2020 holiday gift guide | unique gifts for him

Buying gifts for the guys in our lives can be really difficult. I don’t know about you, but if my husband sees something he wants, he buys it for himself (and my dad for that matter). So I consulted with the main guy in my life (my husband Jimmy) to find some unique gift ideas that are officially man-approved.

Whether you’re shopping for your gamer brother who already owns every game, your dad who is notoriously difficult to shop for, or your significant other who already seems to have everything he wants – this gift guide is perfect for you!

Overall I’ve found that the best gifts for guys are thoughtful, unique, and unexpected, so as you’re shopping for the men in your life – ask yourself:

• Thoughtful: what are their likes & hobbies?
• Unique: what would be a unique complement to those likes & hobbies?
• Unexpected: is this something they wouldn’t think to buy for themselves?

Here is my 2020 gift guide for him – I hope you find it helpful! And if you’re looking for other gift ideas, check out my handmade Etsy gift guide.

For the insomniac: A weighted blanket

Let’s be honest – don’t we all have trouble sleeping these days? One of the gifts my stepmom bought my dad last year was a weighted blanket. I don’t have one myself, but I think it’s such a great gift and my husband has been hinting at wanted one all year. This one is the best I found and comes in all sizes. If you live in the EU, try this one.

For the gamer: Pro wireless Headphones

With the recent release of new consoles, gaming headphones are the perfect gift. These Arctis 9X come highly recommended (I even went into the abyss of Reddit) and they are compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series S / X, PCs, and PlayStation 4 and PS5 at launch. Here is a link for the US and a link to buy in the EU. And there’s a bonus – you’ll no longer have to listen to the audio of guns firing or zombies groaning. You’re welcome.

For the music lover: Vinyl coasters

I have kind of a weird obsession with coasters. I always swipe them from bars when traveling, and have amassed quite the collection. So when I saw these, I fell in love. They have everything from The Beatles (EU link) to Metallica (EU link), and they make such cute stocking stuffers!

For the sentimental guy: A Viewmaster

I think this is such a cute nostalgic gift – especially for a dad or a significant other. The Viewmaster includes a code to redeem for a 7 photo reel, but I recommend buying a few extra reels and filling them with photos they’ll love.

For the writer: Scrivener

My husband is really creative and has a lot of cool hobbies – but the one that I love most is his writing. For any of the writers in your life he suggested an excellent writing software, Scrivener. It comes at a good price point and is multi-functional, so it can be used for anything from novels & short stories to screenplays.

For the coffee lover: A temp-controlled mug

Anyone who drinks a lot of coffee (or tea) knows how annoying it is when it gets cold. We all need our caffiene more than ever these days, so the perfect gift for coffee lovers is this temperature-controlled mug (EU link).

For the forgetful guy: An underwear subscription

Socks & underwear are two things most guys rarely buy for themselves. But opening a box of socks on Christmas morning is… pretty anticlimactic. So how about gifting them a monthly subscription of socks that are actually cool & trendy? Black Socks ships everywhere and offers subscriptions for socks, underwear, t-shirts, and shirts.

For the reader: A limited edition press

If your guy is a reader and you’re looking for unique gifts for him, I highly recommend checking out Folio Society. They specialize in cool limited edition runs of books, and they have everything under the sun from a collection of the greatest war speeches to Ray Bradbury & Ian Fleming.

I’m also a huge supporter of shopping local (especially when it comes to art & books), so I also recommend picking up a giftcard for his favorite local bookstore. If art & fashion are more his thing, check out this Dior + YSL book or this book about Capri from the super chic luxury printer Assouline.

For the workout aficionado: A foam roller

If the guy you’re shopping for is big into working out (or maybe he’s planning on making a “new year / new me” resolution in 2021), I recommend a foam roller. My gym has one of these firm versions (EU link) and I’m currently obsessed with it. I also would love to try this ball version available in the US.

For the meat lover: A bacon subscription

If your guy is a carnivore, odds are good that he likes bacon. And if he likes bacon, getting it delivered to the house (especially during COVID) is an excellent gift. Bacon Freak has a ton of different options available in the US. And since finding good bacon in Europe is hard, this subscription that ships throughout the EU is a great gift for your ex-pat friends.

For the amateur bartender: Infusion kits

We all miss drinking in real bars. A lot of us have become amateur bartenders, and with how long this lockdown has been chances are we’re looking to try something (anything) new. If your guy likes cocktails, check out these alcohol infusion kits! It’s run by a lovely entrepreneur, so you’re also supporting a small business. They only ship within the US though, so if you’re in the EU try this gin infusion kit on Etsy or this kit on Amazon Prime.

For the fashionISTA: A sneaker cleaning kit

Sneakers are impossible to keep pristine, especially in a place like Amsterdam where it rains most of the year. If your guy is a fan of shoes, he’ll love this chic sneaker kit from Men’s Society available here in the EU or here in the US.

For the chef: A knife sharpening subscription

Instead of standing in the store for an hour trying to figure out what gadget or weird flavored salts to get your guy (I’ve been there), go with a knife sharpening subscription. It’s practical & unique, and working with dull knives in the kitchen can be super dangerous (I’ve also been there). They accept all sorts of knives – even swiss army knives – and they can even fix broken tips! Knife Aid is only in the US, but I did find this similar subscription in the UK.

For the car guy: A portable LED light

My dad is a notorious car guy. He’s always rebuilding one of his six (yes SIX!) Corvettes, two of which my grandpa originally rebuilt from scratch. He’s really hard to shop for (particularly because I know nothing about cars), but one year I got him a portable LED worklight (here is a great option for the EU) that he loved and has been incredibly useful for working on cars.

That’s it for this gift guide – but be on the lookout for more in the coming weeks!

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