If you have been counting down the minutes until it’s socially acceptable to devour an entire heart-shaped box of chocolate then you’re in luck…Valentine’s Day is almost here. You only have two weeks to find a creative way to show your affection for your love, and unless you’re willing to be a total cliché, we’re thinking red roses are out of the question. You’re not alone if you kind of hate Valentine’s Day, and you’re definitely not alone if you hate it but you succumb to the pressures of the love fest anyway.
Between cards, gifts, flowers, dinners and other splurges, Americans spent $18.6 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2013 alone. Yes, that was supposed to be a “b” as in billion. Of that massive number, $1.9 billion was spent on flowers, which pays for the 224 million roses that are grown specifically for the Valentine’s Day holiday. The numbers don’t lie–people aren’t afraid to pony up when it comes time to express their love. So let’s say you want to treat your love to something special, but the idea of boxed candy makes you want to puke, then what do you buy? Well luckily for you we’ve rounded up our 10 favorite out-of-the-box unique gift for men on Valentine’s Day. Happy shopping…let the love fest begin!
1. Socks
Cufflinks and pajamas are so overdone. If you are going the route of unusual gifts, look no further than his feet. Socks are a fun way to accessorize and add a little flair to his style without having to worry about the perfect fit or over-spending. We love these eccentric, well-made, comfortable and somewhat loud socks from Pair of Thieves. Bonus, if you happen to have a big guy and a little guy in your life you can get them matching father/son socks.
Read Related: 8 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Boyfriend
2. Man’s Best Friend
If your man has a furry friend in his/your life, then you can celebrate not just your love but also their love this Valentine’s Day. Surprise him with a custom canvas wall art made from a photo of his best 4-legged friend. Plus this beautifully made art will add a little personalized touch and sentimental decor to his/your home without participating in any cheesy couple photo shoot.
3. Photo Book
If you want to go the sentimental route then nothing says, “I love you” quite like a photo collection of all your love-filled memories. These custom photo books from Montage are beautiful, sophisticated and extremely high quality. Plus they are insanely easy to put together—you simply upload photos, the program automatically populates the book with photo layouts and then you edit as needed. The final product is a beautifully made, personalized gift that you will both cherish forever. Plus it looks like it took you weeks to make; when in reality it requires only a few clicks and flat fee.
4. Booze
Maybe it’s not the most unique gift for men, but what guy doesn’t like to wind down after a long day with a stiff drink or a delicious cocktail? Treat him to a libation he knows and loves, or to a new variety that he’s never tried before. You can buy a single bottle such as this WhistlePig Rye Whiskey or if you can’t commit and you want to let him experiment buy a tasting flight such as this Scotch Whiskey tasting pack complete with 5 different types of single malt and a flavor map to help guide you through your taste test.
5. Coffee Table Book
Even if you don’t appreciate the art of the coffee table book, you and your partner will love this brand-new cocktail guide from Death & Co. (one of the most high-profile, famous, influential and incredibly delicious bars in the world). Whether you are a cocktail enthusiast, a casual drinker or a mixologist-in-the-making, this book will keep anyone entertained and thirsty with over 500 drink recipes, insider tricks and craft cocktail techniques.
6. Custom Sweets
Screw chocolate; give something a bit more creative to satisfy your sweet tooth. These unusual gifts, treats from Treat House, are beautiful, inventive, and delicious, and the best part is they can be personalized! You can have these rice crispy treat bars customized with a photo, initials, monogram or design of your choosing. So while you won’t be able to stop eating these treats, you will both always remember them.
7. Jambox by Jawbone
If you and your partner love to listen to music just about everywhere you go, make it easy to rock out with Jambox. This portable, wireless speaker is extremely easy to use, easy to move/pack/take with you and it actually sounds great. It’s perfect when you or your guy want to take Jay-Z with you to backyard or when you want some Red Hot Chili Peppers in the kitchen. It’s even perfect when you both want to set the mood with something a little more, um, romantic. You see where we’re going with this, right?
8. Shaving Kit
This may not be the most unique gift for men , but you know he likes new toys and you like a clean close shave. With a classically cool shaving kit from The Art of Shaving you both win.
9. Toiletry Case
Wait, you thought only girls had toiletries to store? Not so much. Your man has lots of bathroom-related crap too, and he probably doesn’t have anything good to store his products in. This case is attractive, functional and a little bit flattering too.
10. New Shades
Treat your love to new shades in a way that lets you try on several styles of sunglasses and pick your own frames. With Warby Parker you can order 5 different glasses to try on, free of charge. The try-ons are shipped to you for free, and after testing them all out (and asking for your input, of course) you can pick your favorite and order a pair to keep.
