2017 Holiday Gift Guide for Dudes

The chefs/domestic enthusiasts and the beauty fanatics are covered on the holiday present front, but I left out a very important category of giftees: DUDES. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always found shopping for men to be slightly more difficult than shopping for women. Is it just that they’re less open about the things they want? Or they don’t get as pumped about receiving a new pair of leggings or a hundredth candle as I do? Whatever the reason, finding the perfect present for dads, brothers, roommates, and lovahhhhs can be a bitch, so I thought we’d round out this week’s trio of gift guides with a boss list of presents for the dudes in your life.

(Are you having as much fun with gift guide week as I am??! Don’t answer that.)

From the comfiest pair of ninja pants to the most coveted cooler on the market, I’m hoping you’ll find a little something fun/fabulous/special for the men you love below. For the record, all of these items are either things that I have successfully gifted to my favorite dudes in the past or products that my roommate fanboys over (and insisted I include when we “collaborated” on this guide).

Oh, and to the dudes reading this—if there’s anything on this list you’re lusting after, send this guide to your friends and family, stat. They’re probs stressed about shopping for you…

Domesticate ME!’s Holiday Gift Ideas for Dudes:

1. PI Movement Ninja Pants. Perfect for couch chilling, layering over gym shorts in ze colder months, or wearing on the mean streets of your city/town, these super soft ninja pants are the most comfortable casual wear of all time. Plus, the company puts 3.14(pi)% of each purchase toward building “movement parks” for adults and kids to encourage movement, meditation, and a mantra of “never stop playing.” I dig that. (p.s. These come in monochromatic styles as well if you prefer something slightly more understated.)
2. Bloody Mary Mix. If you know a dude that appreciates a good bloody, this mix is straight fire. If you want to get creative, you could put a couple bottles in a box with his favorite vodka and some monogrammed pint glasses and rimming salt. Just throwing that out there…
3. Salt Lick BBQ. For a barbecue fetishist, there’s nothing quite like getting giant box of heady meats and sauces from one of the finest BBQ joints in Texas delivered to your doorstep. My roommate would like me to tell you “not to fuck around and get the family pack,” which includes brisket, ribs, smoked turkey and three barbecue sauces.
4. Birddogs Gym Shorts. The dudes in my life swear by these bad boys for their comfort, versatility, and sweat-wicking prowess, and personally, I think they’re pretty good looking for athletic shorts. Highly recommend for exercise and outdoor enthusiasts. https://www.birddogs.com/collections/the-gym-shorts
5. Beats Pill. As far as portable speakers go, the Pill is the crème de la crème. It’s boss enough to be used as a home speaker, but I love it for picnicking, tailgating, porch hanging, and any other outdoor activity you can think of.
6. Rao’s Cookbook. Packed with old school Italian comfort food, this cookbook is a classic. And while it’s not exactly Dude Diet-friendly, it’s full off excellent ideas for No-Calorie Sunday feasts…
7. Yeti Collegiate Cooler. Yeti is the Ferrari of coolers, and if you’re willing to shell out, you’re likely to make your giftee the happiest dude on the planet. You can now also get your cooler customized with a college logo. Some people are into that.
8. Double-Wall Beer Glasses. These double-walled, mouth-blown glasses (hehe) keep beers chilled and look pretty sweet on your bar. Consider getting two or three sets if your dude likes to entertain. (I obviously use that word loosely. Drinking beers on the couch with friends counts.)
9. Morrison Hotel Gallery Prints/Art Books. With prints of all sizes (and in all price ranges) and a variety of art books featuring musicians, the Morrison Hotel Gallery is a one-stop shop for music and photography fans. (Every year, my roommate and I give ourselves a joint present from here, and we’ve now got everyone from Eddie Vedder to Bruce on our walls.) If you’re in NYC, go pop into the actual gallery in Soho!!
10. Honest Beauty Deep Hydration Cream. I know this may seem slightly out of place on a gift guide for dudes, but hear me out. Men deserve good moisturizer too, and this one is a winner. It’s actually the moisturizer I use in the morning, but after Logan started stealing it on the reg because “it just felt so good,” I decide to get him his own. He now uses it daily, and although he may not have noticed, it has def made his skin noticeably softer and reduced redness/inflammation, especially post-shave.
11. Tickets. This one’s a little vague, I know, but tickets to a concert, game, or class are one of the most epic presents you can give. Give a little thought to what the dude in question loves most—a team, a band, an activity—do a little research on what’s available in your area, and snag some tix.
12. The Dude Diet!!!!! Inspired by a dude and written for dudes and the people who love them, this book is the ultimate holiday present for men. (I’m only mildly biased.) I’m also doing a little Dude Diet giveaway on Instagram, so be sure to check in there later today if you’d like to enter to win a signed copy and some sick koozies.