Raise your hand if playing Santa should have been your second calling! (#same) If there’s one thing Lauren, Sabrina, and I agree on it’s that there is nothing we love more than shopping for and giving the ultimate gifts to friends & family during the holidays. I’m not going to lie though – one of my absolute favorite people to shop for has got to be Nick. And not because he’s so easy to shop for. If anything, shopping for your boo can sometimes be a challenge but I think that’s the part we love most. It’s sorta fun to play detective and do some digging to find just the perfect gift.
Don’t let playing Santa for bae stress you out this holiday season. We’re rounding up a few of our favorite tips and gift ideas that we swear by to make things a little easier. Check ‘em out below and leave a comment with some of the tricks or gifts on your list!
The Christmas gift bae loved the most…
Mae: Tickets to see U2’s Innocence and Experience tour. For Christmas 2014, I got him tickets to their Phoenix show and we ended up turning it into a weeklong trip to Hawaii with a weekend in Phoenix on the way back. Nick has been a U2 fan for pretty much as long as I’ve known him and we’ve always bonded over their music so it was a really special time. We had missed their previous tour because we were graduating college/planning a wedding so I knew we had to catch this one. So glad we did.
Sabrina: I think it will be this year’s’ gift! (Not a spoiler, he already knows) that I got him a new laptop bag for Christmas. Sahir has been using the one I got him 2 years ago for so long that it’s pretty much torn apart. It’s time to upgrade and invest in something stylish, long-lasting, and functional. We found the perfect one at Coach (more on that later!)
Lauren: His Kobe Jersey. To be fair, last Christmas was actually our first Christmas together but I think I kinda knocked it out of the park (jk, sort of). Brandon is a huge Kobe Bryant fan (was? I don’t get how retirement in the NBA works) so I wanted to get him something a little more sentimental. He wears it every time the Lakers play and I know it’s something he can have and show off for years to come.
The things I look for most when scouring the aisles…
Mae: Something he’d never get for himself. That’s pretty much anything, though, because Nick pretty much never spends money on himself. He has the most admirable sense of discipline! But that just makes him that much more fun to shop for because I can literally get him anything I’ve heard him mention recently.
Sabrina: Something he needs! Sahir can always buy things that he wants, but it’s often harder to get him to buy the things he actually needs. Last year I bought him 2 jackets and a coat and he is all set for years to come. I invested in a high quality Zara wool coat and he loves it! It’s more than he would have comfortably spent on himself, but that’s what makes it such a good gift.
Lauren: Something personal. I know…how unique. But that’s the #1 thing I keep in mind when looking for good gifts – something that stands out and something that I would only get for Brandon. I try to think of all of the things that make B who he is, and find those little qualities in a gift!
When I’m stumped for a good gift idea, I usually…
Mae: Go for an experience. When I’m not sure what else to get him, I know I can rely on some concert tickets to make him feel special – even better if I can turn it into a trip or weekend getaway. Plus, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. He gets the initial joy of receiving the tickets, then he gets to look forward to the concert for months, then he has the memory to look back on forever. He’s also a musician and he always, always comes home feeling so inspired and it fills our home with blessed guitar solos for weeks.
Sabrina: Check out my favorite bloggers! Bloggers are so good at sharing what is on trend and in their shopping carts. So many of us are trying to figure out what to get our family & friends, that it’s best to go to people we trust. I love checking out Mae & Lauren’s blogs as well as The Everygirl, Lauren Conrad, and Hello Giggles.
Lauren: Talk to my dad or mom. They both are awesome gift-givers so I tend to go to them for ideas or some sort of direction. I mean, they have been giving each other gifts for over 35 years.
When the North Pole is too busy, I love checking out…
Mae: East Dane, Topman, Urban Outfitters, and Jack Threads. I can’t always buy clothes for Nick because he’s really picky about fit, but I can usually find him some cool accessories/bags/watches that he’ll love. I got him a leather duffle from Jack Threads a couple years ago and it has gotten SO much love. I also love looking for Tumi at different retailers. I got him a Tumi wallet our first married Christmas and now I’m forever on the hunt for more Tumi for him. I’ve got my eyes on some luggage right now!
Sabrina: Coach, believe it or not! I mentioned this earlier, but the men’s line at Coach is so elegant that Sahir and I are both big fans. The price is justified by the quality of the items, but these are definitely investment pieces. In addition to the laptop bag, Sahir’s travel luggage, wallet, and winter gloves are also from Coach.
Lauren: Like most, I love shopping on Amazon for gifts. You can search for pretty much any and everything so I love the flexibility and free 2 day shipping with Prime. I’m also a really big fan of hunting through boutiques and smaller shops around the city. Last year, I found a really cool humidor for B’s cigars in a little mom & pop cigar shop. He loved it.
Feeling stuck this year? Check out some of these unique + fun gift ideas!
Mae: This bomber jacket is both trendy and practical. He can wear it from the office to the weekend and everywhere in between. I also always think a weekender or duffle bag is a nice gift for him. I, of course, love the idea of a travel bag, passport holder, and plane tickets, too. I pinky promise that’d be a gift for him, not me. 😉
Sabrina: Ol’ reliable. I’m going with a classic brown leather wallet & an ‘always in style’ men puffer jacket.
Lauren: I am a huge fan of super techy gifts because they’re usually a splurge he might not go for on his own. The Amazon Echo is on almost every gift guide of mine and I can’t resist a FitBit for a little fitness competition with bae.
In case you missed our last #REALationshipGoals post, we shared a few tips to get you and your boo through hosting around the holidays!