2017 Gift Ideas for Him | Christmas Gift Guide

The men in my life are not the easiest to buy for... and there are so many of them is can be a right pain to figure out what to get them. To be honest they mostly end up with the same kind of gifts each year. My brothers can bank on a pack of socks, my husband some kind of teddy and my dad something healthy. This year I have tried to come up with some different ideas and thought I would share them with you today.

Simply Because it is Christmas

Christmas Jumper

I love a good Christmas jumper... and luckily John does too. There are so many different ones available from pretty much every store you go to these days, and some are seriously ugly while others are awesome. I love the one that we picked out for John this year, which is from the TU range at Sainsbury's. It just about sums up our Christmas. It's a little bit crazy but I think that it really suits him.

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For the Gamer

A New Game (Obvs)

Before I had my girls I was a proper geek. I loved my anime and my consoles... and so did John. Having children has meant our gaming time is severely reduced but that doesn't mean we don't get a little time in when we can. Usually I would buy him the new Call of Duty or FIFA game but this year I have gone for something a little different and retro in buying the new Crash Bandicoot game!

For the Practical Guy

Shirt(s)

Many men like my husband are required to wear shirts for work. When they are worn every day, and battered by the weather, sweat and movement of being worn every day to work they will need replacing. Buying a shirt or two for Christmas guarantees that at least one gift you buy will see plenty of use. It is both practical and it also means you can choose what you would like to see him in; rather than that same blue shirt he seems to have an unnatural attachment to...

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T-shirt(s)

My husband has a few tees he likes to wear, and if I get them washed, dried and sorted quick enough he barely wears anything else. After being worn and washed as much as they have, they have (to put it politely) seen better days. Making a trip over to sportsdirect.com and picking up their Slazenger polo shirts on the 2 for £11 deal is both kind to my wallet and also means there are three new tees in that well loved style!

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Leather Belt

Please tell me it's not only me that has a man in my life who goes through belts like there is no tomorrow?! Seriously, I don't understand how John breaks so many perfectly fine leather belts from the buckle to the actual leather splitting. I make sure to buy the right size too! Oh well, I guess that is why belts like this one for under £10 from M&S have made it onto my gift list... they are easy, budget friendly ideas perfect for the man who has everything and simple needs a few small, practical items this Christmas.

For the Coffee Lover

Caramel Syrup and Caramel Sauce

If you follow me on social media (especially on Instagram stories) you will know that John and I love a Costa. Where I love to have myself a plain hot chocolate, John is a massive fan of having a caramel latte. Unfortunately having Costa can be quite expensive, especially if you want more than one in a week.

So, this year I thought I would give him something that will allow him to make his own. The same Monin caramel syrup they use in Costa is available from Sous Chef* so a homemade fancy caramel latte is perfectly achievable. Add to that the Monin caramel sauce Sous Chef sell* and it will be the perfect coffee! I'm pretty sure John will be very pleased!

Coffee Machine Pods

When we are feeling a little lazy, the easiest thing to do is stick a coffee, tea or hot chocolate pod into our Tassimo machine. Simple enough to pop the pod in and boom! you have a fancy drink with no effort at all. The pods like John's favourite caramel latte make a great gift for Christmas for men like my hubby who already have the Tassimo (or other similar branded coffee machines) because you can guarantee they will be used and enjoyed.

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Mug

My dad has always been a bit of a fitness buff, from drinking protein shakes to early morning gym sessions, ever since I was a child I have seen him live a healthy and active lifestyle. One of his favourite things to do (if he's not climbing a mountain or taking a photo of one) is go out for a run in the evening after he has finished work. That is why this Running Mate "Runner" mug* is absolutely perfect for him and for the man in your life who loves to run. It really made me and my mum giggle too, as it is so true and close to the mark describing my dad!

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For the Guy Who Drink

Star Wars Shot Glasses

Not all men are big drinkers, and those that do drink all have different tastes. To be honest John and I aren't too into the whole taking shots thing but we do, however, collect shot glasses. We have them from all over the world and from every big event in our lives. As John is a massive Star Wars fanboy (he has a giant LEGO Yoda and also the Millenium Falcon and even the LEGO Star Wars advent calendar this year...) I knew that Menkind's amazing set of four Star Wars shot glasses* would be the perfect gift and addition to our collection.

Star Wars Decanter

Staying on the same lines as the shot glasses, this next gift is percect for any man who like my husband and father-in-law love a sip of whiskey in the evening. Both of them are also big Star Wars fans (as we already established about John) so I'm prettt sure that Menkind's Star Wars Stormtrooper decanter* will be the source of many jealous discussions between the two of them when my in-laws come to visit. A bit of a geeky and yet perfectly usable and wonderful gift!

Whiskey Wedge Glass

If you're going to treat your man to a lovely decanter like the one above, you better be sure he has the perfect glass to go with it. This awesome whiskey wedge glass from Sous Chef* not only is the perfect accompaniment to any decanter or bottle of whiskey gift but is also a pretty amazing piece of gear. By using the simple silicon mould which sits inside the glass, you can pour water in and then pop it in the freezer; and in so doing create the ultimate whiskey glass experience with the perfect angle on the whiskey and a block of ice that will not water down the drink as quickly as cubes would.

For the Dads

No offence to the other men in my life, but the most important man in it is my husband. He is not only my husband however, he is also a daddy, which means of course that he needs gifts from our girls at Christmas too.  

Something Personalised (or which just says "Daddy")

I'm pretty sure that John has had at least one of every type of personalised gifts from the handprint cufflinks I bought him from Little Silver Memories a couple of years ago to this super cute Me to You bear I bought in the sale after Christmas last year for this year (organised I know!) It is no longer available but I have my eye on this 7" Super Daddy Me to You bear for next year...

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Remote Control Caddy

One thing I can say with full confidence is that we have a controller thief *cough*our children*cough* and 90% of the time John and I blame each other (oops) so I am hoping his new remote control caddy from Menkind* will be just what he needs to stop moaning at me about the missing controllers!

After shave balm or spray (or both!) 

I'm not really sure if this is for the girls to give him or me to be honest. I love my hubby to smell good but the girls are the ones who gift him a new bottle of Davidoff Cool Water or Hugo Boss Bottled for Christmas every year.  If I'm in a really good mood (and feeling rich...) I may buy a full set like the Hugo Boss Bottled eau de toilette, shower gel and deodorant spray gift set.

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For the Man Who Likes to Get Outdoors

Bike Repair Kit

John and I have both been trying to lead healthier lifestyles, and in so doing drop a few pounds. Swimming is my go to, and taking a ride around the neighbourhood on his new bio is John's. It takes a bit of a battering, especially in the winter weather so this Ted Baker bike repair kit I got for him from Amara* will be the perfect addition to his Christmas gifts this year.

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For the Music Lover

Bluetooth Speaker

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We are well known for hosting a party or two throughout the year from birthday parties to get-togethers for bonfire night and Christmas and other big events. I love to get my bake on, set out a wonderful buffet spread and play some of our favourite tunes from our eclectic range of music.

One thing that John has actually asked for this year was a speaker for playing music without having to put CDs into our HiFi system. I found this awesome portable colour changing bluetooth speaker at The Range in Peterborough and it was a bargain. It can be used with bluetooth, aux or USB while the LEDs on the front alternate to change the colours, making it as versatile as it is clever.

Squidgy thought it was fantastic, and was most upset when I packed it back away to be wrapped for Christmas… That is how I can be sure that it will certainly be a hit when it is unwrapped on Christmas day... I'm just hoping that it will be as much a hit with John as I know it will be with his daughter!

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CDs

My husband is a massive fan of CDs still... and besides gifting a downloaded album isn't really the same. Having a physical CD to put into your laptop, HIFI system or car can't be beaten, especially if it is by an artist that the man in your life loves like the Number Ones album by Michael Jackson which I picked up for an absolute bargain in B&M recently!  It may seem like such a simple gift but it is such a lovely one, and I know that my man at least will be grateful for it. Not only are CDs a great gift, but if your partner or dad is a bit old school, why not have a look for cheap records online? John still has some of his old vinyls and I know it would be a great gift for men like him.

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Don't Forget...

When it comes to Christmas we are not always right around the corner from the ones we love. I myself am a minimum of two hours away from most of the men in my life. It's not uncommon either. These days, most people have family and friends that live abroad, or at least live in a different part of the country. In this instance, the only option is to post your Christmas presents to your loved ones. By choosing to use a courier service to deliver your parcels, you will save both time and money over the festive period. The courier comparison site My Parcel Delivery can point out the cheapest courier services that are available and help you find the courier service that meets your needs. If needing to have your gifts delivered, take the time to check out the list of restricted and prohibited items before sending them and have a look at the best ways to package your parcels. There are an array of different couriers and services out there. You can skip the Post Office queues by taking your parcels to a designated drop-off point with a courier such as UPS. You can even have your parcels collected from your very own home with an express service by Parcelforce. If you are prone to last-minute shopping, make sure to check out the last dates for delivery before Christmas Day; because after all, you wouldn't want your gifts to arrive at their destination after the big day!

For more posts about Christmas, visit the Christmas category page. If you have any questions about any of the products included within my gift guide, which I have not covered in this post, feel free to ask in the comments section below.

Disclaimer: I was sent a few of the above items in return for an honest review and inclusion within my gift guide. The review words and opinions are my own. All photos are copyright property of Me Becoming Mum.

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