Picking a Christmas gift for boyfriends can be a difficult task, especially as it often seems that we guys have got everything (which is often the case). Fortunately, we also happen to be fairly easily pleased (hence why we have so much stuff) and there really is a massive variety of gifts you can choose. As an added bonus, unlike the jewellery we guys have to pick out for you, most of our gifts are very hard to get wrong. For instance, a computer game, DVD or book almost always goes down well unless a guy already has them (or you get a computer game for the wrong console – it’s easily done). The problem with these as gifts however is that they don’t really stand out, and as the girlfriend it’s your job to ensure that your gift trumps all others, so what Christmas gift for boyfriends will really stand out?

Well the first thing to consider when buying a Christmas gift for boyfriends, is that it needn’t be something physical as such. Often an experience instead can actually be more memorable and better received than yet another album. So what do I mean by experiences? Well head over to a website that offers gifts and days out and have a browse. One thing you might encounter is a ‘thrill ride’, giving the recipient of the gift voucher the opportunity to drive a top sports or luxury car such as a Ferrari or an Aston Martin (and to take photos of themselves posing by the vehicle for Facebook no doubt). This way you’ve bought them the opportunity to be Bond for a day, and for guys there’s truly no better gift, or for the adrenaline junkies and petrol heads, an opportunity to thrash a superfast vehicle around a track like Schumacher.

For adrenaline junkies there are many more ‘experience’ gifts. Another Christmas gift for boyfriends that will see them hitting some high Gs is ‘sphereing’ or ‘zorbing’ as it’s also know. Here you get harnessed into a giant transparent ball then thrown down a massive hill to roll at high speed to the bottom. It’s not only great fun, but also a great achievement for them to be able to say they survived.

The bungee jump also offers a similar experience and if your boyfriend has a strong stomach this can make an amazingly fun gift. Other variations on this theme are skydiving and indoor skydiving (which you do inside a wind tunnel and is more suitable for the less brave and younger). Slightly tamer (though only slightly) is top ropes that will allow them to balance and swing through the trees like Tarzan. For a more mellow experience at a height though (and one you might even be able to share) you should consider a hot air balloon ride which can make more of a complete day out and a rather romantic experience (some come with a bottle of champagne to share).

Flying seems to be the way forward and other great flying experiences could include microlight flights, helicopter flights, or days where he gets to try flying (something almost any guy would love to have a go at, especially if they’re a fan of Top Gun). You could even get let them experience zero G on the vomit comet – which flies downwards towards the Earth so fast that you begin to float. Not so much a romantic one that last suggestion however – it’s got its name for a reason. A nicer way to experience zero G, and one that really is romantic, is to take them to the edge of space. This is truly a fantastic once in a lifetime opportunity but also represents a fairly serious investment. If you go for that one then your boyfriend is the luckiest guy on the planet (or… ahem… off the planet…).

While none of that might be particularly up your street (though he’s sure to enjoy them) there are other more romantic or pleasant experiences the two of you can share, such as a dinner cruise – where you can share dinner on a boat – which really is high romance; a steam train journey; afternoon tea in a posh restaurant or hotel; or a spot of wine tasting (great if he’s partial to his alcohol (what guy isn’t?)).

Another range of relaxing options comes in the form of spa days, which again is a gift you might be able to muscle in on. Spa days come in many forms and you can buy him just a massage, facial or day in a health club; or alternatively the entire works to get him feeling as pampered and relaxed as possible. Even though it might sound a bit girly, guys actually appreciate this sort of thing as much as you girls. On a similar theme you could get them a photo shoot from a top photo studio, or one for the two of you. This often comes with pampering aspects as well as the photo shoot itself (though you often have to buy the actual photographs) and it’s sure to appeal to his narcissistic side (plus if you buy a couples’ shoot he gets to enjoy the benefit of being with you when you’ve had your makeup and hair done professionally). At the other end of the spectrum, one which you might not be able to enjoy quite so much could be tickets to a sports match. Either to see a game he’d like to see (his favourite team playing a hot rival for example) or to something unusual that he may not have experienced such as boxing, wrestling or formula one. If you want to earn serious brownie points however you can go one step further too and buy him a season ticket which will enable him to see every match his team play in that year both home and away.

If these ideas are leaving you dry, or they seem a bit too outside the box, then there are lots of days out probably in your area that he will probably enjoy at far less expense. A trip to the zoo for example is something that everyone can enjoy, as is a visit to a theme park. I recently went to a safari/zoo with my girlfriend (Longleat) and that was a really great experience for us both. I, as most guys I believe, would absolutely love a trip to Monkey World or Lego Land (PC World isn’t quite the same by the way).

More standard (and mature) days out could be a nice meal, or a weekend break in a hotel. Even a short holiday would make a great gift if you can afford it, either to get away from the cold winter weather or to take it to extremes. My girlfriend and I are going to stay in a log cabin over Christmas in Austria, which has potential to be the most romantic experience we could possibly have (and I intend to have a Rocky 4 style training montage in the snow one of the days) and that’s not even that expensive at £17 a night (I know!) and no plane journey as we intend to drive.

Other great gifts that break the mould slightly are a subscription to his favourite magazine which is a gift that keeps on giving for a very long time; or something that he doesn’t get to see. What do I mean by that? Well for example you could name a star after him, buy him a foot of land to give him ‘Lord’ status, or adopt a pet for him (try and pick his favourite animal). These are exciting gifts that are really great for those who love to live life and own a part of something that goes a bit bigger than the latest Coldplay album. Or, if you do want to could go with something more traditional, you could pick something that has more value such as an mp3 player or watch. The latter two are great as they’re not only gifts, but accessories too, and things that he’ll use a lot of the time. Watches in particular for guys hold a special status as the only piece of jewellery a lot of us wear and something that makes a statement about who we are. Make sure if you do go for a watch then that it’s one you’ve chosen carefully and don’t skimp on the cost – otherwise he’ll be forced to wear something that makes him look cheap for a good few months. If you want to give it an extra personalised touch you could always get it inscribed with a message too.

Mack LeMouse

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