Christmas Gift Ideas for Boys and Men

Christmas gift buying can be fun if you know where to start looking. It can be difficult to buy for the opposite sex whether you are close to the person or not. Let's face it, guys like different stuff than women. This Christmas gift idea guide will get you pointed in the right direction when shopping for the perfect Christmas gift for a boy or man.

Christmas Gifts for Young Boys (toddler - 6yrs)

Young boys are the easiest of all groups when it comes to choosing gifts. The box alone will usually provide hours of curious discovery and then, of course, trying to reinsert the toy after it has been released. The older boys will tire faster with the wrapping fascination and want more substance, so move on to toys that are nearly indestructible, yet somehow come apart on purpose.

Tough toys:Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, LEGO's

Video games: Leap Frog

Mario Super Smash Brothers Brawl (WII), WII Sports (WII), Family Party: 30 Great Games (WII), M&M Adventures (WII, PS2, DS)

DVDs: Cars, Thomas the Train, Bob the Builder, Finding Nemo, The Lion King, Horton Heres a Who, The Care Bears Big Wish Movie, Wonder Pets, Fraggle Rock Complete Collection, Kung Fu Panda

Christmas Gifts for Tween Boys (7-12 yrs)

Luckily at this age boys have not yet developed a disdain for their parents, so gifts are still appreciated. Preteen boys are often mimicking older boys and want video games and sporting equipment. Try to choose games that encourage movement and hand/eye coordination to keep the kids in physical shape and help develop coordination. While socks and underwear are not greatly appreciated, a gift to open is huge at this age so if they need them, wrap them up!

Video games: Mario Super Smash Bros. Brawl (WII), Sports, Mario Party 8 (WII), Banjo-Kazooie (XBox 360), My Fitness Coach (WII), Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars (WII), Dairy Queen Tycoon (PC/MAC), Sonic Unleashed (PS3), Left Brain Right Brain 2 (DS)

DVDs: Iron Man, Spiderman, The Longshots, The Mummy Trilogy, Aqua-Teen Hunger Force, Wall-E, Superman Doomsday, Kung Fu Panda

Board games: Stratego, Monopoly, Battleship

Christmas Gifts for Teen Boys (13-19yrs)

When shopping for the full fledged young man remember that they no longer need anyone for anything (or so they believe). The very best gift for the teen boy is a fistful of gift cards. This way they can pull 'money' out of their wallet and buy the game they want themselves. Gift cards also allow them to take a friend out (without borrowing money from you first), and feel more like an adult. Vary the amount and stores where the gift cards come from so they can shop with friends at the mall and not be tied to one store. One thing boys of this age do not like to buy with their friends is safety equipment. Buy the safe stuff and wrap it with a gift card to the local skateboard/snowboard shop so they can choose their own board!

Anything that helps with social standing is also welcomed by young men. Suddenly personal appearance usually starts to matter! Cologne, hair and personal body products, even contact lens/supplies are appropriate for these young men.

Electronics: MP3 player, Ipod, Palm Centro (phone)

Video games: Left 4 Dead, My Fitness Coach WII, Rise of the Argonauts (XBox 360, PC, PS3), The Tale of Depereaux (PS3)

DVDs: Iron Man, Chronicles of Narnia, Step Brothers, The Dark Knight, I Am Legend, The Mummy Trilogy, Tropic Thunder, Hancock

Gift cards: Best Buy, cool local shops, Scheel's Sporting Goods, Amazon.com, Visa

Christmas Gifts for Men (20+)

By the time young men start to reach maturity, they usually find that basic items do cost money. This is the age where you can get back to basics with gift ideas! Socks and underwear can be a godsend for a young man just stepping into the world on their own. They are happy not to spend their own money on such things. For individual gift ideas try to remember what they have complained about spending money on throughout the year.

For married men or men living in a family home, think about the gifts that give them time to themselves. This could be a golf day, or a mini vacation all alone (or with male friends).

Electronics: Tom Tom, Garmin, Alpine PND-K3, Mio Knight Rider, Navigon 2000S, 2200T, and 7200T, Sony Nav-U NV-U44, NV-U74T, and NV94T

Video games: Left 4 Dead, Mass Effect, Braid, Silent Hill 4: The Room, Amber: Journeys Beyond, Final Fantasy Tactics, Indigo Prophecy (Fahrenheit), Planescape: Torment, Bioshock, Half Life, Police Quest

Vacation packages: Golf, Hunting, Fishing, Camping