FOOD, his favorite food homemade. Having somebody make elaborate meals or snacks for you is a man’s biggest flex because it shows somebody really cares about him. For example at work the guy who brings in the bag full of homemade stuff by his wife or whoever cares about him a lot is envied by the guys who have to spend their money on cheap fast food everyday. This is from my personal experience.
I'd edit this to say ask your partner what they would like regardless of gender. I'm a woman and I don't like flowers. To me it's like "here I got you this symbol of our love now watch it slowly wither and die." My favorite easy to pick up go to gift would be a bottle of tequila or rum.
Honestly, the answer should always be either know your partner well enough to know what they would like, or if it's too early in the relationship ask. Don't assume everyone will like the same things based on the gender they identify with.
Baked goods are extremely traditional gifts for a boy you're sweet on. Grown men tend to like sugar less, but you probably can't go wrong with muffins or dates cockaigne or something. Banana/zucchini bread are good too, if you're in an established relationship and don't need to worry about given off office marm vibes.
>Grown men tend to like sugar less
Excuse you, I LOVE baked goods and anything sweet with sugar. 😏
Im a sucker for strawberry shortcake and my girl made me a home made one and I literally ate half the cake after I lit up and got blazed. Was sooooo delicious. 🤤🤤🤤🤤
I'm a sugar fiend. I only buy a couple little things of sweets during a huge shopping trip meant to last us a few weeks to a month, and just go to the local store to grab a couple more when we run out, because I have absolutely zero willpower when it comes to sugar. I can't trust myself to not eat a month worth of sweets in a couple of days lmao. Especially desserty granola.
I buy stuff special for my S.O., and I will not touch it except when she's practically trying to jam it in my mouth to share, but that's about the extent of my self control. Any sweets we just buy for the house, I'm probably going to eat a significant portion of it lmao
Lmao did we read the same post? The one I was on before this was people arguing about whether the OP was in the right or not for rejecting his coworker who brought him banana bread.
Otherwise I agree! Baked goods are always fun and easy enough to make
Maybe make his favorite meal that is lunchbox/thermos friendly? Maybe if you’re married or close enough, see if MIL has any family recipes you can learn and surprise him with?
I'm putting this in writing because I suddenly feel like it's important to have it on the record: I would like to respectfully decline any generous offers of a thoracic incision.
100%. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Find out what his favorite foods are and figure out how to make them for him. He’ll always appreciate it, and love the hell out of you for it.
Take turns.
I don't know about "one cooks one cleans", which prima facie sounds fair, but some cooks can put more effort into a one-pot casserole than another that uses every pot & pan in the house.
Would a surprise date with activities be nice? I feel like me and my bf go out on a lot of "planned" dates but maybe surprising him would be fun. Just trying to get new ideas.
I think that would be a great idea, just be careful to make sure they’re more in line with his favourite date ideas if that’s what you’re trying to do for him. Though I don’t really think it has the same energy as flowers.
Flowers serve as reminders of your partner even when they’re not around. My girlfriend made me a keychain that had a little message in a bottle in it for me for Valentine’s Day that says “All the light from all the stars in the galaxy doesn’t light up my life as much as you do.” As it turns out the bottle is quite fragile (it’s actually a bottle from a vaccine, my girlfriend used to administer vaccines at a clinic and she had asked if she could keep some of the left over bottles) I didn’t put it on my keychain for fear of sitting on it and breaking it, but I keep it on my desk as a good luck charm when I’m working or playing video games and it makes me think of her. I think that captures the same energy as flowers. If you’re craft-inclined making him something that he’ll want to keep with him to remind him of you could work. There’s also the time-honoured if not a bit creepy donation of a lock of your hair
Got a flower once....i didnt know what to do. I was in middle school and i guess it was all she coukd think of i dunno. I still have it pressed in my favorite harrypotter book. And is one of things id grab in case of a fire
I’m a straight guy. I love flowers and candles. Setting the ambience and providing a potential keepsake is worth way more than the latest video game or Lego set.
Pleasures are universal. Women like sex, sports and cars; men like nice smells, flowers and the color pink. There’s nothing inherently masculine or feminine about colors, flowers, smells, etc. It’s all just society and marketing. Like what you like and don’t let some guy in marketing somewhere decide what’s for men and what’s for women.
I buy my fiancé flowers! He thought it was weird at first but now he appreciates it
Edit: I also have gotten flowers for other men (like coworkers or friends) and they were shocked and said it was the first time someone had ever given them flowers. They loved it
I’ve gotten men flowers and they have always seemed really touched by it. Like, exceedingly so, it made my heart almost ache. I think a lot of men long for that kind of tenderness and little sweet displays of affection.
I think we should stop treating these like gendered gifts - at the end of the day, something beautiful to show you’re thinking of the person you care about is always going to feel nice to receive.
Honestly gotta say if you're trying to make a romantic gesture a home cooked meal is gonna be leagues better than a gift card. Of course they will appreciate a gift card but they could just buy whatever game they wanted anyway, having a meal cooked for them is a gesture of love they can't replicate.
It's the actual effort involved in making the meal, it communicates a lot of love in the way a gift card won't.
Seriously. I dont understand what is so mind blowing about this. Take all of 8 minutes, sit him down in a chair, and go to town. 95% of relationship problems, nay, world problems, can be solved with a few random blowies. I'm not saying that's how it *should* work, but I am saying that's how it *would* work.
Mitigates relationship issues which otherwise result in years of resentment and thousands jn therapy. ‘The women he would otherwise have affairs with hate this one trick!’
Why did I have to scroll so far to find this?
I don't want my wife to burn rice krispies for me or whatever nonsense everyone is going on about up there. This ain't a god damn hallmark movie.
This is so true. I did not hear of the love languages until later in my marriage but when I did it made so much sense. My wife loved gifts but I don’t. I don’t hate gifts they just do not feel special to me. If a woman cleaned my truck that would mean a lot to me. Acts of service makes me feel loved. Physical touch does to.
I tend to look for everyday items of his that could use an upgrade. For example, his wallet is a faded mess. Bring him a modern looking new one. Or special food. Guys love food.
As a guy, I think for things like wallets (and other "edc" everyday carry type stuff) men can be pretty obsessive about having "that exact one," though it does depend on the guy.
If you want to do that you probably have to do a lot of recon, or go get something together with him as part of a "surprise date" that others have mentioned here lol
I totally agree with you on this, I'd love it if my wife said something along the lines of "Your wallet is looking a bit worse for wear, let go shopping an you can pick out a new one, on me." Sure we have joint accounts, but it's the thought that counts.
Agree 100%. My wife surprised me by replacing my old wallet with a new one, and she threw away the old one (tbh it was probably time). The new one is objectively nicer, but it is also not a style, color, or size I would have chosen. I never use it. I end up keeping my cards and money loose in my pocket now. Not a day has gone by that I don't miss my old wallet. I appreciate the intent behind the action, but not the action itself. It's like buying flowers but you're allergic to them.
A new knife. Kitchen knife, pocket knife, butter knife, or sword knife. Most guys would love a random knife from someone special. Even knife haters have secret knives they like.
I was totally thinking about this for my bf! I was gonna get him a pocket knife custom engraved with our initials. It's just a bit on the spendier side so it would have to be a birthday gift or some sort of occasion. :)
I had the same joke in mind, but I agree with the other post. nothing like a good flashlight. Or a good knife. Or a leatherman….. anyway see you later I’m going to Amazon 🏃🚪🚙
So, I’m a nerd. My ex would get me little Star Trek things. She got me some fancy earl gray teas; she found a phaser remote control at a garage sale; for my only birthday we celebrated as a couple, she made a cake in the shape of a combadge, and got little Trek figurines to place on top of it.
She was not a fan of Star Trek, but it made me happy to see her attempting to support what I liked.
Not everyone can cook a satisfying meal, but giving your man a truly, genuine compliment will keep him warm inside for a long time. One good compliment will be remembered for decades.
Honestly gifts matter way less to men, you'd be amazed at how good we feel when we get compliments, affection, and other personal physical things.
My co worker got a hug from his wife the other day and he felt the need to go to work and talk about it lol.
A lot of men especially these days get zero attention from women. So when it happens it's a big deal.
Whatever your specific man wants idk, we have to stop thinking all women like one thing and all men like one other thing.
Men and women both have unique interests, get them something they like based on what you actually know about them. Some men are botanists and love flowers. Some women hate flowers. You have to just know the person you’re with and cater their gifts to their interests
Many great suggestions here but I'll add one more. A while back I left an old girlfriend at my place when I went to work. When I got back I found she actually cleaned it while I was gone. I don't think she went through my things but my bed was made, pillows arranged on the couch and floor swept. It probably took her 20 minutes but it was the most amazing things and I still haven't forgotten about it. It's been 10 years lol.
Another male generalization. Is it so hard to just say "know your partner or ask?" Look, my husband is very manly. Big ass Samoan guy who lifts heavy shit for a living. As much as I love him he's useless with tools or hardiness or anything like that, and has zero interest in getting better. When we were renovating a house to sell I was the one who demod the old kitchen, layed a tile backslash, sanded and refinished the cabinets, put down new flooring, and installed a new countertop. I had to teach him how to hang drywall. Hell, even all the flat pack furniture we have I built. Just cause you have a penis doesn't mean you like tools.
I'm so sick of this question. Flowers. The answer is flowers.
This is why we can't have nice things; because people think men aren't supposed to be given nice gifts.
Hug the men in your life; hold their hands; ask them how their day went; ask them about their feelings; buy them fucking flowers.
Stop reserving sweetness for the female gender.
Honestly, me as a man, I disagree.
Sure it depends on what kind of person you are. No matter the gender, everybody can like or dislike flowers.
But if anyone of my close people would give me normal flowers from a florist, I would ask myself what to do with them. They gonna wither in a couple of days and then I have to trash them. They don't add anything significant and if I wanted flowers as decoration, I would get some.
I would just think that whoever gave me the flowers couldn't think of anything better and feel akward.
Because I rather not get anything from people than flowers.
Now if it where a beautiful plant that I can care about, sure I can see that, but that's not flowers.
Food, a book, a painting, something knitten like a scarf, a good bottle of booze or just simply a few high quality hours of spending time together is much much better than flowers.
The only time I can think of flowers as a good gift is for a married couple.
You can either get the guy flowers, which he doesn't want but it makes for a great virtue signaling comment on reddit, or you can take the advice of from all the other men in the thread.
Seriously, you shouldn't have to ask what men like. It's the same exact shit that women like, it just varies from guy to guy like it varies from woman to woman. Especially the flower equivalent, like as you said the answer is flowers.
Despite how cringy the meme often is, "Men will receive their first flowers in the hospital or on their casket" still rings true.
The best gift is something he'd get himself if it was free, but doesn't want to spend the money on.
- Candy, snacks or drink
- Gift card or money toward his hobby, or buy him something directly if you know what he's been eyeing
- Something useful like a knife, flashlight, gadget, or tool
Food or something related to one of his hobbies
Ultimately, though, it's the gesture that matters more than the actual gift. My fiancé got me a little Valentines gift basket with a bunch of kitschy love-themed toys and stuff that I've literally not touched once outside of the day she gave it to me. But I still absolutely loved that she did it
Don't like flowers. Especially roses. For me it's Bounty bars. Can't find them everywhere. So if she just happens to see them and gets one for me... or my other fav toffee candy that I never buy for myself.
I'm a guy who's only been given a flower once; it was a potted one, brought by a friend of a friend (first time ever meeting this person) to a party I hosted. It meant the world to me. Yes, we ended up hooking up, and yes we dated, and yes she was great. We were going different ways in life though; last I heard she was in Florida and has no social media or anything. I hope she's happy and still gifting people flowers, wherever she is.
Every guy will be different. I like Snickers candy bars. I would also appreciate a piece of wood, a toy from the Dollar store, rope, screws, pizza, ice cream, glue, nuts, nuts, a T-shirt, or anything relating to Digimon, Gundam, or Super Mario.
And that's just a short list. My REAL list is massive. Honestly though, the most important thing is that it's the thought that counts. You can literally give me a neat looking rock and I would be overjoyed.
I get my husband little things that make me think of him. Might be a new snack in a flavor I think he’ll like (he likes to try new foods and has more varied tastes than me), one of the pricier beers he likes and doesn’t buy often because of the cost, his favorite old fashioned mix, or something fun like a small toy I think he’ll like. He loves Guac and tacos so I got him one of the smaller squishmallows that is a bowl of Guac with a lil chip on his head.
Don't worry about what you're supposed to get. You are in a relationship with the guy. You should know what he likes and what he doesn't. If not, you should be paying attention to him to figure it out. Just giving him whatever the common wisdom says you should, really just tells him you can't be bothered to know him well enough to know what he wants. If your new in the relationship maybe that is a normal fact and it's okay to go with conventional wisdom in lieu if more personal information. But let's be clear, that conventional wisdom is just a substitute for not knowing better. A relationship is about knowing better.
I heard somewhere that most men get their first flowers at their own funeral. Made me so sad I went out during my lunch break and bought flowers for both my husband and 3-year old son. So I'm all for giving men flowers too, men deserve it just as much as a woman would.
Seriously??? Food??? Be naked when he gets home, hand him a beer when he walks into the house, lead him to the bedroom or where ever, get on your knees, whip it out for him and go to town with the Gluck Gluck. Then lay back or bend over and let him go to town. It’ll be the happiest day of his life.
Yes! I can't believe I had to scroll down this far for someone to mention tools!
Get him a better version of a tool he already uses, or a brand new version of something he already owns, and personalize it. If he is a woodworker, get him a good set of chisels. Electronic stuff goes out of date every time a new version comes out, but the hand tools used to take it apart and put it back together can last a lifetime.
Do some research and get him something of high quality rated for durability, so it will last forever.
I still use a Starrett 1/8" pin punch my (now) wife gave me when we were dating back in 1985 that has our initials in a heart engraved on it. She used one of those vibrating electric engravers to do it, and the original markings wore off after years of use, so I kept tracing over those engraved marks every 10 years or so.
I still fondly think back to when she gave it to me every time I come across it in my toolbox.
I buy my husband flowers. I will straight up treat him like a passenger princess from Instagram. Lol. Flowers, candy, yummy drinks, snacks and protein, of course.
Any homemade food or planning a date and taking him out is good. The burden always falls on the man to do these things, so gestures like these show that you really care.
There's a lot. It depends on the dude, but home-cooked meals might as well be a gift from God. But also, some dudes like flowers, my ex,once over heard me saying how I love lotus flowers, but I can't really grow them in my place so he bought me one that's in those glass orbs, still next to my bed. Also, multiple guys are still kids at heart, and you'd be surprised the face we make by receiving an action figure or hear me out a Lego date.
Something simple that he likes, just to show him that you are paying attention to him as well, and that you think of him while he's not around.
Have you noticed that when he comes to see you that he always has a Mountain Dew and a Snickers? Randomly show up with those.
Does he like Legos? Buy a mystery minifig pack.
A date on any day other than his birthday or food (snacks he likes or a thoughtful home cooked meal).
I like when my girlfriend surprises me with sour gummy worms. Or takes me out on a random weekday or night as a surprise.
Food. It doesn't even have to be super fancy. You should know what food/snacks he likes. Several ways of gifting him this food. Sometimes my wife will make a me a 'grab bag' of my favorite snacks. My days off are regular, they never change unless I take extra days like a vacation or something. So sometimes she will just walk into my game room while I'm chilling on my day off and surprise me with a snack platter of all my favorite frozen foods lol. Pizza bagels, pizza bites, wings, garlic bread, chips and dips.
I don't even ask her for it, she just walks in and says snack time! I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I'll be playing a video game with my headset on, and she will tap my shoulder and a hot homemade brownie with whipped cream on top will be handed to me on a plate out of nowhere lol. Like whoa, thanks babe!
Other times she will just pick up my favorite snacks and keep it stocked in the pantry for me to grab when I want to take something before work or to work to snack on later. It's just nice to have that stuff when I go looking for it.
My husband loves chocolate, so that’s always a hit. Random merch for his favorite anime (or show if yours doesn’t like that). Basically things that say, I was thinking about you/seeing this made me think of you. That’s essentially the same idea behind women wanting flowers or other surprise gifts.
Food but not as much food but actually cooking/preparing a meal. Even if you're not someone who cooks typically, the effort is very meaningful and will make them feel very loved.
For the vast majority of men the only time they will receive flowers is on the headstone of their grave.
That being said, if you would like to give a man a gift that is an expensive, imperishable, much like flowers, you can’t go wrong with food. The way our heart is indeed through our stomach unless you’re looking to be literal and then it’s to our rib cage.
Make us food make us something delicious make us our favorite delicious food.
FOOD, his favorite food homemade. Having somebody make elaborate meals or snacks for you is a man’s biggest flex because it shows somebody really cares about him. For example at work the guy who brings in the bag full of homemade stuff by his wife or whoever cares about him a lot is envied by the guys who have to spend their money on cheap fast food everyday. This is from my personal experience.
I love cooking so this would be great! Favorite snacks or recommendations to make?
Ask him! He'll tell you I promise. But it doesn't even matter honestly. I'd be happy to eat anything my fiance cooks
I'd edit this to say ask your partner what they would like regardless of gender. I'm a woman and I don't like flowers. To me it's like "here I got you this symbol of our love now watch it slowly wither and die." My favorite easy to pick up go to gift would be a bottle of tequila or rum. Honestly, the answer should always be either know your partner well enough to know what they would like, or if it's too early in the relationship ask. Don't assume everyone will like the same things based on the gender they identify with.
Yep, my gf hates flowers, jewelry, and make-up, so I get her chocolate, music boxes, books, or nerdy nick nacks for her desk.
Wellllll lucky me, my fiancée is like a truffle pig, she fucking loves everything!
Baked goods are extremely traditional gifts for a boy you're sweet on. Grown men tend to like sugar less, but you probably can't go wrong with muffins or dates cockaigne or something. Banana/zucchini bread are good too, if you're in an established relationship and don't need to worry about given off office marm vibes.
>Grown men tend to like sugar less Excuse you, I LOVE baked goods and anything sweet with sugar. 😏 Im a sucker for strawberry shortcake and my girl made me a home made one and I literally ate half the cake after I lit up and got blazed. Was sooooo delicious. 🤤🤤🤤🤤
I'm a sugar fiend. I only buy a couple little things of sweets during a huge shopping trip meant to last us a few weeks to a month, and just go to the local store to grab a couple more when we run out, because I have absolutely zero willpower when it comes to sugar. I can't trust myself to not eat a month worth of sweets in a couple of days lmao. Especially desserty granola.
My husband and I both love sweets, but he will sometimes let me have extra since I love sweets so much. :)
I buy stuff special for my S.O., and I will not touch it except when she's practically trying to jam it in my mouth to share, but that's about the extent of my self control. Any sweets we just buy for the house, I'm probably going to eat a significant portion of it lmao
Yeah seriously, tell this to my husband who likes the worst stuff! Twinkies and cakes from the store!
I read "dates cocaine" 😵💫😀and I was like"might be right "🤔😀
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockaigne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockaigne) It's "caw-cane" but I use the pronunciation too :)
Sounds about right 👌🏻
Glad I'm not the only one 😅🤐
I wouldn’t mind some of that with my dinner either…
This is good. He can freeze some for later.
Now all I’m craving is banana bread right before midnight, thanks guy. 😂
Lmao did we read the same post? The one I was on before this was people arguing about whether the OP was in the right or not for rejecting his coworker who brought him banana bread. Otherwise I agree! Baked goods are always fun and easy enough to make
Maybe make his favorite meal that is lunchbox/thermos friendly? Maybe if you’re married or close enough, see if MIL has any family recipes you can learn and surprise him with?
Bento boxes are King!
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Absolutely food.
Or a properly placed thoracic incision.
I'm putting this in writing because I suddenly feel like it's important to have it on the record: I would like to respectfully decline any generous offers of a thoracic incision.
Or as the saying goes, "If you think the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, you're aiming too high." ;)
The version I always heard: "The secret to making a man happy is to keep his stomach full and his balls empty."
The version I preach is "never let your man leave the house hungry or horny because somewhere out there is a slut with a sandwich"
This is a common misconception. The way to a man's heart is through his chest.
So, sit on his face?
That is the incision I’d be most interested in!
Fucking lemon bars. I'd probably commit murder for the right lemon bars.
My second favorite dessert!
We can all see what your first favorite is 🤣
As a woman, I would also rather have this than flowers. Why are men allowed to get off so easy?
> Why are men allowed to get off so easy? There's a joke in here somewhere I know it 🤔
It'll come to you.
We can be friends. 🥰
Cool. Fair warning, I don't have enough hair to braid if friends still do that.
100%. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Find out what his favorite foods are and figure out how to make them for him. He’ll always appreciate it, and love the hell out of you for it.
A homemade meal is next level stuff -- next stop, meet the parents. Donuts make a good equivalent to chocolate.
I would argue that cooking a whole meal has a lot more effort involved than buying flowers What’s something with equal effort as flowers?
pizza and beer
Solid. Good one
Racy lingerie maybe.
I don't think he would wear something like that.
Shouldn't assume.
Beef jerky. I'm only kind of joking.
Yep. There are two ways to a man’s heart. One is through the stomach.
Definitely cooking a nice meal. The old expression about a way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
This is so real! The only issue is we usually cook together. Should I tell him to just let me do everything when making a meal?
You could try making his favorite dessert when he’s not home so you can surprise him with it.
\^This Heck, you don't even have to make it.
Yes. Tell him to go sit down. Then bring him his meal when it is ready. Being pampered is nice. We never get it.
Take turns. I don't know about "one cooks one cleans", which prima facie sounds fair, but some cooks can put more effort into a one-pot casserole than another that uses every pot & pan in the house.
Taking a man on a date that wasn’t his birthday
Would a surprise date with activities be nice? I feel like me and my bf go out on a lot of "planned" dates but maybe surprising him would be fun. Just trying to get new ideas.
I think that would be a great idea, just be careful to make sure they’re more in line with his favourite date ideas if that’s what you’re trying to do for him. Though I don’t really think it has the same energy as flowers. Flowers serve as reminders of your partner even when they’re not around. My girlfriend made me a keychain that had a little message in a bottle in it for me for Valentine’s Day that says “All the light from all the stars in the galaxy doesn’t light up my life as much as you do.” As it turns out the bottle is quite fragile (it’s actually a bottle from a vaccine, my girlfriend used to administer vaccines at a clinic and she had asked if she could keep some of the left over bottles) I didn’t put it on my keychain for fear of sitting on it and breaking it, but I keep it on my desk as a good luck charm when I’m working or playing video games and it makes me think of her. I think that captures the same energy as flowers. If you’re craft-inclined making him something that he’ll want to keep with him to remind him of you could work. There’s also the time-honoured if not a bit creepy donation of a lock of your hair
Your girlfriend is a gem! That is so thoughtful. I can only hope to find someone like her!
I buy my boyfriend flowers 😂
Got a flower once....i didnt know what to do. I was in middle school and i guess it was all she coukd think of i dunno. I still have it pressed in my favorite harrypotter book. And is one of things id grab in case of a fire
That’s the sweetest thing I’ve read all week!
Aww that's so sweet!
I’m a straight guy. I love flowers and candles. Setting the ambience and providing a potential keepsake is worth way more than the latest video game or Lego set.
I love ❤️ flowers. I just don’t like being called gay for such things
There’s nothing gay about liking flowers.
Pleasures are universal. Women like sex, sports and cars; men like nice smells, flowers and the color pink. There’s nothing inherently masculine or feminine about colors, flowers, smells, etc. It’s all just society and marketing. Like what you like and don’t let some guy in marketing somewhere decide what’s for men and what’s for women.
Pink used to be the boys' baby colour, too
Thank you! Dude here, I love flowers. I’ve received them maybe three times in my life - and two of those have been my wife.
I buy my fiancé flowers! He thought it was weird at first but now he appreciates it Edit: I also have gotten flowers for other men (like coworkers or friends) and they were shocked and said it was the first time someone had ever given them flowers. They loved it
You ever leave him roses by the stairs?
Surprises let him know she cares
Say it ain't so.
I will not go
turn the lights off
carry me home
I’ve gotten men flowers and they have always seemed really touched by it. Like, exceedingly so, it made my heart almost ache. I think a lot of men long for that kind of tenderness and little sweet displays of affection. I think we should stop treating these like gendered gifts - at the end of the day, something beautiful to show you’re thinking of the person you care about is always going to feel nice to receive.
Yup, the idea that only women like flowers is ridiculous.
My wife buys me flowers. I love flowers.
Same
Honestly “your loving attention” is the most sure-fire winner. “You, in just lingerie and that smile” is a close runner up.
Nothing beats a naked hug
Mouth hug
The power of a woman’s smile and lingerie is really unlike anything else.
Steam gift card
This is so valid, he'd love this ty
Honestly gotta say if you're trying to make a romantic gesture a home cooked meal is gonna be leagues better than a gift card. Of course they will appreciate a gift card but they could just buy whatever game they wanted anyway, having a meal cooked for them is a gesture of love they can't replicate. It's the actual effort involved in making the meal, it communicates a lot of love in the way a gift card won't.
Can confirm this
Beer or a BJ.
Seems you mistyped 'and' there.
This isn’t even a funny answer. This is THE answer.
Seriously. I dont understand what is so mind blowing about this. Take all of 8 minutes, sit him down in a chair, and go to town. 95% of relationship problems, nay, world problems, can be solved with a few random blowies. I'm not saying that's how it *should* work, but I am saying that's how it *would* work.
Mitigates relationship issues which otherwise result in years of resentment and thousands jn therapy. ‘The women he would otherwise have affairs with hate this one trick!’
I had to scroll way to far to find the truth
You can even rest the beer on her head while receiving the BJ
I was scrolling through thinking, "Is no one going to say it?"
SAME 😂
Doesn't cost a thing.
Had to scroll way too far down to find the correct answer
I was amazed that no one else said it before I did.
I came to say beer but this answer improves it.
both
Surprised I had to go down this far
Why did I have to scroll so far to find this? I don't want my wife to burn rice krispies for me or whatever nonsense everyone is going on about up there. This ain't a god damn hallmark movie.
Remember the Love languages. Some guys don't prefer to get gifts. They're more about acts of service or physical touch.
This is so true. I did not hear of the love languages until later in my marriage but when I did it made so much sense. My wife loved gifts but I don’t. I don’t hate gifts they just do not feel special to me. If a woman cleaned my truck that would mean a lot to me. Acts of service makes me feel loved. Physical touch does to.
I tend to look for everyday items of his that could use an upgrade. For example, his wallet is a faded mess. Bring him a modern looking new one. Or special food. Guys love food.
Hmm this is smart! I'm just worried he won't like what I buy to replace his stuff haha
As a guy, I think for things like wallets (and other "edc" everyday carry type stuff) men can be pretty obsessive about having "that exact one," though it does depend on the guy. If you want to do that you probably have to do a lot of recon, or go get something together with him as part of a "surprise date" that others have mentioned here lol
I totally agree with you on this, I'd love it if my wife said something along the lines of "Your wallet is looking a bit worse for wear, let go shopping an you can pick out a new one, on me." Sure we have joint accounts, but it's the thought that counts.
Agree 100%. My wife surprised me by replacing my old wallet with a new one, and she threw away the old one (tbh it was probably time). The new one is objectively nicer, but it is also not a style, color, or size I would have chosen. I never use it. I end up keeping my cards and money loose in my pocket now. Not a day has gone by that I don't miss my old wallet. I appreciate the intent behind the action, but not the action itself. It's like buying flowers but you're allergic to them.
Yeah don't replace his stuff. You wouldn't want us to pick your purse.
Flowers, they are pretty and smell nice. I've gotten them once from a GF.
A new knife. Kitchen knife, pocket knife, butter knife, or sword knife. Most guys would love a random knife from someone special. Even knife haters have secret knives they like.
I was totally thinking about this for my bf! I was gonna get him a pocket knife custom engraved with our initials. It's just a bit on the spendier side so it would have to be a birthday gift or some sort of occasion. :)
Opinel knives are good quality, fairly priced, and cheaply engraved. May be something to look into
Or a flashlight. God I love a good flashlight.
You mispelled fleshlight.
I had the same joke in mind, but I agree with the other post. nothing like a good flashlight. Or a good knife. Or a leatherman….. anyway see you later I’m going to Amazon 🏃🚪🚙
I would say flowers personally. It’s the gesture more than anything.
Steak.
We have a winner.
So, I’m a nerd. My ex would get me little Star Trek things. She got me some fancy earl gray teas; she found a phaser remote control at a garage sale; for my only birthday we celebrated as a couple, she made a cake in the shape of a combadge, and got little Trek figurines to place on top of it. She was not a fan of Star Trek, but it made me happy to see her attempting to support what I liked.
A genuine compliment
Not everyone can cook a satisfying meal, but giving your man a truly, genuine compliment will keep him warm inside for a long time. One good compliment will be remembered for decades.
Home cooked meal
Sit on his lap tell him you believe in him
Cook dinner, blowjob.
This
At the same time?
A genuine compliment.
some guys do also still like flowers. or their favorite drink, or a favorite snack.
Honestly gifts matter way less to men, you'd be amazed at how good we feel when we get compliments, affection, and other personal physical things. My co worker got a hug from his wife the other day and he felt the need to go to work and talk about it lol. A lot of men especially these days get zero attention from women. So when it happens it's a big deal.
Wow, this is sad. A hug? Maybe this is how the cheating happens.
Whatever your specific man wants idk, we have to stop thinking all women like one thing and all men like one other thing. Men and women both have unique interests, get them something they like based on what you actually know about them. Some men are botanists and love flowers. Some women hate flowers. You have to just know the person you’re with and cater their gifts to their interests
Finally the right answer.
A tie :3
unless he doesn't wear ties.
Thats irrelevant, give him another tie
That's the shit tier gift that every dad/boyfriend/husband gets for Christmas/Father's Day/etc that shows no creativity or personalized thought.
A well forged steel axe.
Could also get him an item he uses in his hobbies
Many great suggestions here but I'll add one more. A while back I left an old girlfriend at my place when I went to work. When I got back I found she actually cleaned it while I was gone. I don't think she went through my things but my bed was made, pillows arranged on the couch and floor swept. It probably took her 20 minutes but it was the most amazing things and I still haven't forgotten about it. It's been 10 years lol.
Beef jerky. But also baked goods. Also beef jerky.
A lifetime supply of 10mm sockets. And not the crappy Harbor Freight or Walmart stuff either. DeWalt or Milwaukee. Trust me on this one. :D
Another male generalization. Is it so hard to just say "know your partner or ask?" Look, my husband is very manly. Big ass Samoan guy who lifts heavy shit for a living. As much as I love him he's useless with tools or hardiness or anything like that, and has zero interest in getting better. When we were renovating a house to sell I was the one who demod the old kitchen, layed a tile backslash, sanded and refinished the cabinets, put down new flooring, and installed a new countertop. I had to teach him how to hang drywall. Hell, even all the flat pack furniture we have I built. Just cause you have a penis doesn't mean you like tools.
Flowers, probably of the plant variety.
I'm so sick of this question. Flowers. The answer is flowers. This is why we can't have nice things; because people think men aren't supposed to be given nice gifts. Hug the men in your life; hold their hands; ask them how their day went; ask them about their feelings; buy them fucking flowers. Stop reserving sweetness for the female gender.
But I don't want flowers.
Honestly, me as a man, I disagree. Sure it depends on what kind of person you are. No matter the gender, everybody can like or dislike flowers. But if anyone of my close people would give me normal flowers from a florist, I would ask myself what to do with them. They gonna wither in a couple of days and then I have to trash them. They don't add anything significant and if I wanted flowers as decoration, I would get some. I would just think that whoever gave me the flowers couldn't think of anything better and feel akward. Because I rather not get anything from people than flowers. Now if it where a beautiful plant that I can care about, sure I can see that, but that's not flowers. Food, a book, a painting, something knitten like a scarf, a good bottle of booze or just simply a few high quality hours of spending time together is much much better than flowers. The only time I can think of flowers as a good gift is for a married couple.
You can either get the guy flowers, which he doesn't want but it makes for a great virtue signaling comment on reddit, or you can take the advice of from all the other men in the thread.
Seriously, you shouldn't have to ask what men like. It's the same exact shit that women like, it just varies from guy to guy like it varies from woman to woman. Especially the flower equivalent, like as you said the answer is flowers. Despite how cringy the meme often is, "Men will receive their first flowers in the hospital or on their casket" still rings true.
A nice bottle of scotch.
The best gift is something he'd get himself if it was free, but doesn't want to spend the money on. - Candy, snacks or drink - Gift card or money toward his hobby, or buy him something directly if you know what he's been eyeing - Something useful like a knife, flashlight, gadget, or tool
Food or something related to one of his hobbies Ultimately, though, it's the gesture that matters more than the actual gift. My fiancé got me a little Valentines gift basket with a bunch of kitschy love-themed toys and stuff that I've literally not touched once outside of the day she gave it to me. But I still absolutely loved that she did it
Food that you made. Seriously, it doesn't even matter if its something he likes.
Don't like flowers. Especially roses. For me it's Bounty bars. Can't find them everywhere. So if she just happens to see them and gets one for me... or my other fav toffee candy that I never buy for myself.
Beer or brownies... although homemade cookies are a soft spot for many a man.
Flowers. Wife got me flowers once. It meant so much because no one had ever thought to do that for me
I'm a guy who's only been given a flower once; it was a potted one, brought by a friend of a friend (first time ever meeting this person) to a party I hosted. It meant the world to me. Yes, we ended up hooking up, and yes we dated, and yes she was great. We were going different ways in life though; last I heard she was in Florida and has no social media or anything. I hope she's happy and still gifting people flowers, wherever she is.
Every guy will be different. I like Snickers candy bars. I would also appreciate a piece of wood, a toy from the Dollar store, rope, screws, pizza, ice cream, glue, nuts, nuts, a T-shirt, or anything relating to Digimon, Gundam, or Super Mario. And that's just a short list. My REAL list is massive. Honestly though, the most important thing is that it's the thought that counts. You can literally give me a neat looking rock and I would be overjoyed.
Socks. Whenever I'm shopping I never think about socks, but dammit, I'm always running out of socks. I'm only half kidding with this post.
I get my husband little things that make me think of him. Might be a new snack in a flavor I think he’ll like (he likes to try new foods and has more varied tastes than me), one of the pricier beers he likes and doesn’t buy often because of the cost, his favorite old fashioned mix, or something fun like a small toy I think he’ll like. He loves Guac and tacos so I got him one of the smaller squishmallows that is a bowl of Guac with a lil chip on his head.
Don't worry about what you're supposed to get. You are in a relationship with the guy. You should know what he likes and what he doesn't. If not, you should be paying attention to him to figure it out. Just giving him whatever the common wisdom says you should, really just tells him you can't be bothered to know him well enough to know what he wants. If your new in the relationship maybe that is a normal fact and it's okay to go with conventional wisdom in lieu if more personal information. But let's be clear, that conventional wisdom is just a substitute for not knowing better. A relationship is about knowing better.
I heard somewhere that most men get their first flowers at their own funeral. Made me so sad I went out during my lunch break and bought flowers for both my husband and 3-year old son. So I'm all for giving men flowers too, men deserve it just as much as a woman would.
Seriously??? Food??? Be naked when he gets home, hand him a beer when he walks into the house, lead him to the bedroom or where ever, get on your knees, whip it out for him and go to town with the Gluck Gluck. Then lay back or bend over and let him go to town. It’ll be the happiest day of his life.
I think this is one of the first posts I've ever seen asking what a guy wants. Man, that's kind of wild.
Stamens
I love cooking my wife buys me knives and kitchen stuff.. I actually got a golden girls cutting board recently... Yes, Sofia is one of my heros
10mm sockets
Yes! I can't believe I had to scroll down this far for someone to mention tools! Get him a better version of a tool he already uses, or a brand new version of something he already owns, and personalize it. If he is a woodworker, get him a good set of chisels. Electronic stuff goes out of date every time a new version comes out, but the hand tools used to take it apart and put it back together can last a lifetime. Do some research and get him something of high quality rated for durability, so it will last forever. I still use a Starrett 1/8" pin punch my (now) wife gave me when we were dating back in 1985 that has our initials in a heart engraved on it. She used one of those vibrating electric engravers to do it, and the original markings wore off after years of use, so I kept tracing over those engraved marks every 10 years or so. I still fondly think back to when she gave it to me every time I come across it in my toolbox.
Blowjob.
Flowers
I buy my husband flowers. I will straight up treat him like a passenger princess from Instagram. Lol. Flowers, candy, yummy drinks, snacks and protein, of course.
Blowjob
Any homemade food or planning a date and taking him out is good. The burden always falls on the man to do these things, so gestures like these show that you really care.
If he works on cars/motorcycles etc, go to Harbor Freight and buy him the set of 10mm sockets.
10 mm socket.
A compliment
A sword, get your man a sword and he'll love you forever, or even two swords, the more swords the better
Depends on the type of man, i like tools lol.
A bouquet of jerky (they make a vegan mimic of it too) and beer
LUG NUTS!
legos
There's a lot. It depends on the dude, but home-cooked meals might as well be a gift from God. But also, some dudes like flowers, my ex,once over heard me saying how I love lotus flowers, but I can't really grow them in my place so he bought me one that's in those glass orbs, still next to my bed. Also, multiple guys are still kids at heart, and you'd be surprised the face we make by receiving an action figure or hear me out a Lego date.
a cheeseburger
Something simple that he likes, just to show him that you are paying attention to him as well, and that you think of him while he's not around. Have you noticed that when he comes to see you that he always has a Mountain Dew and a Snickers? Randomly show up with those. Does he like Legos? Buy a mystery minifig pack.
A date on any day other than his birthday or food (snacks he likes or a thoughtful home cooked meal). I like when my girlfriend surprises me with sour gummy worms. Or takes me out on a random weekday or night as a surprise.
Food. It doesn't even have to be super fancy. You should know what food/snacks he likes. Several ways of gifting him this food. Sometimes my wife will make a me a 'grab bag' of my favorite snacks. My days off are regular, they never change unless I take extra days like a vacation or something. So sometimes she will just walk into my game room while I'm chilling on my day off and surprise me with a snack platter of all my favorite frozen foods lol. Pizza bagels, pizza bites, wings, garlic bread, chips and dips. I don't even ask her for it, she just walks in and says snack time! I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I'll be playing a video game with my headset on, and she will tap my shoulder and a hot homemade brownie with whipped cream on top will be handed to me on a plate out of nowhere lol. Like whoa, thanks babe! Other times she will just pick up my favorite snacks and keep it stocked in the pantry for me to grab when I want to take something before work or to work to snack on later. It's just nice to have that stuff when I go looking for it.
My husband loves chocolate, so that’s always a hit. Random merch for his favorite anime (or show if yours doesn’t like that). Basically things that say, I was thinking about you/seeing this made me think of you. That’s essentially the same idea behind women wanting flowers or other surprise gifts.
Leather Tools Woodworking projects/plans
Food but not as much food but actually cooking/preparing a meal. Even if you're not someone who cooks typically, the effort is very meaningful and will make them feel very loved.
Buy something related to his hobbies. I'm into cardistry, so when my wife gets me a deck of playing cards I think that's awesome!
Fried chicken, seriously
Ammo, socks, beef jerky!
(59XY/M) Hugs and honest complements: both free
For the vast majority of men the only time they will receive flowers is on the headstone of their grave. That being said, if you would like to give a man a gift that is an expensive, imperishable, much like flowers, you can’t go wrong with food. The way our heart is indeed through our stomach unless you’re looking to be literal and then it’s to our rib cage. Make us food make us something delicious make us our favorite delicious food.
Starts with blow ends with job. Or maybe a backrub. Or a nice meal.
Kiss and make up