Christmas Gift Shopping Guide for Men

Tuesday 25 October 2011 | suzy

It’s late afternoon on Christmas Eve and you’re running around in a cold sweat trying to find something, anything, for the woman you love.

You’re asking yourself why, oh why you get into this same situation year after year. Is it procrastination, fear, or just pure laziness? Whatever the reason, you know how your stomach is going to churn when she starts to unwrap her Christmas gifts; that look of loving expectation in her eyes...

Don’t risk it this year. Make sure you get something she’s going to appreciate and give yourself a break, for once, by thinking about it NOW!

We’re here to help, so read on for some great ideas...

What NOT to give:

Clothing

You’re bound to get at least the size, if not also the style, of any clothing you buy wrong. If you buy too big, she’ll think you think she’s bigger than she is. Buy too small, and although she might be momentarily flattered, imagine her horror at having to tell you that she can’t squeeze herself into whatever you’ve bought.

Buying clothes for someone else is always a risky business anyway. Think of those awful jumpers your mum insists on buying you every year.

If clothing really is all you can think of, take her on a shopping spree and let her pick something she loves.

Household appliances

NEVER buy her anything householdy, unless you’ve been specifically asked to (and even then, make sure you back it up with a second, more romantic present).

You might well need a new microwave and she may have been moaning about the hoover all year, but that really, really doesn’t mean that’s what she wants for Christmas.

This kind of gift will make her feel frumpy not frisky. So, you’ve been warned - buy household appliances at your own peril!

Gift vouchers

Don’t buy the lady in your life gift vouchers. Even if it’s 4.30pm on Christmas Eve and you’re desperate. Because ‘desperate’ is precisely what gift vouchers scream out.

Although vouchers allow your loved one to pick her own gift, they essentially tell her that you were incapable or unwilling of taking any time to think about what she might actually want.

You can buy gift vouchers for your little cousin, niece or nephew, but pick your girl a proper present please!

Chocolates

Definitely never, ever as a main present. Why? Too cheap, too predictable. A box of chocolates is passable as a stocking-filler but never as the main event.

Chocolates are the kind of thing you give an auntie you don’t know very well, or the mother in-law you don’t particularly like.

They are not something you buy the woman you love. Quite frankly, buy her chocolates and she’ll think you’re a lost cause.

What to give:

Jewellery

Either something expensive or something unique. If you can afford it, buy her a piece from Tiffany’s or Cartier. Similarly, anything with a lovely big rock on board will impress.

If all this is way out of your price range, don’t worry - find her a classy vintage piece and she’ll be super-impressed by your taste and the effort you’ve made to find her that one-off.

Beware - vintage jewellery shopping will take time. It’s definitely not something you can get away with on Christmas Eve.

A romantic getaway

This is fairly easy to get right. Book a couple of nights away and she’ll love you for it. Why? Because after the stresses and strains of Christmas, you’re giving her the opportunity to kick back and relax.

You don’t have to go too far - a country inn with good food and wine would do just as nicely as a city break in Paris or Rome. It can be somewhere you’ve never been before or somewhere that holds special memories.

Make sure you tell her you’ve arranged the pet/house/baby-sitter as well, so she’ll have nothing at all to worry about.

A day of pampering

Another one that’s easy to organise. Phone around hotels and beauty salons to find out what kinds of packages they offer. Ideally, you’re looking for a relaxing massage teamed with a facial, manicure and pedicure.

Make sure you’re available to pick up her beautifully relaxed self when she’s done. There’s nothing worse than having to drive yourself home or get on a bus in that gooey state.

Finally, book somewhere lovely for dinner, but make sure you give her a good few hours to come round and get ready. And remember to tell her how beautiful she looks!

A mix tape

If money’s tight, this gift idea is cheaper than cheap providing you already own the music you’re going to use. Even so, a mix tape (ok, ok, we’re talking CDs these days) is a truly romantic gift.

It’ll take a little time to get it together - it’s another one of those gifts that can’t be left to the last minute. You can make it really special by creating a personalised CD cover from scanned photos of the two of you.

Make sure you choose songs that have special meaning to you both as a couple. Also pick those songs whose lyrics express how you feel about her. She’ll love you for it.