The most wonderful time of the year is almost upon us once again. The seasons will soon change from breezy autumn days to cozy winter nights. Some of us have already started our holiday shopping—one of our favorite reasons for this season—while others will wait until the last moment for find gifts. Regardless of which group you fall into, gifting the men in our lives this season doesn’t have to be confusing. Maybe he’s had his eye on the latest techware, or maybe he hasn’t been leaving any clues about what he wants. He’ll probably be appreciative of any thoughtful gift you get him, but here are 7 awesome gift ideas you should consider.
1. Oculus Rift
Virtual reality has fascinated people for as long as it’s been around, but it’s only recently that our ingenuity with technology has caught up with that fascination. The Oculus Rift Virtual Reality system should be top five contender for your gift-giving list this year. Oculus boasts that VR is a “vast, highly interdisciplinary research space that has only begun to be explored,” and that they are “building a team capable of leapfrogging VR forward by bringing together researchers and engineers spanning a wide range of expertise.”
2. Spark Mini Drone
The Spark Mini Drone comes with all the bells and whistles of DJI’s signature technology. You can choose from a variety of beautiful colors, and DJI even offers free delivery, a professional setup, and training to boot. The drone even comes with a free 16 GB micro SD card. If your man loves to fly or view aerial views, this is the perfect gift, since it gives him the opportunity to see his favorite city from the sky, under his control.
Additionally, it’s equipped with FaceAware and launches when it recognizes the owner and takes photos with hand gestures. It has automatic editing and intuitive controls. If you’re looking for a beginner drone or a smaller drone for a specific purpose, this one has all the right stuff.
3. Advanced Schmidt-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope
The fully computerized Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope boasts a number of excellent features for the beginner and intermediate stargazer. Some of these features include:
- Integer gear ratios and permanently programmable Periodic Error Correction
- New motors for tracking performance and power
- Updated industrial design offers more rigidity, less flexure
- New design allows viewing or imaging across the meridian without interference from the motors housings
- Improved latitude range. Can be used between 7 – 77° latitude
- NexStar+ hand control offers multiple language programming (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish)
If you’re looking for a gift for a man who has an interest in astronomy he hasn’t been able to explore, a telescope like this would be perfect.
4. Retro Game Arcade Table
Brookstone’s Arcade Table with Retro Games comes equipped with thirteen retro games, including Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, Rolling Thunder and more. It’s one of those gifts to get the man who has almost everything. The price is a little high, but you can’t buy retro memories or the fun that was had playing these games. The sounds are real and the console is real, just like the ones you sat down to play in pizza parlors and skating rinks.
5. ILIFE V5s Pro Robot Vacuum Mop Cleaner
For that bachelor man in your life, the ILIFE V5s Pro is an amazing, cheaper alternative to a Roomba. Vacuuming and wet mopping all in one machine. The design is clean, and it’s easily programmable. It’s also especially good at finding that pet hair always lurking in the places you can’t see. On a full charge, it can run for almost 140 minutes and is equipped with a water tank for the mopping jobs. It’s the perfect gift to help bachelors (or any man who doesn’t like to clean) keep the floor of their living space spotless.
6. Underfit the Wonder Under?
Men wear undershirts. They wear them under work shirts, to the gym, to bed, and while relaxing around the house. So what’s special about Underfit? Well, it absorbs moisture, moves with you, stays tucked in, and is not only breathable and soft but also odor-resistant.
Even better, Underfit has a heart: they donate 5% of the profits from each purchase toward the charity of your choice, so when you buy Underfit, you’re kind of giving two gifts. The charity organizations include the Veterans Support Foundation, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the Thirst Project which provides clean water for those who don’t have access to it.
7. Adopt-a-Book Program at The Smithsonian
The written word isn’t only how we communicate and teach new generations, it’s also how we translate cultures and ideas and trace man’s progress all over the world. You might have a man in your life who has everything, but he probably hasn’t even considered supporting the Smithsonian Library by adopting a book. Their Adopt-a-Book program allows people to participate in the conservation, acquisition, and digitization of books and manuscripts that are held in museums and research institutions across the world.
When you adopt a book and make a donation in your loved one’s name, you’ll receive a virtual bookplate with their name on it for the Smithsonian’s online catalog as well as a physical bookplate on the selected book. If you adopt a precious book of $500 or more, you receive membership rights in the Smithsonian Libraries Society. Additionally, a donation preserves a book and/or whole collections and makes that information available to everyone.
The gift of giving may be done mostly in one season, but gifts can last a lifetime both for the giver and receiver. They can be a source of fun, comfort, beauty, and charity for both parties. While you could get away with socks and ties with a grateful thanks, the above ideas are sure to have him gushing with appreciation long past the holiday season is over.