It wasn’t all that hard to find fancy gift options for male recipients, when I set out about town on this latest quest of mine. And not all products and services are created equal. Of course, the best gifts are the ones that come not from store shelves, but somewhere deeper: attention, affection, appreciation and acknowledgement.
Just something to think about.
The ideas mentioned below are ones you might find helpful while dreaming-up items for the boys-to-men in your life, whether they be: young and cuddly, mischievous toddlers, teenagers (may I suggest food and money for this age), middle-aged (see teenager) or well seasoned. Only you know what’s ideal for Mr. Man. But never forget, the gift of caring is the very best of all.
OUT OF THIS WORLD
How about a trip? I dropped by Travel Advisors to ask owner Ed Stahl where he would like to go next. As you may recall, he is in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest man ever to visit Antarctica. Stahl quickly answered, “Outer space—though not in a spaceship, (but in) a capsule that actually floats up to where I could see the curve of the Earth, attached to a balloon from the edge of space.”
Stahl is ready to board “Spaceship Neptune” soon, and head out to the stratosphere. This carbon neutral “space ship” will lift you up using high altitude balloons to about 100,000 feet above Earth. The plan for this capsule (with its eight passengers and a captain) is to hang out there for a bit then float back, landing in the ocean. The cost is a mere $200K (approximately) for this 6-8 hour trip. Stahl, who’s flown on the Concorde multiple times, is looking forward to this next trip. And it is scheduled to happen soon. How does a tour to the edge of space sound?
MOUNTAIN CRUISING
What about an electric light-weight mountain bike?
Well, if outer space is not your thing, how about hitting one of our world-class mountain trails on a top of the line 14K mountain bike from Specialized Los Gatos?
“They start down around $5,500 and go up to the $14,000 model, so there is a nice price range,” avid cyclist Josiah Anderson explained to me at Specialized. “A Levo SL is a full power electric that weighs kinda closer to a standard mountain bike weight and is a 20-mile-an-hour pedal-assist, built around a full mountain bike set up. So, it is great (for) getting out on the trails if you just want to go do a ride easier and quicker than you usually would.” The bike has electronic shifting, Anderson added. “So, it is wireless,” he said. “The button-shifting is very precise shifting that works very well under power and prevents derailment…These e-bikes will assist you riding longer and on steeper trails.”
YOGAWEAR IS MENSWEAR
Lululemon is not just women’s workout attire. The company has some amazing “slacks” for men. Maxx Amos explained the “ABC” (Always Be Comfortable) pants to me. “Jeans—well they will never go out of style,” he said, “These pants are different from other pants that you see on the market. The ABC pants have a wide variety of fit and fabric. These pants are really really stretchy and really comfortable,” which he put down to the warpstreme fabric being used. It seemed to me like golf pants, but with more pockets. Who knew that looking great was so easy at $128 per pair? (And with hemming coming at no additional cost).
THE OTHER MEN IN YOUR LIFE
Let’s not forget gifts for the mailman, trash-pickup teams, gardening and landscaping crews, repair people—all those wonderful folks who make our lives easier. Even just a card and a kind word will go a long way in showing appreciation. However, gifts from See’s Candies, cash (always welcome), whiskey or aftershave cologne are not only thoughtful, they are a joy to receive.
And to that man on your list who already has everything, don’t stress too much. They have wonderful you shopping for the perfect gifts for them.
RE-GIFTING IS ENCOURAGED
If you do receive a gift that is just not for you, why not re-gift it? So, carefully unwrap all your presents, so they may be re-wrapable. And, if that’s not an option, a donation to the Discovery Shop or The Happy Dragon might be another option. Remember, it is far better to give than to receive. And truly, it is the thought that counts.
