Instead of worrying what to buy each other for Valentine’s Day, use our list of helpful suggestions. That way you can focus on what’s important, and that is celebrating your love for each other.
Here is a guide to boyfriend gifts at any point in your relationship.
New couple
If you’ve only been dating for a couple months, treat him to a round of drinks or an outing to a corny place like a bowling alley or laser tag. This is an opportunity to show off your fun side, and not focus as much on “love”.
Exclusive
If you and your new beau are now exclusive, but he hasn’t said those three words yet, you can’t go wrong with lingerie. Scour the racks to find an elegant ensemble that isn’t all itchy lace and garter straps. A cute pair of satin boy shorts and an embellished bra will do the trick.
If lingerie isn’t your thing, treat your man to a romantic at-home date set up with his favourite take out and a luxe bottle of wine.
Another good gift option is something for his kitchen. Whether he is a chef or not, every man will love having a countertop smoker where he can make bacon taste even better, if that’s even possible. You can also set him up with a mini retro bar cart. Visit IKEA or a thriftshop to find a rolling table, and pick up a classic martini shaker, whiskey glasses and cool coasters. Bonus points if you find quirky coasters that relate to you, his interests or your neighbourhood.
1 Year +
Now that you’ve said your “i love yous” and been together for a year or more, you can find a gift that will show how much you love him. A retro record player, complete with a set of vinyls from his favourite bands is a thoughtful gift. Every guy loves music, so this is a great option if you’re a little stuck on what to get him.
If he’s into cars, a great gift would be to give him a luxury car rental for a day. Whether he uses it to arrive at his brother’s wedding in style, or go on a romantic road trip with you is up to him, but thing is for sure: boys love their toys, and he’ll love being spoiled by you.
If he’s ever dreamed of starting a new hobby, (say horseback riding, sailing, kayaking), this is a great opportunity to allow him to explore a new passion. Track Groupon for special activity deals, or gift him with equipment or a gift certificate so that he can get a jump on starting his new hobby. Whether he sticks to it or not, he’ll be grateful you are in tune with his interests and will support his dreams, even if there’s no chance he’ll be the next pro long boarder.
Long term
Gift-giving at this stage can be either really easy or difficult to please. You’re accustomed to his tastes, but after a couple rounds of Christmas and birthday presents, your ideas are running dry. If it’s in your budget, surprise him with a surprise weekend getaway to have a chance to celebrate your love and create new memories instead of waiting a couple hours to get seated on Valentine’s Day dinner. Visit a winery or craft brewery and make sure to bring home some bottles to keep in the fridge to remember your time together.
Classic gifts like a nice watch are always welcome, but this time, offer him a different style. Oversized faces with two aviator dial styles are popular, while pops of rose gold or colour are also creeping their way into mens’ watch trends. It has been said that a watch isn’t a good gift to give your love because it puts a “time” on your relationship, but if you’re not superstitious, it can be a practical and elegant gift. Take it up a notch by engraving a sweet message or date on the back. He’ll truly be wearing your heart on his sleeve.
