Cheers to 5 Years! (And guy gift giving guide)
My husband and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary in May, and as we begin the next five year chapter its fun to reflect on the last five.
For starters, our family photos have changed drastically…
To celebrate this year, we went to one of our favorite sushi restaurants (vegetarian sushi, of course!) called Wasabi. It was amazing and we spent the day out just the two of us! It was a beautiful day and we were able to enjoy the sunny weather, while we exchanged gifts made of wood, which is the traditional 5 year anniversary gift theme.
I received a gorgeous ring box made of a Brazilian hardwood, and I gave him a white oak docking station for his nightstand with our names and wedding year engraved on it.
Our anniversary starts a month long period of gift giving for us, first comes our anniversary, skip two weeks, then my husband’s birthday and father’s day back to back. And if you’re like me, you’re always looking for a gift for the special men in your life (Dad, SO, brothers, etc.), because let’s face it…they can be hard to shop for.
If you’re looking for a good birthday, anniversary, or Father’s day gift, I personally love wooden gifts for any guy because they are manly, earthy, timeless and just beautiful!
Wooden Watches
While I have yet to gift one of these, I have seen them and they are beautiful! And as a bonus, you can have them engraved to remember a special event or moment, making it even more special. For father’s day how cool would it be to add the date(s) that made him a dad?! *heart eyes*
Wooden Docking Station
This is the exact one I bought for my husband, but there are so many different styles depending on what he needs on his nightstand (glasses, watches, wallet, keys, etc.). I absolutely loved the high quality wood and engraving, and the seller was so quick and helpful with my custom request!
If you’re looking for something more utilitarian for a gift, tools are the perfect gift. It can seem confusing trying to decide which tool to buy, but honestly, I’ve discovered that guys don’t care how many electric drills they have, they are still as excited as a little kid when they get a new one. I’ll try to share some of the specific tools I’ve purchased for my husband over the years and why.
Cordless Electric Drill/Skrewdriver
Because one is never enough. One for the house, one for the garage, one because you can’t find the other one when you need it…or because one permanently lives in his truck? Trust me, it’s a tried and true gift he will love. Bonus if you buy an extra battery.
Finishing Nailer
If he is a handyman or DIY-er, this is an extremely helpful tool. It’s a nail gun that attaches to an air compressor and can be used for putting up trim, endless wood-working projects, outdoor projects such as planter boxes, decor, etc.
Router
This is another great tool if he likes wood-working and it basically creates decorative edges on wood. My husband has used it for things like routering edges of trim, a door frame for hinges, picture frames, a kid play table, etc. It can create a rounded edge, 45° angles, keyhole (for hanging pictures, or other things on a wall), it has so many uses!
Sawzall/Hackzall
This is the ultimate cutting tool and comes in cordless and plug-in. It’s great for trimming trees, branches, cutting things down, cutting holes in things, you name it, he can probably find a reason to use it! I laugh at my husband for his ability to find a reason to use his favorite “toys” *cough* I mean tools!!
Orbital Sander
This is a great multi-purpose sander for a variety of projects. From a floating TV shelf to custom trim, this sander is great for bigger projects. (Would be great for refinishing furniture as well!)
I could go on and on about tools…I guess the moral here is that a guy can never have enough tools (a.k.a toys). However, some men don’t have the space or need for tools and would prefer clothes instead.
The Tie Bar
I absolutely love their tie selection for family pictures, weddings, etc. If your man wears ties to work, they have just about any color and fabric you can imagine. I even found the perfect kid bow ties for LB when he was a ring bearer in a wedding. Buying father and son matching ties for Father’s Day is just too cute for words!
Bonobos Pants and Shirts
Has your guy ever worn Bonobos Pants? My husband LOVES their chinos and they look so good! Completely worth every penny, these pants have fun prints inside the pockets and come in several fits from athletic to classic to skinny. Did I mention they were designed by guys? That’s right…they totally nailed the fit for “real” guys. For reference, my husband is 6’4″ and a thin build and these pants look great and are comfortable (he’s selective on what pants he likes). They are his go-to for church, weddings, and any business casual event. Their shirts are great as well, light-weight, quick-drying, perfect for hot summer days and great if he enjoys playing golf!
While gift-giving can be quite challenging, these are just a few gift ideas that apply to most of the men in my life (my husband, dad, father-in-law, and any of my 4 brothers). Good luck with all your gift-giving holidays!
Xoxo, Erin