BOY TOYS...Part I

You walk outside of your home…You can feel it in the air…Its everywhere you turn… — the holidays are here! That means let the shopping begin! For some, the exercise in trying to gauge just what someone on your list might like best is fun. But for the guys on your list? —Stepping outside the gadget box and finding that genuine gift can be very stressful. So this week, I decided to do all of you a favor. This week's posting is a little lesson in how to buy for those who you care for, and the things he will not only use or like, but things that will make him tingle all the way down to the tips of his toes. The end result? You’ll be appreciated even more.

• Do your research. Now I don’t mean go running to the Internet to find the latest, hottest, item on everyone’s top ten list (although that might be helpful). But in this case, it means talk to close friends. The man has a tight circle of insiders. They know what's on his list. They know in what color. They know in what size. Which edition of the Jordans, and what video games he lacks in his collection.
• Pay attention. Very rarely do they drag you on extended shopping trips, so when you are out shopping with him, play very close attention to the things that he picks up and categorize them. Listen to the stories he tells you and the interests that he had as a child and try to pick a gift that reflects something of his interest.
• Try shopping online. Most men are highly acclimated to the cyber world and get excited about new technologies…and what better way to get the latest gadgets than online? Most online retailers offer the most up-to-date information on different gadgets and tech toys. If he spends a lot of time in his car, a satellite radio subscription and receiver might be a good idea. If he throws a lot of parties a new stereo or surround sound system might be in order. As long as you have good reason — and therefore put sufficient thought — into the gift, you'll be safe in this category.
• No gift cards. Not today. Not ever. That thought thing is the reason for my personal ban on gift cards of all sorts. Yes, I know they're failsafe. But these days, when pretty much every supermarket has a rack of gift cards (Home Depot, Starbucks, iTunes, whatever you want, chances are it's there) these little pieces of plastic spell cop-out to me.
• Finally, no pouting if they return something. Here's the bottom line: they'd love you to buy them something that they truly love, they could assemble tonight, use tomorrow, and show off to their friends. But if you miss-understand that, they will do their best to give you ample credit for trying. Chalk it up to practice makes perfect. And know that if you need to take back the Cashmere sweater set you spent time and effort picking out, we'll understand. Really. We will.