It can be hard sometimes finding the right gift for a man’s birthday, regardless if you’re buying for a partner, a family member, or a friend. Coming up with new ideas for presents is particularly difficult, although there is an argument to say that going with reliable presents can do the trick most of the time. With this in mind, the following list represents some ideas for what to buy for someone’s birthday that combines familiar items and long-term staples with some more personalised gifts and ideas. These include:
A Shaving Kit
Rather than just buying a basic shaving kit, look for a vintage set that’ll be part gadget and novelty, and part practical gift. A vintage shaving kit might include a brush with shaving soap, a straight razor, and hair oil. Be careful to give safety instructors for the razor, though.
Retro Slippers
Most men would be hard pressed not to find something to love in the idea of receiving a pair of retro slippers that can be worn around the house (or occasionally out to the shops). Moccasin slippers are particularly recommended.
A Weekend Away
Buying a few days away for a holiday gives you a lot of opportunities to experiment. You could pay for race car driving, sailing, fishing, or more extreme skydiving or bungee cord jumping if you think they’ll appreciate it.
Personalised Cards
You can mix up the cards you give for birthdays through e-cards, for example from katiescards.com, that feature humorous personalised messages and photographs. Think about using an embarrassing old photograph of them or the two of you together.
Gadgets
Toys and gadgets rarely go amiss on a birthday, so look into areas like solar powered ini planes, flying helicopters, bottle launchers, and robot dogs.
Books
While a book might come under a present that you’re trying to avoid with something more exciting, knowing someone’s taste and matching a gift to it is always appreciated. Alternative options include investing in an e-book reader and credit for downloadable books.
Mini Turn Table
Ideal for vinyl enthusiasts, a mini turn table can be carried around for portable listening, and can also be fitted with a radio and streaming digital content as an all in one player.
Personalised Drinks
It’s possible to order personalised bottles of wines with labels and specific messages, which can act as good ways of showing that you understand someone’s taste. A similar approach can be taken with a case of beers or ales, as well as through engraved shot glasses and vodka.
A New Watch
More than just being a handy gift, new watch can be bought with extra features, from being a music player to including fitness timers, altitude measurements, and miniature GPS. Ideal for someone that likes gadgets, and wants an alternative to a smart phone.
Art Prints
Another present that can be easily adapted to suit a particular person, art prints can be made up from their photographs to create caricatures and Andy Warhol-style prints, or can be selected to suit the decoration of a new home.
Serena Grant is passionate about arts and crafts, blogging and writing about her experiences and her knowledge of all things crafty. In addition to this, she designs personalised cards for special occasions. She would recommend Katies Cards for eCards.