for clothing. I know this is a generalization but it’s true for all the men I know well. Damon likes J. Crew Crosby shirts (get 30% off with code HOLIDAY).
6. A record player – Rega RP1 Turntable ($345). “If he doesn’t already have one, he wants one.”
7. Blinks contoured sleep mask ($13). Natural lighting: good for photography, bad for sleep. These are essential if your guy has a super bright bedroom like Damon does. Ladies, if you have eyelash extensions these are perfect because they won’t squish them. They’re like little bras for your face. I fly frequently for work and bring them with me for napping on the plane. Get one for him and one for yourself.
8. Clarisonic Alpha Fit Cleansing System ($219). I bought this for Damon to help him with ingrown hairs on his neck (#bestgirlfriendever). He says it keeps razor irritation at bay and recommends it. Available at Nordstrom and Sephora.
9. Scotch/Bourbon is always a great gift for men. Damon recommends Dalwhinnie 15, Nikka From the Barrel (my personal favorite), and Duke Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
10. Really nice and warm socks ($39 – get 30% off with code HOLIDAY), “because everything is better when you have comfortable socks”. I bought Damon a pair of thick and festive looking mountain boot socks from Roots when we were in Quebec City with the intention of putting them in his Christmas stocking, but he found them in my suitcase when we got home and immediately took them out of the package, put them on, and has not taken them off. Long story short, he loves those socks and thinks great socks are always a good idea.
11. Skincare set. “We don’t really care what brand it is as long as it smells masculine” and I’ll add that as long as it takes their skin from dry to not dry. Birchbox has a lot of great gift sets for men, like the Man on the Move holiday set ($55) and the Smarter Workout holiday set ($52).
12. Ugg slippers ($80). I bought a pair for Damon last month but I couldn’t wait until Christmas to give them to him so I ended up giving them to him right away. Ugg slippers are such a practical and high quality gift. I also got myself these little Ugg mukluks and we just love turning on the fireplace at home and wearing our slippers. We have the coziest and happiest feet. I got my mom this pair, so they’re definitely fantastic gifts for women too.
13. Edifier bluetooth bookshelf speakers ($150). I trust Damon’s expertise in many things, things like finance, mortgages, and annoying the crap out of me. I would also totally trust his recommendation when it comes to speakers. He says the Edifier ones are small with big sound and they’d be great at showing off Gift #6.
Readers who are buying gifts for men, what are you buying? Men, what do you hope to get under the tree?