Holiday Gifts Your Boyfriend Will Love

This holiday season, almost everyone is a little tighter on cash than in previous years. That means I want everything I give and receive to have a purpose and do more than just look nice. When you're shopping, go for reliability, creativity with a personal touch, and no-fuss. I'm gonna help you make the most of your dollar with a cool gift that's functional too. Sorry, ladies - you're skipping the framed picture of yourself this year!

YouBars I love love love this company! YouBar lets you to make and name your own protein bars that are tailored to your taste buds. It's great for the super health conscious or someone who has food allergies, because they'll be able to know exactly what's in them. They offer 3 different kinds of protein, you can add fiber, spirulina powder, nuts, dried fruit, honey and agave, chocolate and other spices, and grains and the list goes on. The best part is, if your bar comes to you and tastes dreadful, it's no problem. Just send it back and you can make a new batch.

My favorite gift set is the Deluxe Gift Set which sells for $54.99. It comes with a gift card for one box of 13 YouBars or YouShakes, and 6 samples of each to give you some idea of what you'd like to taste in your own.

I bought this for my boyfriend last Christmas and it was such a hit, he now buys a batch of bars regularly.

Peruse the site! The concept of YouBar is impossible not to love.

The new iPod Nano
Apple has added a lot of very cool new features to this new generation of iPods. This version is now outfitted with a video camera (!) that will shoot in landscape or portrait, a pedometer, a voice recorder, FM radio, the ability to tag your favorite songs from said radio (no more sitting in iTunes going, "My milkshake something something? Maybe if I type in a phrase from the song it'll show up...") to make iTunes purchasing easier, a voice memo recorder, and to top it all off, it comes in nine vivid colors. It's slimmer, sleeker, and is a great and thoughtful upgrade for someone who has an older generation or even someone who's never had an iPod before. For $150 (that includes everything you need - headphones, charger, and software.), this is a stellar gift and a great splurge for a lower budget.

The Bose SoundDock 10 Digital Music System
Point blank - this is an awesome gift. He'll feel like it's Christmas, his birthday and Megan Fox's birthday all rolled into one. And let's face it, we've all been working hard this year, especially since the economy took a plunge. So if it's within your budget and you want to spoil your love, here's your chance. Bose delivers impeccably sharp sound in a product that's quality, reliable, and will certainly stand the test of time.

For $599, the SoundDock will replace your current sound system and deliver clearer sound than you thought possible. I've found that it's better than live music in my living room, and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who disagrees.

Sports or concert tickets
He watched The Notebook with you I don't know how many times, and I'm sure he'd love it if you accompanied him to a ball game or the Lord of the Rings symphony tour. Okay, I may have pushed a little too far with the LOTR thing, but you get my meaning! Us girls know how much it means when our guy goes out of his comfort zone to make us happy, so why not return the favor?

Tickets don't have to blow your bank either. Shop around and ask some friends and co-workers if they have any available. You'd be surprised who's willing to let you in on some box seats.

Socks, underwear, and undershirts.

Alright, this one's for extra credit (DISCLAIMER: Definitely not an option for a new relationship). Ladies, we all know that convincing your man of the importance of buying new underwear more than once a decade is impossible. It can't be done. It's like explaining heaven to a bear.

So do yourselves both a favor and sneak it in as an "I'm-joking-but-not-really" gift.

My favorites come from Banana Republic, Perry Ellis, and Target.

Hopefully you've at least found some inspiration from these ideas. Happy shopping and let me know how it turns out!