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I think we've all got those people in our lives, the ones that it is so hard to buy gifts for, and in my experience they have generally been men! It might be that there is nothing they want, or that they are super fussy, but whatever the reason, it makes it super tricky as someone who loves to be generous.
My Dad is one of the best 'tricky to buy for' men as there is genuinely nothing he wants and he'll be content with whatever you buy him. So a bar of chocolate or some socks will make him smile. Whereas men in the wider family do seem to want a gift but they won't give me any hints, so they end up with the same thing, year in and year out.
This year I am trying to expand my horizons and theirs, and find some different gifts to give to the hard to buy for man. Here are a few ideas....
1. Countryfile Live August 2020, £12 + booking fee, first release price
If you know the hard to buy for man in your life would enjoy an experience more than a physical present, why not treat him to a day at BBC Countryfile Live? It's not until August 2020, but you can get your tickets now in a nice festive envelope, so you have a gift to give on the big day. We're going to go next year to one of the Windsor days and I think it will be fabulous fun for all ages. It's only £12 at the moment to book as well, so you can't moan at that price!
At Castle Howard from 6-9th August and Windsor Great Park from 20 - 23rd August 2020, these will be days full of fun where this favourite show is bought to life with a dog lovers arena, live cooking demonstrations, getting back to nature with the National trust and meeting the Countryfile presenters at the Big Theatre. I can't wait!
2. Nextbase Dash Cam £99
My son has been bugging me for ages to buy a dash cam for our car, and as one of the fastest growing areas of consumer technology it is no wonder why. Nextbase is the UK's leading dash came manufacturer and this model (the Nextbase Series 2- 322GW Dash Cam) is the world's first to have emergency SOS capabilities in the event of a nasty accident, alerting the emergency services to our whereabouts.
It has 10x GPS making it the most accurate dash cam on the market and I particularly like the intelligent parking mode, which records any bumps or movements when the car is parked. You can also add a rear view camera to ensure your car is even safer. (#ad) Buy from Amazon now for just £94.95.
3. The Rebuilding of Tom Cooper, by Spencer Brown, £5.75
I adore reading and I know there are many men who do too, and if they're anything like me they like to laugh as well, so this book will be perfect. Written by stand-up comedian Spencer Brown it is a laugh out loud book, which cuts it close to the mark and is a bit risque in places.
It's got some really good reviews and I can't wait to get stuck in to it and then I might let my husband read it after! (#ad) Available on Amazon for £5.75.
3. The Rebuilding of Tom Cooper, by Spencer Brown, £5.75
I adore reading and I know there are many men who do too, and if they're anything like me they like to laugh as well, so this book will be perfect. Written by stand-up comedian Spencer Brown it is a laugh out loud book, which cuts it close to the mark and is a bit risque in places.
It's got some really good reviews and I can't wait to get stuck in to it and then I might let my husband read it after! (#ad) Available on Amazon for £5.75.
4. Something really great to Drink with Cheese or your Pudding, from £8.99
My husband doesn't really drink much, but Christmas is the one time of the year when he loves to indulge in some Port to go with his plate of cheese and biscuits. It always feels like a real luxury to have your pick of six or seven cheese to go along with a fine port.
This Old Boys 21 year old port is available from Waitrose and retails for £20.99. It is 19% ABV and has aromas of dark raisined fruits, mocha with hints of
vanilla, and nuts. Luscious with nuances of mocha and
coffee on the palate with a smooth, lingering dry finish, it is sure to delight.
Or maybe a rich pudding wine would suit better, something to go along with your quality Christmas pudding? This De Bortoli pudding wine from Australia has a rich and luscious palate exploding with rich Muscat
flavours of raisins, figs, dates, toffee and caramel.
Sweetness balanced with some vanilla oak notes
make for a lovely lingering finish. It's available from Aldi for £8.99, so is a real bargain.
5. Mega Fun Toys from Wicked Vision, from £2
You can get all sorts of fun toys from Wicked Vision. I went ahead and got the Sky Rider Pro (£7) which is tagged as the 'worlds best flying disc' and I can confirm it goes a long way. My husband will enjoy playing this with the kids but not as much as my brother is going to love the Mega Bounce XL (£20) ball. Which is an 80cm diameter ball that is super easy to throw and also to catch, thanks to the gripable graphics.
And if you have an outdoor party coming up (or in a large hall) then the Body Bubble Balls look amazing, you wear them and can bounce off each other without any injuries! Super fun.
6. Perky Blenders Coffee Subscription, £6.50 per month
This is perfect for the man who loves really good coffee. You can choose from four different blends and either receive your beans whole or ground in one of seven ways to suit how you brew your coffee. There are 3, 6 and 12 month subscriptions and also a flexi club, so you can pick and choose when to receive your coffee. I've had the Perky Blenders Christmas Brew coffee recently and it really is a premium product, totally delicious. They also sent me a coffee body scrub as a gift and I'm sure one of my daughters will love that!
7. Cranes Cider Gift Set, £13.50
Cranes produce a range of refreshing cranberry ciders that are handcrafted in Cambridge. They come in three tantalising flavours: Blueberries & Apples, Cranberries & Limes and Raspberries & Pomegranates. Cranes ciders are naturally light because they use the sweetness of the fruits, resulting in them containing 30% fewer calories than brand leaders.
All three Cranes Ciders come in a gift set along with a pint glass that is the perfect gift for a ‘hard to buy for’ man/Dad. I love this set and I know my husband will be thrilled with it and my son envious!
8. Nordgreen Watch with extra straps Gift Pack, from $242
If you have the kind of man who likes to change his watch with his outfit, or is quite changeable in mood, a Nordgreen watch gift set might be perfect. You can choose the watch face that you like best and get three interchangeable high quality straps with it, in a gift box. It is a beautiful and classy gift hat will last for years.
The set that I have chosen here is a Native with black fascia (and you can even chose the size of the clock face, depending on what your man likes) with a silver mesh strap, green olive nylon strap and classic black leather strap too.
This beautiful flask is going to come in so handy when my husband and son go hiking. Sometimes they disappear for hours on end and now they do not have to worry about a hot drink, as this keeps the contents hot for up to 28 hours and cold for up to 90 hours. The shale black exterior is chip resistant too and will continue to look good for years to come. This is available from Whitby & Co, where you can pick up all the leading accessories for outdoor pursuits.
If you're buying for an outdoorsy type man, he may enjoy a classic Opinel knife. These have been around for over 100 years and are still the same high quality today. Great for preparing food when camping or for general bush craft activities, this folding knife with leather storage sheaf will be perfect.
11. Ion8 Friends of the Earth Reuseable Bottle, £24.99
This reusable bottle which has just been launched with 25% of profits going towards Friends of The Earth to reduce plastic in the ocean. The bottle is stainless-steel, stunning and the images shows a plastic bottle print on top of the amazing ocean prints, helping show the harm plastic does whilst making a real statement. There are two designs to choose from. Available from Leakproof.co.uk
I like that the bottle comes in a stylish brown box, making it feel like more of a gift. It is 500ml and keeps hot drinks hot for up to 12 hours and cold drinks cold for up to 24 hours.
12. Crystal Maze Experience, from £54.99
I used to love this programme when I was younger and wanted to have a go and now I can, for there is a Crystal Maze Live experience in both London and Manchester. You can either form your own team or 8 or book for less people and join some new friends to form a team.
There are 32 games waiting to test your skills and it looks such fun. There is even the big glass globe at the end where you try to catch the golden papers!
13. Leatherman FREE T4 Multitool, £74.95
The T4 is a compact 3.6 inch's, with 12 useful tools built in to it - 420HC Knife, Spring-action scissors, Awl, Bottle opener, Package opener, Phillips screwdriver, Medium screwdriver, Extra-small Screwdriver, Pry tool, Wood/Metal file and Tweezers. It comes with a 25 year guarantee, meaning you receive a quality product, that is easy to use and looks very stylish. Available from Whitby & Co.
14. Beef Jerky gifts from the Manly Man Co. website, from $6.99
This website has the best selection of beef jerky that I've ever seen, all the flavours your heart can desire and lots of great gifts too, like a beef jerky flower bouquet or a laser printed beef jerky plaque. personalised I quite fancy the dark chocolate and bacon roses!
Did, you find something you liked in this collection of gift ideas?
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Disclosure: Some of the items in this gift guide have been sent to us free of charge to review and for inclusion in this guide. I have not been instructed what to write and I remain honest.