Though I avoid shopping and am not asking for anything at Christmas except “world peace”, I do have suggestions concerning gift ideas for guys. Having received weird, sometimes embarrassing “useless” gifts in the past, I will pass along some good ideas for Christmas shoppers.

Always a hit at Christmas time, and something a guy can never have enough of – tools! Yes, it’s “tool time” once again. Wrenches, screw drivers, socket sets – and one brand of tools tops the list: Craftsman tools from Sears. These tools are almost indestructible and they come with a great replacement guarantee. Tools top the list for most guys at Christmas time. That is unless they don’t have the need or are not mechanically inclined. We have other suggestions, in no particular order:

Guitar Hero – This depends on the age group, but this is one of the hottest games on the market these days. Try to avoid the stampedes at Wal-Mart though, that can be deadly. The craziness that accompanies the Christmas shopping frenzy came to a head today when one Wal-Mart employee in New York was trampled by shoppers and died. http://www.thedealis.com/2008/11/28/wal-mart-employee-trampled-to-death/

Back to Sears for appliances. I am not a huge fan of Sears, but there are some items that should only be purchased from Sears. I have always felt that the quality of Sears appliances was unequaled. A generous gift of a refrigerator, washer/dryer etc., is best purchased from a store that will back-up that purchase. Sears will be in business six months or a year down the road if there is an issue with the product, other appliance stores may not.

OK, as long as you are still at Sears, about the only other item I can recommend from that store are the “work clothes” or rugged-wear items for men. The Carhartt brand of clothing is quality material at a reasonable price. You won’t find it at Nordstrom. I think we are done with Sears now.

On the subject of clothing, purchasing a gift for guys should be based on “need”, or what the guy will actually wear. A knit scarf may look cute and be a special gift from you to him, but probably will not see the light of day, even on the coldest day of the year during the “perfect (snow) storm”. You may want to consider a gift-card to a nice clothing store instead.

We rule out clothing gifts such as neckties, belts, dress shirts, slacks and of course, suits. There are somethings that have to be worn to get the exact fit, and some tailoring may be necessary. No one likes to stand in line at the “returns” counter after Christmas, so any gift where size is questionable – should be avoided.

Before we leave the topic of clothing, know that clothing should not be “re-gifted”. The idea of “re-gifting” anything, beats “neckties as a gift”, for cheapness. If you don’t think someone is worthy of an actual purchased gift, don’t bother wrapping anything for them this year. “Re-gifting” is a bad idea and if they find out you “re-gifted” an item to them, it will never be forgotten. I’m not saying it ever happened to me… Well, yes, it has happened to me and I think it stinks.

Cologne is nice, but is something that may sit in the medicine cabinet until thrown out years in the future, or after your relationship goes sour. What smells good to you may not wear well on other people. Everybody’s body chemistry is different, and certain colognes may smell better on the test strip than they do on Uncle George. Besides, Uncle George probably still wears Old Spice and prefers it over anything else. It doesn’t hurt to snoop through the medicine cabinet – or just ask, if all else fails.

There are the accessories for men, such as smoking pipes or golf clubs, cuff links or money clips. If you know that one of these gifts will be appreciated by someone who would actually use the item, go for it.

Videos and music – available at many stores and a selection that should satisfy any need, is a simple gift that is usually well received. Just don’t buy a Dixie Chicks or Barbra Streisand CD for an ultra-conservative Republican male. Know your target. A better choice might be a collection of Clint Eastwood flicks, or fall-back to a “gift-card”.

Pinpoint the interests of the subject, such as hobbies or recreational activities for a clue. Anything related to these areas should be a safe bet. Accessories for the Nascar fan, golfer, fisherman, boater, movie fanatic, techie, gardener, or handyman, are things to consider. From the simple player jersey or baseball cap, to season tickets, whatever the pastime, these are clues to gifts you might look for.

Dads are usually easy to buy for, and appreciate any gift. Just try to avoid anything silly or embarrassing. Again, a knit scarf, frilly shirt or Barbra Streisand CDs are out-of-the question, no matter your father’s political bent.

Buying for couples helps you kill two birds with one gift, so to speak. Just keep in mind that, a weed-whacker may be great for him, but she will be miffed at the choice you made. Here again, a gift card, one for each to a store suited for each individual, may be the best option. If they are both drinkers though, a nice Black & Decker blender will do the trick.

Anything from the electronics department to fit his style, would be a winner! From big-screen TVs to digital cameras, most men like gadgets, and never grow out of their fascination for electronics. Men don’t like to ask for directions, so the Garmin GPS receiver makes a great stocking stuffer.

One of our favorite stores is Home Depot. In fact, just about any store with “Depot” as part of the name is a great place to look for gifts this year, with the exception of Baby Depot. A barbecue grill isn’t just for Father’s Day. There is a world of gift ideas for men at the big box hardware stores.

Office Depot can be another place to shop for Christmas gift ideas. If your target works in an office or has a home office, there are probably dozens of items that would fit the bill at Office Depot or Office Max.

Tickets fall in the same category as gift cards and are the answer when nothing else seems to come to mind. This includes tickets to an event, season passes, gift cards to a favorite restaurant or one that would be a new experience. Many of the grocery stores now have “gift card” displays where cards for various stores can be purchased. Our University Place Safeway has a rack of cards for all the major stores you can think of. No need to visit the individual stores, just purchase the cards next time you go grocery shopping. For Uncle George, you can pick up the Old Spice right there at Safeway also. Happy hunting!

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