Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: Wrapping It Up

Creative wrapping shows that you care, and there’s a certain pride in presenting him with a gorgeously coiffed parcel, but we’re not all “gifted” in this department.

Some pretty-package pointers:

* Keep it elegant and know your limitations. If you’re all thumbs, skip the paper-folding step. A simple golden paper bow or a tailored gift bag will suffice.

* There’s a daunting selection of gift wrap out there. Avoid cute or faddish wrappings: Unless you just know that he’d be tickled to receive an Elmo-wrapped gift, don’t do it.

* The old-fashioned basket made with care can be the perfect place to stash small goodies like game tickets, coupon books, or rich gourmet chocolates. It’s a novel way to give him a few new pairs of socks.

* As always, think about what he would want.

Time for the Two of You
Now you have the perfect gift all ready for presentation. Don’t just hand it to him like you want to get it over with. Make time for a dinner for two and give him his gift then. Whether you go out to your favorite restaurant, order in, or cook an elegant meal, keep it light. When you’ve got something to celebrate, it’s tempting to make foods that are notoriously heavy. You want romance, not sleep. A late-night omelet with caviar? Shrimp cocktail? What if your hectic schedule doesn’t leave room for an indulgent one-on-one? As he opens your gift, you can exchange that knowing, secret smile over the tousled heads of your oblivious children. They’ll have to go to bed, eventually. And then�

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The New Love Interest

The New Love Interest:
You’ve just started dating. You don’t want to frighten him with commitment, but you want him to know that you feel a spark � and you think he does, too.

The Gifts:
Don’t go overboard. An extremely costly gift might be awkward, particularly if he didn’t splurge on you. Avoid anything too sexy or sentimental, or that implies a long-term commitment (say, tickets to a play a year away). You do want a gift that will play up your mutual interests and attraction. Event tickets � particularly to something that he loves, even if you don’t � are appropriate (hockey, anyone?). This doesn’t scream romance, but then again, it’s a little early in the relationship for screaming.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The No-Nonsense Man

The No-Nonsense Man: No hobbies, no foibles, no extremes. He’s tough to buy for. He “likes” all the gifts you’ve ever given him, but you never know whether he truly loves them.

The Gifts:
He needs to be shaken (gently) from his self-composure. Think of some time-consuming tasks he quietly avoids or some treats he rarely has time for. Put together a booklet of coupons good for a candlelit dinner for two; a “guy” movie the next time you can’t agree; one checkbook-balancing; one quiet, child-free Saturday.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The Gourmand

The Gourmand:
He usually has one complicated, special dish (seafood gumbo, bouillabaisse, osso bucco) that he makes for guests; day-to-day meal preparation, however, bores him.

The Gifts:
Try lessons at a local cooking school, selecting classes that reflect dishes from your shared past � if your first date was at an intimate French restaurant, look for a course on cr�pes; if cannoli make his eyes twinkle, track down some classes on Italian pastries (if you enjoy cooking together, attend as a couple). Find a selection of implements specifically tailored to his cooking preferences (barding needle, mandolin, pastry marble). Is there a famous restaurant he’s talked about, or visited before? Plan a trip, or check with the restaurant to see whether it ships its dishes of renown.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The Outdoors Type

The Outdoors Type:
He hikes, he camps; his vacation getaway doesn’t include walls, much less room service.

The Gifts:
Active gifts that encourage exploring are a good bet. How about his own star? The International Star Registry will name a star after the one you love. Add a good-quality telescope and a star guide for a stellar extravaganza. Is there something he’s always wanted to do? A hot-air-balloon ride? A camping trip with you? Hiking the nearest mountain range? Buy the tickets, make the plans, and slip the itinerary under the pillow.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The Handyman

The Handyman:
His idea of a relaxing weekend is to knock down a few walls or put up a new deck.

The Gifts:
The house is his work of art. So why not have it � or that love nest you two first started out in � committed to canvas? Check out local art fairs, ask friends, or look on the Web for a talented artist who specializes in house portraits. Antique tools beautifully crafted � and often lovely to look at � could be just the thing.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The Technophile

The Technophile:
He doesn’t exactly walk around with a plastic pocket protector and horn-rimmed glasses, but at heart he really is a techno-nerd. The name of his company ends with “.com” or has the word “micro” in it and he spends a large part of his workday in front of a computer screen. He buys almost everything online and his dream gadget would be a handheld computer with a satellite-driven modem (forget those pesky telephone lines!).

The Gifts:
If you’ve got the resources and the know-how, create a web page devoted to the two of you and send him to it via a romantic email. Of course, there’s also the latest game or gadget for his computer and the hottest book in the computer or Internet category. A magazine subscription to Business 2.0 or something comparable is a gift that keeps on giving. Every time he receives the latest issue, he’ll think of you.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The Sportsman

The Sportsman:
What’s his favorite sport? Baseball, golf, wrestling?

The Gifts:
Track down an autograph from his favorite player. Arrange really good tickets to a sporting event and treat him to dinner and a game. Consult your local sporting-goods store on the latest gadgets for his favorite sport (laser-guided putting practice set?). Check out the local golf course or tennis courts for lessons to tune up his swing or his stroke.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide: The Harried Executive

In this article…
• Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide
• The Harried Executive
• The Sportsman
• The Technophile
• The Handyman
• The Outdoors Type
• The No-Nonsense Man
• The Gourmand
• The New Love Interest
• Wrapping It Up

The Harried Executive:
The “everyman” of our time. Your man’s in demand. With work, home, and family obligations, he’s stretched to the limit, but he’s never learned how to stop the world and get off, if only for a second.

The Gifts:
The gift of himself, with a healthy dash of you thrown in: a handful of massage certificates good at the local day spa; a certificate good for a weekend at a nearby resort (with you, of course). Put together a relaxation package: comfy slippers, a plush terry robe, a portable neck massager, and some massage oil. If he still refuses to take his nose from the grindstone, try the fallback position: a sentimentally engraved watch. Every time he nervously glances at it, he’ll think of you.

Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide

In this article…
• Guy-by-Guy Gift Guide
• The Harried Executive
• The Sportsman
• The Technophile
• The Handyman
• The Outdoors Type
• The No-Nonsense Man
• The Gourmand
• The New Love Interest
• Wrapping It Up

Find the romantic gift that says, “Just for you”

How do you spell R-O-M-A-N-C-E?
Ask a man about the most romantic gift he’s ever received, and you may be surprised by the answer. For the sentimentalist, it could have been a long-sought-after book from his childhood; for the historian, an Edwardian shoehorn; for the lazy horticulturist, a surreptitious repotting of his houseful of plants. These gifts share one obvious quality: The giver was thinking intensely about the passions and desires of the recipient. But then how do you tell the romantic from the merely thoughtful? Here are a few hallmarks:

* The romantic gift should say something about intimacy. It doesn’t have to be sexy or mushy (but don’t count those out!), but it should reflect your closeness. You alone are privy to details about his loves and hates, passions and hobbies, work worries and leisure pleasures, body and soul.

* The romantic gift shouldn’t be practical, even if he is. Yes, he’d like new floormats and some touch-up paint for his Saturn, but your gift should stand apart from the ones he gets from, say, his mother.

* The romantic gift should be something he wouldn’t have thought of for himself, and that might even teach him something new about himself.

Use our guide to help you find the romantic gift that says “just for you.”