10 Christmas gifts for men that always go down a treat

Searching for the perfect Christmas present for dad, partner, son or brother? Here are 10 great Christmas presents for men

Shopping for men is notoriously difficult. Some pretend they don’t want anything, others say “anything at all, surprise me”. The lack of direction can be frustrating – especially when you don’t want them to spend Christmas day disappointed.

With that in mind, we’ve tracked down 10 Christmas gifts for men that always go down a treat. They are…

1. Comedy gig tickets

Not only will tickets to a comedy gig be a great gift for him (not to mention something to look forward to in dreary January), but it’s something you can both enjoy together. Acts including Jason Byrne, Pat Shortt and Neil Delamere are just some of the big names performing around Ireland next month. Snoop around Ticketmaster for upcoming comedy shows in your area.

2. The Mondello Park Driving Experience

If the man in your life loves all things cars and F1, treat him to a voucher for Ireland’s only international-standard racetrack.

The Motor Race Experience involves a classroom briefing, then he’ll hop into a race-prepared saloon car with an instructor who will show him racing-driver techniques to get around the track quickly (and safely). After some instruction laps, he’ll be strapped into a Formula Sheane single-seater racing car for the drive of his life.

Want to suss out his interest? The team from Mondello Park has a pop-up shop on South Anne Street, Dublin 2, with F1 simulators available seven days a week until Christmas Eve. Perhaps drop it into conversation with him or stop during your next shopping trip.

3. Ray-Bans

A pair of classic aviators from Ray-Ban is something on every man’s wish list – whether it’s Christmas or not. These ones are €142, but there are a variety of styles and colours at different price-points from ray-ban.com/ireland.

4. Towelling robe

Nothing says Christmas like new cosy loungewear. Why not treat the man in your life to a luxurious towelling robe? This yellow Christy option from Arnotts offers comfort and style with a shawl collar and cut velour finish (€67.50). Or if you fancy something richer, this kimono robe by Boss features contrast piping, two practical slip pockets and a classic tie waist (€109).

5. Whiskey

Does your other half, dad or brother enjoy Irish whiskey? Maybe a nice bottle of the dark stuff is the way to go. This 70cl bottle of Dingle Single Malt Whiskey is priced at €70 from O’Briens. Alternatively, you can’t go wrong with Jameson Black Barrel 70cl for €50.

6. Whiskey tour

If a bottle of whiskey isn’t quite enough, consider booking him a premium tour of the Irish whiskey museum. The one-hour experience includes a fully guided tour, plus three perfectly crafted Irish whiskey tastings. He will also get an additional fourth, beautifully aged Irish whiskey with a unique souvenir whiskey glass.

The tours run daily and cost just €23 per adult.

7. Flying lesson

For €99, gift him an introductory flying lesson in Cork. This experience, from afta.ie, offers a unique insight into becoming a pilot. Not only will he get the opportunity to handle the aircraft, but he’ll also enjoy the scenery from aloft.

Training is carried out and supervised by qualified and experienced flight instructors who have thousands of hours experience in both airline flying and student instruction. For insurance purposes, the lesson will be strictly one-to-one.

8. Footwear

A favourite among many generations, Vans ‘Old Skool’ trainers are a great go-to Christmas gift for men. True-to-size and affordable, the black suede-fabric upper and vulcanised sole are both casual and smart-casual at once. Find them in Schuh, priced at €65.

9. Wireless headphones or AirPods

If he’s into music or gaming – or if he commutes – you can’t go wrong with a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones or Apple AirPods.

The Sony WH-CH700N Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones from Currys.ie are a firm favourite. Not only do they work with both iOS and Android systems, but they also boast a battery life of 35 hours. They’re priced from €99.99.

Alternatively, you could order AirPods with a charging case for €179 from Apple. AirPods deliver up to five hours of listening time and three hours of talk time on a single charge. What’s more, the portable charging case holds multiple charges for more than 24 hours of listening time.

10. Aftershave

Every man has a signature scent – and even if he doesn’t, it’s not too late to select one for him.

Consider picking up Paco Rabanne’s ever-popular 1 Million Eau de Toilette 100ml gift set, priced at €84.50 from Boots. Or gift him the Valentino Uomo Born in Roma 50ml Eau de Toilette Aftershave Gift Set for €70.

Feature photo: Friends, Warner Brothers

Read more: 5 Christmas movies on Netflix that are so bad they’re good

Read more: The 5 best places to get mulled wine in Dublin this festive season

Read more: 10 gifts for a party host that are so much better than a bottle of wine