It’s time to go Christmas shopping and you need to know what to get your boyfriend. Is it okay to go with socks? A shaving kit? A sweater?
The answers are yes, yes, and yes—if they’re the right ones.
Check this list before you make the buy. If it’s on here, you’re safe.
The Best Date Jar
This romantic DIY gift will keep the romance between you alive. It’s a way for you to idiot-proof your relationship for at least a year. When he’s at a loss for what to plan for date night, he can just reach in the jar, and voila. Instant happy girlfriend.
Home Golf System
This one is for the boyfriend who wants to improve his performance on the links. It’s important, because some of the biggest deals in business are ironed out over a round of golf. And if he can’t hang with the big boys out there, he might not get a seat at the table back at the office.
Deluxe Electric Football Game
These classic football games evoke an era before Madden, before Playstation, and before Nintendo. There’s no skill at all involved, it’s just dumb luck. Boys turn it on and they watch the players creep towards each other and end up in a big scrum. With ginormous smiles on their faces.
New Wave Leatherman
It’s finally time to let him retire that old gunmetal gray Leatherman and make way for the new generation of sleek stainless steel models. This incredible tool has almost twenty different tools, from knives to screwdrivers to wire cutters. It closes down to less than four inches and fits easily in a pocket.
iPad Air
So he might not want to carry the future around on his wrist. Okay, that’s his choice. The least you can do for him is bring him from the world of the laptop to the world of the tablet. This iPad Air is the best way to start. It’s light, it’s sleek, and it does everything he’ll need.
Stanley Mixed Tool Set
Guys love tools. No one knows that better than guys. Give him his first set of good tools but be sure to remind him that you don’t expect him to become a handyman overnight. Just give him the set of tools, and watch the transformation happen. It will, if you let it.
Fast-Drying Towel System
The first rule in traveling, according to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, is this: always know where your towel is. With this system, your boyfriend will always know where his towel is. Better than that, he’ll always have more than one quick drying towel at hand.
Red Wing Moc Boot
These boots have been protecting the feet of working guys for decades. They’re durable, comfortable, and they look classy. He doesn’t have to be a working guy to appreciate a pair of RedWings. He’ll sleep better knowing they’re in the closet, just in case.
Das Horn
The Vikings were total badasses who lived in a cold, dreary area in Northern Europe. In search of greener pastures, they went forth and conquered France, England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. And they drank from horns like this one while doing it. Your boyfriend will enjoy channeling his inner warlord with this gift.
Gerber Command Limited Knife
Gerber knives are the gold standard for hunting, combat and survival knives. This limited edition straight blade comes in a wooden box with a red velvet interior. The blade is cold grey steel, the handle is black powder coated aluminum, and it comes with a leather belt sheath.
Survival Kit
This survival kit belongs in the trunk of every guy’s card. It’s got everything he needs in case the grid goes down. It’s got twenty-six feet of paracord, a thermal blanket, a fishing kit, a firestarter, a first aid kit, and an emergency whistle. Because the zombie apocalypse really might happen.
Mini Trekking Axe
This one belongs on the shelf right next to Das Horn. There’s more macho packed into this little axe than most people can handle. It’s got a hickory shaft and a hand-forged steel head that’s made to last until the end of time.
Nike DriFit Turtleneck
Like a high-end Goretex jacket is for mountain sports and a pro-quality pair of bibs is for cycling, a good base layer is a game changer for running. It makes all the difference in the world. If he’s a runner, this Nike DriFit will be his go-to piece winter of gear for years to come. It’s really that good.
Set of Green Army Men
Go full retro with this gift. We promise he’ll giggle with glee when he opens up with present on Christmas morning. He’ll probably set them up all over the living room, playing out elaborate battles complete with sounds effects. He’ll want to take them to work. Let him: the boss will join in.
Garmin GPS
Garmin pioneered production of personal global positioning and navigation systems. Their systems are the standard to which all others are held. Get your boyfriend the original, the benchmark, but be forewarned. He’ll absolutely never ask for directions ever again.
Classic Long Sleeve Work Shirt
This button down shirt can do a wide variety of things very well. It works for chopping wood, going to work, or going on a date. It’s made of chambray stretch cotton and has mesh vents on the back. And if your boyfriend happens to be a bicycle commuter, it’s got a reflective collar and cuffs.
Bacon Salt
Almost all dudes totally love bacon, and this homemade gift will cater to that love. It take a pound of bacon, a tablespoon and half of sea salt, and two teaspoons of black pepper. It takes two simple steps to make, and yields enough bacon salt to last for months.
Oktoberfest Ale Brewing Kit
This one is for the boyfriend who’s on the verge of brewing his own beer, but hasn’t quite taken the plunge yet. It’s a beginners brewing kit that has everything he needs to dive into the world of home brewing. It makes a gallon of beer—enough to let him know if he’s got the skills.
All-in-One Dart Cabinet
A pub-quality dart cabinet is the perfect way to finish off a man cave. This one has a sisal fiber dartboard with a removable number ring. It’s got built in scoreboards, a game manual, and two sets of steel-tipped darts. The cabinet is made from solid pine and has a dark mahogany finish.
The Maglite
The Maglite is the flashlight of choice for police forces and military units all over the world. They’re well-built, they work perfectly, and if it’s possible for a flashlight to have gravitas, the Maglite has it. Get him one of these and get ready. He’s going to flip it up and hold it like a cop.
Concrete Fire Pit
Your boyfriend wants you to make this for him. He really does. It’s a ten-step process that you—yes, you—can follow to make a hearty outdoor fire pit using materials you can easily find at any hardware store. It will take one day, two at the most. He will be most impressed.
His & Hers Mugs
This is a crafty little idea that transforms a couple of plain coffee or tea mugs into a personalized his and hers set. All it takes is the mugs, a sharpie, and your imagination. Did we leave something out? Yes, we did. It might take a little bit of love, too.
Travel Charging Kit
Along with the fear of not waking up for the big meeting, guys that travel for work live with another fear: dead electronics and no charger cables. We shudder at the thought. This travel charging station comes with three USB ports and cables for Mac, PC, iPhone, and Android.
Eight in One Portable Workshop
There’s one fact that’s true for all guys, whether they’re Mr. Fix It types or not. They all want a set of power tools and a tool bench to cut things on. This workshop rolls everything your boyfriend needs into one. Watch out, he might start fixing things. Next year you’ll need to get him a tool belt.
North Face Goretex Jacket
Goretex is the fabric of choice for high mountain explorers, extreme snowboarders/skiers, and fisherman who make a living on the savage seas. One thing these men have in common is the need to stay dry and warm without overheating. Goretex does this better than any fabric, ever, hands down. But him a Goretex jacket.
Beginner’s Guitar Kit
Let his inner musician out of the box with this great starter’s guitar set, made by the people who invented the Stratocaster: Fender. It comes with a quality guitar, an electronic tuner, plenty of pics, and an easy to use instruction book. It even has a play along DVD. He’ll rock your world before you know it.
Stainless Steel Growler
This is a great gift for the boyfriend who’s a microbrew connoisseur. He knows the best place to keep his brew is in the dark, away from harmful, flavor sapping light. Give him this gift and he can roll up to his local brewery, fill up the growler, and go home happy until the next refill.