Welcome to November (how is it that I’m always surprised when a new month comes around?). Given all the supply chain issues, shopping and ordering early is probably a good idea.

First, what makes a good gift? Psychologist Dan Ariely says this about gifts:

“A good gift is something that someone really wants, but feels guilty buying it for themselves. What is interesting about this answer is that the ideal gift from this perspective is not about getting the person something that they can’t afford, or something that they have no idea that they want – it is all about alleviating guilt connected with the purchase of a highly desirable (yet guilt invoking) item.” 

To help spark some gift ideas, here are some things that might make good gifts for guys in your life (actually, most of these are good gift ideas for the ladies too!):

1. An Oura Ring. The Oura Ring is a health tracker, but instead of being worn on your wrist like a FitBit, Apple Watch, Garmin, Whoop, etc., it’s a ring you wear on your finger. Oura just released a new version of its ring and the reviews are fantastic. I’ve had one for 18 months and I love mine. You can order one here. I wrote about my Oura Ring in this IFOD.

2. Sports Jersey. If you are looking for a gift for someone who is a fan of sports, buying a jersey of his favorite team (and as a bonus with a favorite player’s number) will be an appreciated gift. Personally, I have multiple St. Louis Blues jerseys. I wear them even when at home watching games and of course wear them to the stadium. I even have a Cardinals jersey (even though I think baseball is boring).

3. Vuori Pronto Pants. COVID and WFH have highlighted the importance of comfy loungewear. Vuori makes some of the comfiest pants out there (both for guys and gals). They have many styles to choose from. Some popular ones are the Pronto Pant.

4. Powerful Flashlight. I’ve suggested this as a good guy gift previously. I know we all have flashlights on our phones nowadays. And that’s great. But sometimes, It’s just awesome to have a powerful flashlight — one that really cuts the night. Here’s a cool one.

5. Quarter-Zip Sweater. Office attire has been trending more casual for a decade-plus and the pandemic has accelerated things in that direction. As a result, many guys (including me) have been morphing their work wardrobes to be more casual, while trying to look sharp. A nice quarter-zip sweater fits this bill perfectly. It can be worn over a t-shirt or can be dressed up with a collared shirt underneath. Nice ones are a bit pricey but make great gifts. I bet most guys can’t have too many of these. Here’s a good one from Vineyard Vines and you can’t go wrong with one from Peter Millar.

6. Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds. If the guy you are looking to buy for is still using corded headphones, first-generation AirPods, or just cheap headphones, you may want to splurge on these highly-rated Sony earbuds. I bought some of these a few months ago after extensive research and I am delighted with them. I wrote about them in this IFOD. Here’s a link to them on Amazon.