The top pressies for your men

It’s that time of year again: mistletoe, tinsel, Mariah Carey blasting out of the speakers of Tesco and, of course, the planning of what fabulous gifts you are going to bestow upon your nearest and dearest.

Now, I love Christmas shopping as much as the next girl, mostly due to the fact that it’s the perfect excuse to delve into my overdraft all in the name of generosity.

To me, buying for women is easy – jewellery, perfume, a cute fluffy pen or a gift card from Accessorize for those trickier ones. However, I have always had one major obstacle: what do I buy the men in my life?

After asking around, I have found that there is a big knowledge deficit when it comes to buying gifts for your boyfriend/dad/brother or random guy friend, so I have taken it upon myself to lend a helping hand this year and provide a guide to some of the best gifts in the world of men this winter.

1) Aftershave – I am going to start with the obvious, although the tastes of your recipients may vary depending on whether you are buying for your little brother or your granddad. For the younger tastes I would definitely recommend Davidoff ‘Cool Water’ (RRP £50.00 per 100ml), or for a sexier blend, Diesel ‘Only the Brave’ (RRP £73.00 per 100ml). For slightly more ‘mature’ tastes, I would recommend either Dolce and Gabbana ‘The one’ (RRP £83.00 per 100ml) or Bvlgari ‘Pour Homme Soir’ (RRP £87.00 per 100ml). If none of these tickle your fancy, then just go into any perfume store and have a sniff around!

2) iPhone 4s – It goes without saying that the majority of men (and women) would love to receive the newest Apple creation from Father Christmas. However, priced from £499, this will only be in the stocking of a lucky (and rich) few.

3) Wallet – This is an ideal present for someone you have only just started dating, and a decent wallet is, in my opinion, an absolute must for any self-respecting male. A few of the best places to look are Aspinal of London (with prices ranging from £20 – £200), Debenhams (£5 – 40), or House of Fraser (£12 – £200).

4) Sports/Concert tickets – The likelihood is that whatever their age, most men would love to see their favourite football team or band play live. www.ticketmaster.co.uk is one of the best places to find great deals for tickets to matches, shows or family attractions, so get clicking!

5) Xbox/PlayStation game – This one is a no-brainer for 99 per cent of males under fifty. The most popular games in the last few months have been Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (around £40), Fifa 12 (around £38) and Battlefield 3 (around £38).

6) Bathrobe – Yes, you heard me right – it may not be the coolest present to give your rugby-playing boyfriend, but trust me, the minute you leave them alone after a long day they will love every moment of their snuggle time. Though do not expect them to ever admit this to you. My personal favourite when it comes to providers of snuggly dressing gowns is Marks & Spencer where they range from around £25 – £49.50.

7) Chocolate – For those of you on more of a budget, take a trip down to Thorntons where you can pick up loads of different types of hampers or personalised gifts such as the Alphabet Truffles (from £15), or a personalised speech bubble plaque (£3.99). And if you are lucky, he may even thank you by letting you have some.

Well, I hope that provides some inspiration for you fellow present-buyers. Let me wrap it up (pun intended) by wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!