Best Gifts for Husbands, Boyfriends and Lovers

We women often complain that our men aren't romantic. And then we buy them a tie and a wrench set for Christmas. If you want to light your man's romantic fire this holiday season, you need the right fuel. Here are great gifts for husbands, boyfriends and lovers.

I've said this to men buying gifts for wives and girlfriends, and I'll repeat it to women buying gifts for husbands and boyfriends: do not buy gifts that represent work (aka, tools). Do you want him to buy you a vacuum for Christmas? Also, do not buy your man a gift that you want him to use, but he will hate (aka a tie, tickets to the opera). Do you want him to give you season passes to the Possum Lodge Beer-a-thon? The best way to shop for your guy is to get inside his head. What does he like? What are his interests? Personalize your gifts to your special man's special interests. There is nothing so romantic to a guy as a women who knows him intimately and is willing to cater a little to his interests.

Here is an example. My husband is a vintage British motorcycle enthusiast. I would like nothing more than to park a shiny chrome BSA A-65 Lightening in our driveway with keys dangling from the ignition. Since I cannot do that, I hunted up less expensive gifts. I searched Ebay, Barnes and Noble and Amazon for books on BSA motorcycle restoration. I tracked down BSA tee-shirts from hole-in-the-wall chop shops and importers. I subscribed him to Vintage Cycle magazine. I had to research a bit and enlist the aid of our sons to find out specifically what model, make and year motorcycles dad liked best. It took a little effort to find some of the items because they had to be ordered from the UK. But I thoroughly enjoyed bargaining for little treasures that I knew my guy would enjoy. And I made some interesting contacts in the motorcycle world with large, long-haired, tattooed men named 'Reg' and 'Zombie'.

I can't give you a specific gift list. You have to do your homework and ferret out, not just what your husband or boyfriend's interests are, but what specifically he would like to add to his collection. It's not just a matter of giving a golfer some golf tees. You have to explore his brand preferences, what he already has, what he needs and where you can find the best products for the most reasonable price. I promise you that the man in your life will love you for it. And after all, isn't he worth it? That gruff, grumpy Mr. Scrooge will turn into the Spirit of Christmas Presents.

For more on holiday giving, saving money and gift selections, visit me at www.thechristmasseason.blogspot.com , www.giftgivingguides.blogspot.com and www.shopchat.blogspot.com .