If you happen to be dating a man, and you are struggling to find a gift for him this Valentine’s Day, then congratulations! You are not alone.
While women have often been labelled as terrible gift givers, who either make mince and pasta for their men or gift them themselves in lingerie, I think we often have a bad reputation just out of ignorance. Men are incredibly difficult to shop for – especially when you’re on a budget. And I think being on a budget is the important phrase here, because it’s so easy to be romantic when you have money (LOL).
Seeing as gifts are one of my love languages, major events like birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and Valentine’s Day tend to be very important days to me. But more than anything – I find sentimentality and thoughtfulness to be important in gift giving. So before I give my gift suggestions, I suggest you think about your significant other and try to remember their hobbies, interests, food/drinks they like and more.
So for those of us who are in relationships with men (I can only speak from my frame of reference here, and I wanted to try keep this post short and sweet) – and particularly in the Western Cape, although these ideas can be applicable elsewhere – here are a few last minute gift ideas I came up with, for those of us stressing to buy a gift for our partners.
Tickets to the Sports Game
If your person is a fan of a particular sport, grabbing a ticket or two to an upcoming game would always be a nice idea! Even if you don’t enjoy the sport with them – getting them tickets to enjoy with a friend would be a nice gift idea. You can shop a range of tickets for upcoming cricket and rugby games here, or if you want to ignite some childhood nostalgia, you can get them some tickets to the WWE Live show.
A wardrobe update
Despite the (seemingly proven) myth of buying a man shoes is only giving him the ability to walk out of your life, adding pieces to your man’s wardrobe can be a very nice gift, especially if their appearance is something they care about. Do they have a favourite colour that you can get in shirt form? Would they appreciate a nice watch? A leather backpack, satchel or briefcase? Some new Adidas sneakers? Maybe even some Happy Socks! Luckily Superbalist has done most of the sorting for us, and they compiled a really nice Valentine’s Day gift guide. My tip: filter your price range first and then take a look! Shop it here.
Gadgets Galore
Takealot also came through with a gift guide for those of us with nowhere to start. If he’s been complaining about his earphones, maybe gift him a new pair. Does he like current affairs? Throw in a copy of The President’s Keepers. Does he like photography? Maybe a polaroid camera or a new camera lens. A gamer? Maybe a new XBox/Playstation game or a new controller. The key here is to get something that shows you were paying attention to their interests.
We stan an experience
A thoughtful experience based on a hobby or interest, or even just a completely new experience that you can enjoy together would be a great idea for Valentine’s Day. And I know. They’re expensive. But shopping for bargains on websites like Hyperli and Celestial Gifts are a great way to get a great experience for a good price!
Grooming is always a goodie
Gifting their favourite cologne, a luxury shaving kit or some beard oil can also be a nice and thoughtful gift too. A beard oil that I recommend is Brother’s Beard – you can pop them an email to order. You can get 30ml for R200 (including shipping), and 10ml for R80 (including shipping).
Men like flowers too, I guess
Luckily flowers aren’t the only thing you can get on Netflorist. If they have a sweet tooth? Get some chocolate. Do you want to get something personalised? They have that too. Do you know his favourite type of alcohol? You can also get that personalised. Do you want a bundle or alcohol and treats? They have that too! A nice embroidered robe? Listen, they’ve got you. Baked goods? My word these people have everything. Yes. They also have experiences.
So if you’re trying to shop around for a gift for you mans, I hope this guide helps. Most of these places will deliver before Wednesday, or you can rush and pay a bit more for weekend delivery.
Happy Valentine’s Day, my loves! Be kind to yourself and be kind to others. I wish you nothing but happiness and love.
