by Bruce Campbell

Created on: October 14, 2009

The best way to successfully shop for Christmas gifts for a man is to consider what his likes and hobbies are. Is your guy a beer drinker? Get him a Kegerator. Is he the outdoor type? Peruse the LL Bean Catalog.

Sounds like common sense, right?

Sadly, this is simple logic is often overlooked by both men and women. Consider the man who buys car tires for his wife's tenth anniversary gift. Do you think he may have failed to pick up a few clues?

Women often buy guys gifts that they believe will improve their man. An iphone for a guy who hates talking on the phone, but she believes it will bring him respect and prestige. If you buy a tie for a t-shirt guy, a light bulb is not going to go off in his head and he is going to suddenly start wearing ties all the time. He's going to say "Thanks, Honey! Love ya!" and throw the tie under the bed. Instead, the woman should have bought the guy a nice polo shirt or a high end designer t-shirt that he might possibly wear.

When it comes to clothes, guys like certain things. They like what they like and don't mess with it. Observe what his thing is. Is he in to fashion? Does he hang out in sweats? You're not going to get all "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" on him and change him into Prince Charming. Just aim for kicking it up a small notch or two, don't go for the complete makeover.

Honestly, men aren't that complicated. They have magazines for everything. Car guy? They got millions of magazines for that. Intellectual? The New Yorker. FInance dude? Barrons, maybe Kiplingers.

There are two schools of thought on gift certificates. Some people think they are a lame gift, showing little effort or imagination. Some people love them. I think the majority of guys these days wouldn't be insulted to get one. Determine where your guy stands on this. If he's cool with them, get an appropriate one from a store that suits his tastes and likes. A Home Depot card for your handy man. An Auto Zone card for your grease monkey.

The bottom line is: Most guys know that they can easily go out and buy what they really like, but they are touched when their better half gives them something that shows some thought went into the gift and she's not trying to completely change him. A gift that shows that she appreciates and supports him. All of him. The gift can challenge him to step his game up, but it doesn't imply that he should completely change who he is.

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