I’m a last-minute Christmas gifter. I’m not proud. It’s just the way it is.
Christmas is nearly upon us again and, as I write this, I’m banking on about two and a half more weeks of faffing and postponement before the inevitable mad rush. Yep, just two and a half weeks until I can put it off no longer and the chaos that is the Christmas shopping mall engulfs and consumes me. It’ll be far too late for Christmas markets and online orders by then.
I still hold out some hope that this year will be different. It’s the same hope every year of course, and sometimes I even get it right, but I deep down I know that this isn’t going to be one of those good seasons. I mean talk about procrastination – I could be at the shops right now!
I’m very good at procrastination. It usually involves unnecessary tidying, or, most commonly, making lists. Lists being an inescapable part of my Christmas shopping routine, I thought I’d try a new strategy for 2011. In an effort to concentrate my efforts and reduce the number of shops and stops, I’m first dividing my friends and family into manageable groups. Guys and girls is the most obvious starting point, and so far I’ve only given the bloke’s branch any significant attention. I’m hoping the principle will apply equally well to the ladies, but I figured best to start easy and give myself some confidence. Santa knows I need it.
It seems all my male friends can be cheerfully shoehorned into one of six Christmas gift categories. I’ve listed them below, along with some of the presents I’m thinking of buying in each group. The great thing is, I can now focus on one area at time (ah, the gender stereotype – I know, I know), and buy multiple gifts, with just a single sortie into the turmoil of Christmas shopping.
1. The hobbyist
Hobbyists can be easy to buy for, though it’s essential to know your recipient well and understand exactly what will send them into paroxysms of hobby joy.
First off, a guy with a hobby is always pleased by the simple fact that his hobby has been recognised and understood – endorsed by the gift-giver and sanctified by the giving. The thing with hobbyists is that it’s important not to skimp, which can get quite expensive, even if you can find that special carbide-tipped stone carving chisel they’ve been going on about for ages.
Got a friend who’s a keen photographer? Try a polarizer or lens filter, flash card, a new bag, secondary battery, or tripod. A photography course or book for inspiration might also suit perfectly. www.ormsdirect.co.za or www.sacamera.co.za are both great places to start.
2. The sportsman
Most guys fancy themselves at least passing good at some form of sport or other and this opens up a whole range of sporting gifts to consider. Golfers always need balls and tees and awesome (to golfers) new clubs, not to mention fancy shoes and other apparel. On the gadget side, think of all the heartbeat monitors, watches and computers available for joggers, swimmers, cyclists and the like.
The trick here is ‘need’ over ‘want.’ With many sporty guys, that’s more or less the same thing – sometimes upping ones game is largely about upping ones equipment. Something practical that’s going to improve their time, fine-tune their swing or all but guarantee the total annihilation of their weekly squash partner is always likely to be well received. Try www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za for starters.
3. The geeky guy
‘Geek’ is no longer the derogatory label it once was and the geeky gifts category is now so broad it’s hard to know where the boundaries lie. Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutters and Full-sized Wookie costumes still sit securely in the realm of the extreme geek, but computer games, t-shirts with Space Invaders on them, and any number of tech-gadgets and office toys (know anyone who’d just love a USB rocket launcher?) are pretty much standard fare for the average bloke these days with no hint of geekiness involved.
Computer games, gadgets and geeky toys make fine gifts for most men making this a great fallback category for those hard-to-buy-for guys who just don’t fit well into any of the others. www.wantitall.co.za and www.kalahari.com are both good places to start your online search. This radio-controlled helicopter is a fine example of a guy’s gift that simply won’t disappoint.
4. The outdoors’ man
Your outdoors, man’s man is probably the easiest guy to buy a Christmas present for. Neat little high-powered torches, GPS devices, tents, survival packs full of swabs and bandages you hope you’ll never use, day-packs, sleeping bags, binoculars, flick-knives, universal tools…. the list is practically endless.
To help you narrow it down a little, the gear team at Getaway have put together a list of great outdoor items to help you decide which outdoors gadgets you could gift this Christmas and for river and fishing enthusiasts, check out these two fresh-water boating options: the ARK Croc and PortaBote. There’s also this great catalogue of camping chairs – 15 chairs to choose from!
The extensive product list on www.capeunionmart.co.za is also great for researching the latest in outdoor gear and accessories.
5. The big kid
Not a category to be neglected or scoffed at. Just because he should have outgrown it by now, or it’s bad for him, or you wish he didn’t waste hours on that anymore, doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a great gift. If you’re feeling generous and the Christmas bonus is looking good, a poker or foosball table might be just the thing. Classic poker chips are more reasonably priced. Every kid-man should have a set.
6. The gentleman
I don’t know too many gentlemen in the old-fashioned sense, but there are those for whom a more sophisticated present is required. A fine, single malt is always a good choice. One of the nicest I’ve had recently is the Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood, which can be found in most of the larger booze stores, but there are plenty of other great malts to choose from.
Magazine subscriptions are also a good option. You can get a subscription to Getaway Magazine here, or if he’s a little more tech-savvy, sign him up for the digital edition.
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