Holiday Gift Ideas for Men

Finding the perfect holiday gift for women seems relatively straightforward. There are always the staples – jewelry, clothes, perfume, designer accessories, or items associated with their favorite hobbies. Finding the perfect present for that special guy can be daunting. Here are a few holiday gift ideas for men to please any Southern gentleman.

Holiday Gift Ideas

Growing up in the South, I fondly recall many beautifully wrapped packages carefully placed under two decorated Christmas trees. In our house, wrapped presents were opened after Christmas Eve dinner. These were presents exchanged between family members and close friends.

Santa delivered our most significant and anticipated gifts sometime between 1:00 and 5:30 am on Christmas morning. Santa’s gifts, requested through a letter mailed to the North Pole in early December, were arranged neatly beside the fireplace. There, the jolly-ole-fellow knocked down a glass of milk and a few cookies before exiting through a smoldering, smoke-filled fireplace. And for the record, Santa doesn’t wrap his gifts.

But let’s not take on that debate here. Whether you wrap or want to whisper gift ideas in Santa’s ear, let’s focus on holiday gift-giving for your favorite guy.

Before assembling this list, I spent several hours reading through a few dozen articles. One provided a list of “79 Best Gift Ideas for Men in 2023.” Another, “63 Best Last-Minute Christmas Gifts.” Yet another headline read, “53 Best Christmas Gifts for Men 2023.”

I assume these writers conducted their SEO research and discovered that by listing dozens of options, their articles would rank high on search engine pages. My list is less comprehensive because I’m a one-person operation. Nonetheless, my crack team of researchers (me) assembled a short list of holiday gift ideas that any Southern man should enjoy – especially me.

Apparel

Peter Millar

This suggestion is tricky since I prefer to purchase clothing items myself. Still, apparel is a highly gifted Christmas present. While writing a recent article on fall vests, I came across the “Looks of the Season” page on Peter Millar’s website.

Here, you’ll find style recommendations for a variety of outfits. Items range from shirts to vests and sweaters, trousers, and footwear. Peter Millar products are well-made and stylish. Another brand I like include Southern Tide, who offer discounts to military, teachers, first responders, and health care providers. 

Lululemon

Yes, I thought the same for years. Isn’t Lululemon for women only? I visited a Lululemon store and purchased a pair of ABC Slim-Fit 5 Pocket Utiltech pants at my daughter’s recommendation. I love them. They’re comfortable, stylish, and available in various fits and colors. I’ll be purchasing several more pairs soon. If you want to gift me a pair, I’m a 34 waist with a 32-inch inseam. Thank you!

Jewerly

Men have limited jewelry options. Outside of a wedding ring, a nice watch makes an excellent gift and addition to any gentleman’s collection. I realize that most men dream of owning a Rolex. However, there are many outstanding options at much lower prices. If you’re shopping for a new Rolex at a local jewelry store, be prepared to wait about a year and a half for delivery.

Watches

When my son graduated with his Masters in Accounting this past spring, I presented him with a Hamilton Automatic Navy Scuba watch ($845 retail).

RELATED: A Southern Man’s Guide to Men’s Watches

Like most young men today, he wasn’t accustomed to wearing a watch. Although I wanted the gift to be a surprise, I called to inquire about his interest in owning and wearing a nice watch. To my delight, he loved the idea. This watch is an excellent entry into quality timepieces. His grandfather will ultimately gift him a gold Rolex, so he’s become interested in watches and plans to add other pieces to his collection.

If you want to stay below $500, then Tissot offers a wonderful line of quality men’s watches. FYI, Tissot and Hamilton are owned by the same Swiss company. Check out the Tissot PR 100 Quartz watch for under $300.

For a more budget-friendly option, the Invicta Pro Diver Automatic 89260B with a Stainless Steel band is under $100 and has positive reviews.

Bracelets

Several years ago, my daughter gave me beaded bracelet. At about the same time, my good friend, Dawn Ann Ritter, who owns Moo Country boutique in Leiper’s Fork, TN, sold me a horsehair bracelet. Today, I incorporate a variety of beaded and leather bracelets into my daily wardrobe.

Nashville-based Cindy David Designs, offers custom-designed brackets for men, and women. Her prices are reasonable and the service is excellent. Order early for Christmas delivery.

Wine & Spirits

Gifting an outstanding bottle of wine, bourbon, or tequila makes a wonderful present for any gentleman. However, securing a bottle of top-quality bourbon can be tricky since the most popular bourbons are allocated and difficult to find. Plus, only some spirits or wines are available everywhere.

RELATED: How to Secure Premium Allocated Bourbons

I recommend locating a retail wine and spirit shop with a knowledgeable staff that can provide several recommendations. NOTE: Don’t waltz into a retail store and immediately ask for an allocated bourbon, i.e., Blanton’s, Pappy Van Winkle, etc., without first engaging the staff in conversation. These products are typically reserved for their best customers. However, if you spend enough, you too can make that coveted list.

Regardless, many bourbons are readily available. Horse Solider Single Barrel, Yellowstone, and Whistle Pig Rye are excellent choices.

RELATED: ’12 Strong’ to Horse Soldier Bourbon

Stemware

If you can’t find the appropriate wine or spirit, a set of quality stemware makes a wonderful gift. Bourbon glasses or wine glasses from Riedel are my recommendations. A special thanks for an artist friend in the Atlanta area for this recommendation.

Man-Cave Accessories

For the gentleman fortunate enough to have his own “man-cave,” decorative items make a practical gift.

Man cave accessories include bar fixtures, stemware, furniture such as bar stools, recliners, sofas, and other decorative accessories that reflect your favorite guy’s hobbies and sports teams.

Monthly Coffee Subscription

Practically every man stumbles out of bed and drinks a cup of coffee every morning. For the coffee purist in your life, a monthly coffee subscription keeps on giving year-around.

Pelham, Alabama-based Non-Fiction Coffee offers a flexible subscription program that highlights both single-origin and blended coffees. Single-origin subscriptions begin at $17 per month and they offer over a dozen varieties of organic sourced coffee from around the globe.

Finding the right holiday gift for your favorite guy is simple. One of these gift ideas will surely please the Southern gentleman in your life.