Dos and Don'ts of Choosing a Valentine's Day Gift for Men

We asked a few men to give their views on this topic. Almost all of them don't wish to receive anything mushy―collectibles, chocolates, soft toys. While they do appreciate usable gifts―gadgets, alcohol, tickets to a sporting event, and homemade delicacies (not red, pink, and heart-shaped).

There are a lot of things that may seem very insensitive about men: Their inability to understand what is the big deal in remembering birthdays or anniversaries, or even Valentine's Day for that matter; their deadening interest in spending 'quality time' with partner that includes only talking, and the repleteness they feel watching a soccer game, instead.

The list may go on and on, but let's just stop complaining and start accepting that men will always be men! If you've been in a relationship long enough, it wouldn't be a breaking news to you that men and women are wired differently, absolutely differently!

There is a reason why books like Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray are among the best-selling books we have today. Though it would be wrong to generalize all men when it comes to their likes and dislikes, trust us when we say: It wouldn't be that wrong!

The basis of your Valentine's Day gift selection for your partner would depend upon a simple fact: Like women, men don't need constant cutesy collectibles, flowers, and chocolates to be reminded that you love them. You are by their side, that says enough.

Another point to remember is that practicality reigns over emotions in their lives. So, you need to think with your mind, budget, and sort of, make your heart coordinate with them. Here we will give you a brief insight on the rules that you must follow.
Caution: Some points may raise your eyebrows; however, know that this is how men think!

So, yes, begin the day by cooking their favorite breakfast, and serve it to them in bed. He wouldn't mind some homemade food and sweets, but yes, we've already cautioned you about them not being heart-shaped.

The latest iPhone, DSLR camera, smartwatch, PlayStation, notebook, tablet, and even remote-controlled helicopters, cars, astromech droids, fighter tanks, and the like.

Options such as leather wallets, watches, shoes, designer sunglasses, perfumes, clothing, and other accessories are the best. However, unless you're really sure of their taste, let them do the choosing themselves.

If he loves to go camping, or organizing barbecue grills, why not get one as a gift? This rule not only helps you hit the bull's eye, but also makes men feel that you are taking interest in their likes, which we think is a good sign.

According to the opinions we received, most didn't mind an exclusive dinner, either made by their partner, or arranged at their favorite restaurant. Hence, the age-old saying stands true!

Anything that would make the girls go, AWWW!", said one of the guy who gave us his valuable input. We were surprised to find out that most men are against gifts that are red, pink, and "girly". Wow!

One feedback we received, stated: "I don't like soft toys, anything that is heart-shaped, bouquets, greeting cards, photo album with photos of time spent together, small pink objects that say, 'forever together' and stuff like that. Stupid collectibles saying, 'miss me', 'love me'. I would like to eat cakes and chocolates but if they are not heart-shaped."

But we did sense some resistance towards men receiving personalized T-shirts with love messages, pictures, and mushy sayings. Typical Valentine-ish red/pink coffee mugs and picture frames with hearts are a definite no no.

Women tend to write a Bible (no offense) in greeting cards. While it works great for them, men might actually find it a little too much. And then the expectation of remembering each and every sentence, seriously: Too much!

Women would fail to fathom what is up with men being against the color pink and heart-shaped gifts. Especially, when it comes to the eatables, it shouldn't represent a heart; how does the shape matter when it's going to turn into mush anyway?

To conclude, the small in-house opinions we sought from our male colleagues, pretty much zoned out the "ideal" gifts that are advertised on various websites on this day. So, women, keep all the keepsakes you wish to view, and gift all the practical items your men will use. We would also like to add that the points here are based on individual opinions.

The choice of gifts is subjective, and varies from one person to another. If your relationship is fairly new, you need to know more about his life, find out the kind of guy he is. Escape the intimate messages, and keep it funny and short. For those who have been in a long relationship, we needn't say anything more, or do we?