While embraced as a day for all lovers, especially by those who sell greeting cards, let’s face facts: Valentine’s Day has always been a day for women. And, alas, it’s a rather materialistic day at that. It’s a holiday on which many women expect their loved ones to send flowers and other treats to their homes or offices, to take them to dinner later on, and to shower them with so-called “romantic” gifts like chocolate, lingerie and cute, stuffed things.
Many ladies with fellas in their lives try to reciprocate, and, bless their hearts, they mean well. But most guys don’t actually want teddy bears, roses, or anything with the word, “love” on it. They’d rather you didn’t bother at all.
But that’s not very festive or romantic! What’s a gal to do? Cut out all the gifts entirely and focus on the true meaning of love? Sure, great plan, but barring that, we have scientifically determined the very Valentine’s Day gifts that guys will hate the least. He’ll be delighted, and you can thank us later. You might try …
Food-n-booze
Our studies have shown that the key to a man’s heart really is his stomach ... and his liver, too. You absolutely cannot go wrong with giving him something to eat and drink, unless he is part robot. Mind any allergies, though.
Callie’s Charleston Biscuits are about as homemade as you can get, without actually making something at home. A mother-and-daughter team makes them by hand, and you can taste the love. In flavors like Country Ham, Cinnamon, Cheese and good old Buttermilk, the biscuits are sent frozen and all he has to do is stick them in the toaster oven and heat them. Two dozen are about $46.
A good rule of thumb for shopping for boys is to keep it simple. What’s a more deliciously simple pleasure than beer? Why, it’s rare beer. The late Michael Jackson (not that one!) started a club that's beloved by beer enthusiasts around the world. Enroll your sweetie and he’ll get a selection of delectable, very nice beer each month, complete with tasting notes and ideas for food pairings. Yum! Subscriptions start at about $38 per month.
Music + gadgets = guy heaven
Much like food, gadgets get them every time. Boys simply cannot resist the feeling of cool metal against their skin, especially if there are buttons to push or wheels to turn. If he doesn’t yet have an iPod, the Nano is a great option, as it has a beauteous screen and lots of memory for music and video. It’s $199, and would be extra special if you preloaded it with a season of something goofily-guy-tastic, such as “The Office” or “Flight of the Conchords.”
The tiny but mighty iPod Shuffle is perfect for those who love their iPods but need a smaller version for running, commuting, for when they visit different locations, whatever. It’s $79. And get them in RED for V-Day, silly! The limited-edition red iPod devices happen to be part of (PRODUCT) RED, that big cause where the companies give part of the purchase price to the global fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa. You can feel good about giving this gift because you’re giving to those in need as well!
Monthly magazine lovin’
Guess what? Despite our addiction to the Internet, we still love good, old-fashioned paper magazines. He picks them up at great expense when he sees them on the newsstand, but never would think to get himself a subscription. From you, it’s a really thoughtful but inexpensive gift that makes him think of you each month, all year long. Be sure to pick a very manly title, like Maxim, Esquire, Golf or Sports Illustrated.
Hollywood delight
He doesn’t have to be a couch potato to love watching movies curled up under a snuggly blanket …. he doesn’t even have to have a couch! Any man-friend will appreciate the gift of sloth, a subscription to a DVD service like Netflix or Blockbuster. You sign him up and pay for it, he’ll love the convenience, the fun of picking out whatever he wants to see, and that the films appear almost magically in his mailbox. It’s the perfect gift for the lazy and the busy. Of course, you simply must include popcorn! Netflix is $108 for a year, but you can enroll him for any number of months.
For your man-child
He might pretend to be mature, but he’s not. He already has the Wii or the PS3 or the X-box and loves him some video-gaming! When you present him with the very latest and best games, he will love that you understand his habit and are supporting it. The games can be pricey, but not as much as the actual consoles, so you won’t go broke but will provide him and his pals quite literally hundreds of hours of ridiculously fun entertainment. Plus, you’re giving him the gift of me-time, which everyone relishes!
Welcome, sports fans!
Don’t let him suffer from a Super Bowl hangover ... keep up his spirits now that the fun is over with these crazy-great Giants car mats. To the victors go the rabid-fan-car-décor. Sweet! He loves anything for his car, and he loves anything remotely related to his beloved team, so this is a doubly wonderful treat. And while he and his guy-gang are wondering to do with themselves on Sundays without football, point them in the direction of their good-old college days with a Party Luge. He fills it with water, freezes it over night, and then serves shots from it the next day. He’ll think he’s died and gone to heaven, and his buddies will be green with envy.
For more cool ideas, check out DailyCandy.com.