Couples Advice

It can be hard to know what to buy your boyfriend for his birthday, especially if you’re not used to buying gifts for the opposite sex. How can you find something for that special someone which will be fun and meaningful if you aren’t sure where to start your quest?

Jeannie from Portland, OR writes:
“My boyfriend’s birthday is a month away and I have no clue what to get him. We’ve been dating for nine months, and while our relationship is great, in some ways I don’t feel like I know him all that well yet. I haven’t really gone out with a lot of guys before and I’m used to shopping for my female friends. Somehow I don’t think the same gifts are going to cut it! What on earth do boys like? Certainly not bath products or cute clothes? When I shop for my girlfriends it’s almost automatic. I know they’ll be okay with bath supplies. So I’m not used to having to be this creative with my gifts.”

You’re probably right that you don’t want to get the same gift for your boyfriend that you’d buy for a girlfriend. Then again, you can’t really assume one way or another. After all, men have hygienic needs too and also need clothing—though not the same clothing (or bath products) as women of course. Your boyfriend might be perfectly happy with a nice new shirt or tie, for example.

Try to ask yourself what your boyfriend’s hobbies and interests are, and think about finding a gift which matches one of those themes. Does your boyfriend have a favorite sports team? If so, why not purchase him some memorabilia, or even tickets to a game? What about a favorite band? How about a concert ticket? Does he enjoy films or television? Boxed sets of DVDs make great gifts. What about video games? Games bring endless hours of entertainment and can be fun to play for many years. Does your boyfriend have any special hobbies? You could purchase him new equipment or supplies for whatever he participates in.

You may also decide that you could make a gift for your boyfriend. Gifts which are made by hand take extra effort, which means that effort becomes part of the gift itself. Hand made gifts are sure to impress, and they send a message to your significant other about how important the relationship is to you.

As you can see there really are a lot of ideas you can go with. Shopping for anyone of any gender is largely a question of finding a gift which suits that person and making gender a secondary consideration. Some people think women are easier to shop for because there are so many more products which are marketed directly toward women—but in reality, women usually are happier with personalized gifts, just as men are. If your gift for your boyfriend shows thoughtfulness and attention, then he will surely be very pleased with it.