| Men are notoriously hard to buy presents for, no | | | | men go weak at the knees at the mention of |
| matter how creative you are in everyday life. It is | | | | cartography. But most men like clothes and they |
| all too easy to draw a blank when thinking about | | | | are always useful. |
| what your husband, brother, granddad or uncle | | | | An obsession with clothes is often quite unfairly |
| might like for Christmas. Conventional 'masculine | | | | attributed to women, but most modern men will |
| gifts' proliferate from September onwards in | | | | admit to taking a keen interest in what they |
| many shops, promoting aftershave, novelty gifts | | | | wear. After all, people judge us on our sartorial |
| and power tools as 'must have' items. The card | | | | arrangements and first impressions are important |
| section is little better, assuming that your man | | | | - whether those first impressions are to impress |
| likes rude jokes and is obsessed with cars - or | | | | a boss or a prospective girlfriend. Buying clothes |
| possibly trains. Such marketing is meant to shape | | | | or clothing accessories can let your man know |
| interest as well as satisfy it. | | | | that you have taken the trouble to observe what |
| Women find themselves bombarded with | | | | he likes and have discovered his correct size. It |
| chocolate, underwear and perfume, but at least | | | | might also amuse him to imagine you flicking |
| these are all fairly useful, whereas a novelty | | | | through rows of men's clothing. After all, he has |
| corkscrew is likely to be quickly relegated to a | | | | probably been taken on enough female shopping |
| kitchen drawer, never to been seen again. Most | | | | trips to think that some kind of payback is in |
| people are aware of the subtlety of advertising | | | | order. |
| and expectations, but it is surprising how invidious | | | | Mens clothing gifts also have the advantage of |
| they can be; before you know it, you are walking | | | | being as expensive or as cheap as you choose. |
| out of a DIY store with a gift-wrapped electric | | | | For your uncle, a great slim-line tie in a reserved |
| screwdriver. After all, with Christmas looming you | | | | shade of blue might be fitting; for your husband, a |
| rationalise that you might not get another chance | | | | trendy biker jacket might be the perfect - and |
| to buy something suitable. | | | | unexpected - present. Instead of politely thanking |
| Some businesses realise that women - or other | | | | you for a digital radio, which isn't made by the |
| men - need help and are retailing more unusual | | | | 'right' company, he is faced with a great coat that |
| items such as adventure days out or quality | | | | he can wear for New Year's parties. |
| reproductions of intriguing old maps. However, | | | | But what If you do get it wrong? Well most |
| these are for the specialist because not every | | | | shops offer exchanges or refunds if that daring |
| man wishes to go bungee jumping, no matter | | | | gift idea is not quite the thing, thus eliminating any |
| what he might say to his friends, and only certain | | | | risk. Just remember to keep the receipt! |