Valentine's Day Gift Guide For Him
Valentine's Day isn't the manliest of holidays. And in a world filled with roses, pendants and heart-shaped candy boxes, the right gift idea for your man may not spring to mind. Mushy and overly romantic gifts can fall flat. Old standbys, like ties and cufflinks, don't express the true feelings behind them.There are plenty of creative, funny, practical and sentimental options that stay assertively manly. Just think outside the gift box a bit. Find something with an experience attached, or with an entertaining purpose. He'll appreciate it much more than the same old same old.
It's The Thought (Under $25)
Keep Valentine's Day light by choosing silly gifts that come with a wink. Many lighthearted options with plenty of heart come in under $25, from Spitfire Girl's Bad Boy Bag for $15 to Etsy store ChaosToArt's Get Out Of Jail Free Cards for $4. The Bad Boy Bag is filled to the brim with whoopee cushions, water guns and other gag gifts. Water gun fight, anyone? If you're feeling truly generous in your heart, give him these Get Out Of Jail Free Cards for the next time he goofs up.
If you want more bang for your buck, scoop up the roller rock glass from Home Wet Bar for $22. The sleekly designed, spherical ice mold creates a perfect, two-inch ice ball, which will roll across the bottom of his whiskey glass, opening up the aromatics without diluting the drink. Maybe he's not much of a drinker. Pick up a Brew It Yourself Root Beer Kit for $12.46. He can brew up to four gallons of old-fashioned root beer at home. Add a half gallon of vanilla ice cream for root beer floats, an extra sweet Valentine's Day treat.
Bad Boy Bag – Spitfire Girl ($15.00)
Get Out Of Jail Free Cards – ChaosToArt on Etsy ($4.00)
Roller Rock Glass – Home Wet Bar ($21.95)
Brew It Yourself Root Beer Kit – Amazon ($12.46)
Spend A Little More (Under $100)
If your budget has some flexibility, consider a gift with some lasting power... something you know your Valentine will enjoy over and over again. Bonus points for something you can enjoy together.
You don't need to date an outdoorsman to give this ENO DoubleNest Hammock from REI. He can set up the high-strength lounger in his backyard — or his living room! For $64.95, you'll have a romantic spot to relax together, sip some wine and gaze at the sunset.
Work up a sweat on Valentine's Day with a portable Table Tennis set from Crate & Barrel for $39.95. The retractable net extends to 48 inches; paddles and balls are included. Challenge him to a friendly Valentine's Day game — loser treats for dinner. The Up wristband by Jawbone will keep your Valentine healthy and happy, or at least put him on that path. The sports bracelet includes motion sensors to monitor his sleep patterns, daily activity and workouts, and a free iPhone app to track it all. The $99 price tag seems like a small price to pay for his well-being.
ENO DoubleNest Hammock – REI ($64.95)
Portable Table Tennis Set – Crate & Barrel ($39.95)
Up Wristband – Jawbone ($99.00)
The Sky's The Limit (Over $100)
A $100 (or more) gift may be a special splurge. But this is Valentine's Day, and he's worth every penny. Indulge him with a three-month subscription to the Bacon of the Month Club from Amazing Clubs. They'll deliver two one-pound selections of bacon fresh to his door each month. Honey BBQ bacon, sun-dried tomato bacon... his mouth will water every time the doorbell rings.
Take his taste buds in a different direction. Turn him on to a more refined taste, with a 750ML bottle of Johnnie Walker Scotch Blue Label. Their rarest blend will set you back $225, more if you have it engraved. But the intense, flavorful blend is a true treat to sip and enjoy during February's cold evenings.
Spiff up your guy with a quality seven-piece shaving set. At $119.99, this tortoise handle straight razor comes with an 18-inch leather strap, strop paste, shaving brush, shaving soap, steel bowl and razor honing stone. The process is a little complicated, but worth learning; he'll get a great shave every time. Just be sure he reads the instructions first. Those razors are sharp!
Three-Month Subscription to Bacon of the Month Club – Amazing Clubs ($149.85)
Johnnie Walker Blue 750ML – Johnnie Walker ($225.00)
Seven-Piece Straight Razor Shaving Set – Amazon ($119.99)
Adrienne Smith is an Associate Producer for CBS Local. She's currently making an app covering dollar slices of pizza in New York City, and graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in journalism and English. Follow her on Twitter here.
