And now for the gents in our lives: husbands, boyfriends, dads, close friends. My favorite picks.
I have purchased many-an-awesome manly gift from American Made Co. They have an excellently curated selection of “guy’s guy” picks (among other things, I gave my brother a pocket knife from here that he cherishes and Mr. Magpie a pair of high-quality yardwork gloves that he swears by — big, big hits); this year, these Elkskin Chopper Mitts ($98) caught my eye for the gents in my life who, like myself, live in an unbearable frozen tundra for the majority of the year. The site has this to say: “From the Penobscot down to the Delaware, chopper mitts were once the staple of every outdoorsman and lumberjack in the northeast – they provided exceptional warmth and protection for entire days spent in the frigid cold.” I mean…
When in doubt, Patagonia. I’ve bought several windbreakers and vests and other outdoorsy goods from here when in a pinch. They always go over well. I love this retro-x fleece ($199) because it looks, well, retro.
Ah, a man and his fire. Mr. Magpie is never happier than when he’s standing in front of his Weber kettle grill, beer in hand, doting over a nice ribeye. A couple great staples to pick up for a grill enthusiast (especially a relative new convert):
+the best grilling tongs (OXO, $20 — comes with a spatula thing, too; Mr. Magpie uses these all the time since the tongs are extralong so you can protect your hand from the heat);
+Weber chimney starter ($15 — for charcoal grillers only…Mr. Magpie is something of a purist on this topic and a staunch devotee of a classic charcoal grill…incidentally, if your man does not yet have a kettle grill ($99), this would be an EPIC gift…can you imagine it propped up under the tree with a big red bow?!?!?);
+silicon basting brush (or 4 — this set comes with 4, and I’m now realizing I’m jealous because there are many occasions where we need more than one — $8);
+thermapen meat thermometer ($108+ depending on color — THE BEST; used constantly in our house, grilling and not; never eat overcooked, rubbery chicken again!);
+Steve Raichlen’s How to Grill ($15 — The Bible for Grilling; Mr. Magpie’s version is so dog-eared and well-loved that the pages are coming out and it’s overly sticky and stained from over a decade of solid use…in short, this is Mr. Magpie’s dictionary for grilling. It has great tips on technique and classic recipes).
I have had at least 5-6 girlfriends ask me what kind of briefcase to buy their husbands/fiances/boyfriends. It’s SUCH a great gift–just the sort of thing men think they don’t need, but then absolutely wear into the ground. (Sorta like slippers and a robe. If you’ve not yet bought these for your man, try it. They may resist at first — “Oh I don’t need a robe, that’s girly” — but slowly but surely you’ll find them maxing out in it on the reg.) My top few picks:
+The Filson Original Briefcase ($325, shown below). Most men love this since it looks a little hardier and more masculine/outdoorsy than the word “briefcase” might suggest. They wear well and I love the whole “River Runs Through It” vibe I get when I see them.
+Mr. Magpie has carried a brown leather Coach briefcase ($395) his parents gave him for about 12 years. It was a gift when he was taking his first post-college job. It lasted and lasted and lasted and seemed to only increase in attractiveness with a lovely patina developing over time. (Ahem, and then we got Tilden and she shredded part of a buckle…) But they are really beautiful bags and they don’t scream the Coach label. Just a decent, solid, well-constructed case.
+Tumi makes insanely awesome luggage, and I’ve heard great things about their briefcases ($325) as well.
+If money is no object, this is stunning.
+This, to me, is the best-looking briefcase out there. It’s pricey ($895) but you can get it emblazoned with his monogram and then pass it along to future sons. Gorgggggeeeee.
These wireless bluetooth earbuds ($82+ depending on color) were one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. Mr. Magpie bought me a ton of awesome running gear (including a running watch!) last year, and the earbuds were life-changing! Great, great gift for a runner.
Speaking of gadgets, the latest generation of Apple TV ($149) would be a pret-ty cool surprise under the tree.
This ain’t Mr. Magpie’s steez (he does yardwork in Sperrys), but if your man is a hipster cool dude with an epic sneaker collection, Golden Goose is supah hot right now, and you’d score major points with a pair of these ($530).
A pair of classic Ray Ban Wayfarers ($140) is foolproof — or, if he’s more of an aviator dude, these ($200), also RayBans. On the more upscale end of the spectrum, check out Persols — Mr. Magpie owns this exact pair ($300). This is the style that Steve McQueen wore…#HOT.
Mr. Magpie flips over this coffee thermos ($28) from Japanese brand Zojirushi (also makes a great rice cooker apparently). It keeps beverages PIPING hot, never leaks, and just looks cool.
And if your man is a coffee snob like mine, consider gifting him all the tools he’ll need for pourover. Mr. Magpie is OBSESSED. We have the Bonavita electric kettle ($82, I use this CONSTANTLY for my tea addiction), and then picked up the Kalita ceramic dripper ($23), filters ($9), and this glass pourer ($20). If you are new to pour overs, you’ll need a grinder to grind your own beans (we have this one — burr grinders are preferred since they don’t burn the beans when they grind!) unless you buy them pre-ground and a food scale, too. P.S. Word to the wise: if you’re ever in doubt about what brand of gadget to get, consult The Sweet Home / Wirecutter (sister sites). Also a great source for gift ideas! And, yes, this is a lot of equipment for a cup of coffee, but it’ll be the best damn cup of coffee you ever had! Of course, you’ll need to get some good local beans to get the full effect. Here in Chicago, we love Intelligentsia and Metropolis beans.
There is nothing more timeless than a cashmere cable knit sweater (on sale for $279) for the holidays. If your dude isn’t the type to wear this kind of preppy sweater, consider an upscale pair of jeans (a good friend of mine just got her husband Frames and he loves them — $205).
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