Christmas is one week away, and I’ve been told that men my age are hard to shop for. So if you still need to get a gift for the dad/husband/whatever in your life, I offer this list of affordable purchases that have brought me joy.
Last year I suggested 9 gift ideas for the hard-to-shop-for middle aged guy in your life. Those are all still excellent suggestions, so also look there.
Here are some things I’ve gotten in the last year that I’ve loved.
- Get him a tie clip or socks for his fandom from Hero’s Armory — they don’t make licensed products so you have to do a little decoding (“light laser sword” = light saber, “the hero’s sword” = Legend of Zelda master sword, etc), but they’re high quality and I’ve been very pleased with the stuff I’ve received from them. About $30.
- I bought a double-boiler on Amazon for making candy and I think it’s awesome. Not for every guy, but if he likes candy and enjoys playing around in the kitchen it would be a sweet (heh) gift. About $15 (less if you get a smaller one).
- I swear by these Gripstic bag clips. They are 9000% better than the clothespin-style that we’re all used to. You’ll probably need to watch a video to understand how they work, but I can’t look back. They’re simply perfect at what they do. About $25 for a 12 pack of assorted sizes. I’ve actually been using these for years, but didn’t include them on last year’s list for some reason.
- I replaced the light switch in our laundry area with a motion sensor switch . 10/10 recommend if you ever get annoyed trying to turn the light on with your hands full. About $15.
- Every once in a while I have to mess with electrical stuff and get annoyed at those twist-on wire connectors. These lever nuts from Wago solve the problem a different way and they are great. Not all the guys in your life will need them, but if they ever have to rewire things they’ll find these connectors handy. About $25.
- They make beanies with built-in headlamps. Guys my age eat this kind of stuff up. Great for when you need to step outside at night to deal with some random chore that will take both your hands. About $20.
I hope at least one of these feels right for the middle-aged man in your life (and that you have time to get it before the big day). Merry Christmas!
Also, after posting last year’s list I had several ladies contact me to say they loved the stuff I shared as well and I shouldn’t limit it to guys. I guess I would say I’m not limiting it to guys — I’m targeting it at guys. We are usually considered much harder to find gifts for than our female counterparts. If you’re a lady and want this stuff, put it on your wish list without shame or any judgment from me!