This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Presents For Him

Oh, how jolly this time of year is with festive lights, Christmas carols, mince pies and the beloved red Christmas Starbucks cups! And of course there’s Christmas Day with a mountain of food to devour and a stack of presents to unwrap. Although you may receive that perfect gift you’ve been attempting to save for, despite your under nourished student bank account, there is always the present that you force smile, big hug to the giver and tell them that’s exactly what you wanted despite hating everything about it. No one wants to be that giver or receiver, especially not for your significant other!

Shopping for your man can seem like a mammoth task, especially for those in new relationships when you’re not entirely sure what he wants or needs or is getting from his parents! So here’s just a few ideas I’ve come up with over the years to spoil your boy and hopefully he’ll do the same to you too!

The Essentials

One thing that I’ve learnt about boys is that they don’t tend to shop like us girls and they will very rarely buy themselves the essential things – this is where you come in! Let’s start at the beginning – underwear is never on a boys shopping list. Now, boys have a pretty basic range to choose from in terms of trunks, shorts or speedos and you can usually tell if he’s a man of colour or prefers the traditional black, white and grey three pack! TK-Max usually do top brands for pretty decent prices!

For those in the earlier days of the relationship, I understand with underwear you might feel a little awkward giving your new beau a pack, but not to worry I have a whole host of other ‘essential’ ideas! Bag your man a new belt – brown or black decide based on what you’ve seen him in most and pick one you know he’ll get the most wear out of! Alternatively, a wallet is always a great (and much appreciated!) present – I tend to look at his current wallet and get one in a similar(ish) style and then throw in a bit of my own personal taste! This last idea might make you pull a face as they are seen as a more generic ‘mum to son’ gift – but they can be effective. I’m of course talking about our little feet warmers – socks! They don’t have to be the main present, but could just be a little stocking filler! And, you can get them from pretty much anywhere, but TK-Max stands as a strong candidate for best place to get these goods on the cheap!

Wrap Him Up!

Knitwear is always a GREAT present for guys (and they look so adorable in cable-knit jumpers!). Grey, navy and cream are popular colours amongst the men but choose a colour that’s him – I personally found a lovely green jumper from House of Fraser that is exactly my fella’s cup of tea! Of course, it doesn’t have to be a jumper, he might be a cardigan man. You can find a variety of styles from little buttons to big buttons that will keep him snug as a bug but also keeping him on trend this Christmas!

Big Spender

For those of you with a bit more dollar in the old bank a watch can get you some pretty good brownie points. Big department stores like Debenhams and House of Fraser usually have a range to choose from and if you want to be extra romantic you can even get the back engraved with a personal message – cute! If he’s already got some bling on his wrist a coat can be just as good. Obviously you don’t have to spend too much on a coat, but generally they are a bit pricey compared to other clothing items. There’s nothing better than a guy in a nice coat! Alternatively, shoes can be well received – if he’s casual hit him up with some converse, or if he’s a little more dressy those suede boots are very popular at the moment and they’re everywhere so you can buy in accordance with your budget!

Smart Choice

A smart shirt can make your man look a ten when you guys next out for dinner or drinks! I always go for more neutral colours so that he can wear it with pretty much and jeans/pants but might choose a checked shirt to spice things up a little. Again, leave it up to the kind of guy he is based on what you’ve seen him in before to help make your decision!

These are just a few ideas that I’ve personally found to be effective, but each man is different so shop for him. A man always needs something so hopefully you’ll be able to get a few ideas from my list…! Happy shopping girlies!

Images:

http://www.christmas-presents.me.uk/

http://www.debenhams.com/men/underwear

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boohoo-Mens-Long-Sleeve-Crew-Neck-Cable-Knit-Marl-Jumper-/181312726302

http://www.johnlewis.com/browse/men/all-mens-accessories/mens-watches/_/N-e9x

http://www.superdry.com/mens/shirts