Seriously! Listen to Arthur, who put wrote this amazing post on what Christmas gifts guys ACTUALLY want! -S

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I know it might seem easy to shop for your guy, because you know him so well or because you think we’re all the same and want ‘manly-man’ things like whiskey and cigars, but it’s really not such a walk in the park. You might also think that we actually enjoy those little hand-made gifts you girls give us for Christmas, like hot chocolate powder in a self-decorated jar or a new pair of pajamas, but let me tell you a secret, ladies. We don’t. We enjoy them because we love you and want to make you happy. But, no, we don’t need another pajama.

So here’s a list of 5 items we really, really want. And it’s not that we couldn’t get them for ourselves, but coming from you would prove that you really are the chosen one.

Headphones

The main idea when buying gifts for men is to keep it simple. It’s very easy to get sidetracked when shopping for your man, and since one thing can lead to another, you may end up buying him a kitty. So, let’s start with the basics: headphones. And not just any headphones, Beats. By Dre, of course. Everybody listens to music and I’m sure your man does to. Trust me, he will be more than happy to receive a pair of headphones from the grand-daddy of gangsta rap himself, which he gets to proudly flaunt on the street or at the office. Buy the newest model you can find, in a manly, neutral color, like gray, black or brown, so he can wear them with anything. Also, don’t stint. If you’re buying Beats, go all the way.

Video games

It might sound childish to you, but it’s a big deal for us. And, really now, we’ve sat through six seasons of “Sex and the City” with you, I think we deserve a nice game to play. On a more serious note, video games actually rank high on men’s wish lists, not just for Christmas, but for their birthdays as well. This is truly a gift that men want and enjoy. It’s important for you to understand the psychology behind buying a guy a video game. The main reason they are shrouded in a veil of disapproval by almost everybody but the players is the fact that people seem to think video game players are slackers, like to waste time, are geeks, irresponsible and have nothing better to do with their lives. But research has shown that playing video games has major benefits.

But there is a difference between being all that and playing a video game. There is a difference between being that Chinese guy who got addicted to ‘Clash of Clans’ and took three iPads with him in the shower so that he never had to stop playing and your normal-guy boyfriend who gets excited when the new GTA comes out. He will not neglect you, he will not quit his job and drive away his family and friends, so go out, buy him a video game and make him happy. Choose a newly released game, like Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Halo 5: Guardians, Batman: Arkham Knight, Fallout 4 or Deadpool. You’ll love it when his face lights up as he opens his present on Christmas morning, trust me.

A Great Bag

It’s safe to assume that your men is somewhat tech-savvy. Granted, he may not be a professional photographer or an IT enthusiast, but odds are that he’s very into his laptop. One thing that may surprise you is that men rarely go shopping to replace something that’s not completely unusable. Just because they’re carrying an old bag around doesn’t mean that they’re doing so for sentimental reasons. That’s why sometimes, they need a nudge to let go of particular items. So if you’ve noticed that your man could do with a new laptop bag, why not find a military style canvas messenger bag to replace his old one?

Take the time to study his taste and preference and decide on the material and design of the bag beforehand. Another great tip is to casually ask him whether he likes a friend’s laptop bag and see whether he brings up any critique points. It’s easy to go from there!

A Zippo

I have hardly ever met a man, even one who wasn’t a smoker, who didn’t want to own, play with or show off a Zippo lighter. There’s just something about the cool, cold slick metal that is so manly and rugged. It’s like you control fire and you’re about to climb on a Harley and disappear into the night. So, even if your man is not a smoker, he will still enjoy this fine piece of man-equipment.

Zippo was founded in Pennsylvania in 1932 and, since then, literally thousands of designs have left the factory’s gates. But the main idea and construction have remained the same. They must be made of steel and have a flint-wheel ignition system, otherwise it just wouldn’t be a zippo.

You can buy him one depending on what he likes or depending on his personality. You could go completely modern and buy him a sleek matte-finish minimalist one or you can really go the extra mile and get him a vintage one. They will be a bit more pricy, indeed, but you should probably expect one hell of a Christmas gift in return. Don’t forget about the custom-made ones. Here are some ideas.

Toys

No, I’m not talking about buildings blocks, Legos or coloring books, but some vintage ones like we used to have when we were little boys or we always wanted but never got. The advantage here is that this will be a very emotional gift, deep with meaning and understanding. This is why you need to pay attention to him when he talks about his childhood dreams, many of which, like for everybody else, never came to be. I cannot tell you, unfortunately, exactly what to buy because every man is different. But, maybe, your guy wanted to be a pilot when he grew up, so a nice wooden vintage airplane model will warm up his heart. Or maybe he wanted to be an astronaut, so buy him a beautiful, high quality print of the solar system.

The same goes for race car driver and you can get him mini model cars, mini trains if he liked them as a little boy, a gumball machine, a slinky or a Rubik’s cube. Really, it’s up to you and what you have learnt about him as time went by. He will rejoice at this gift that truly came from the heart. A slinky might be cheap, but to him it might mean the world.

A Coffee Maker

This is the gift that keeps on giving. It might seem mundane, because coffee is, well… coffee, but if you’re like me, meaning a coffee enthusiast (ahem, addict), you know that finding a good cup of coffee in the city is a difficult thing to do. So why not start off your significant other with a good cup of Joe in the morning? In the end, you may end up enjoying the gift as much as he does. Just imagine waking up on a cold December morning with the smell of freshly roasted coffee wafting through the house. Sounds incredibly dreamy and romantic.

So a good coffee machine is always a great gift idea. The newer models act like little coffee making robots, fulfilling your every dream: lattes, macchiatos, caramel cappuccinos, flat whites with thick creamy milk foams and I could go on and on. Again, this is one gift you don’t want to go cheap on. Buy a high quality coffee machine and he will thank you all year round for it.

So, ladies, it’s time to give handmade a rest and get your men the Christmas gifts they actually want. You can keep knitting them scarves if you want, but, this Christmas, make them really happy. Show you love them, listen to them and take interest in what they like and they will be forever thankful.

Author bio: Arthur Lamber is a fantastic self-taught chess player, who loves to blog about fashion. He shares his morning frittata with his dog, Diamond, and he makes sure he grants all his partner’s wishes. His favorite holiday movie is How the Grinch Stole Christmas.