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Posted: 2023-12-15T10:45:33Z | Updated: 2023-12-15T10:45:33Z 19 Last-Minute Gifts That Men Will Actually Like (Because We Asked Them) | HuffPost Life

19 Last-Minute Gifts That Men Will Actually Like (Because We Asked Them)

Men are hard to shop for. This will make it easier.
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We get it. Men are hard to shop for . And for this reason, you may have procrastinated shopping for one or more, and now Christmas is less than two weeks away and you need to secure your gifts ASAP.

To ease some stress and to ensure all the dudes in your life get things they actually like, we rounded up our favorite gifts for men this winter, pulling in suggestions from fellows and gift-buyers we previously polled IRL . Everything ahead is primed to ship quickly and arrive in time for your gift exchange.

From waterproof action cameras to beard oil, we have options for all budgets and all types of dudes. If you need to get something for your brother, father, husband, co-worker or neighbor, we humbly share our suggestions for universal, crowd-pleasing presents for men that promise to arrive by Dec. 25 if you buy now.

HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

1
A giant bag of gummies
You're never too old for a stocking full of candy. If you've got a man with a sweet tooth on your Nice List, we love going with a super-sized bags of gummy bears. This one weighs five pounds and will surely make someone very happy.
2
A vitamin-rich beard oil
The beard-owners in your life will deeply appreciate this nourishing beard oil made by Jack Black. Recommended by shopping writer Tessa Flores' father Eliazar Flores, this upgraded stocking stuffer contains a blend of vitamin E and Kalahari melon oil to soften coarse beard strands and hydrate skin.
3
A helpful robot vacuum
Noah Michelson , head of HuffPost Personal, recently gave himself the present of an effortlessly clean floor via this Roomba robot vacuum. A splurge-worthy gift, this model cleans floors using row-by-row navigation. It connects with an app so he can set when he wants it to run and pair it with his smart home systems to make it voice-controlled.
4
A highly rated 3D printer
On the HuffPost Parents Facebook page, reader Melanie Gray said her husband wants a home 3D printer for the holidays. We found this highly-rated option at Amazon thats at the lower end of the price spectrum for 3D printers. The brand says it can be assembled at home in two hours and brags that this model has an updated extruder component that's less likely to clog.
5
Williams Sonoma
A Santoku cleaver-knife
HuffPost Shopping managing editor Emily Ruanes husband, Chris Grosso, previously suggested this 7-inch hollow-ground santoku knife from Shun at a great gift. This is a really good multifunctional knife for chopping vegetables and carving meat, he said. [Its] highly functional and very stylish. Made in Japan, this knife-cleaver hybrid has a sturdy handle made from a wood-resin composite material and a sharply tapered blade thats layered with 34 ultra-thin sheets of stainless steel.
6
A personalized celebrity message from Cameo
Cameo.com offers short personalized video messages from well-known celebrities. Buying one is a winning gift, especially for people who hate "stuff" and never want physical presents as gifts.

"My dad is a massive fan of the show MASH," wrote reader Monika Porch on the HuffPost Women Facebook page. "...I got him a Cameo from Jamie Farr and he was over the moon. I revealed I had been debating between Jamie and Loretta Swit and he asked if I could get him a Cameo from her as well. Both actors were very kind and Jamie even showed off some of his MASH memorabilia and now my dad has the biggest street cred in his retirement community and shows it off constantly to people."
7
Framebridge
A gift card for online or in-person framing
A genius suggestion from Ruane's friend Mary Guerin: Snag the photographer, art lover or home design nerd in your life a gift card to Framebridge, a startup that specializes in both mail-order and in-person framing. (There are a number of physical locations throughout major cities on the Eastern seaboard.) The brands website is overflowing with inspiration, and they also offer design services.
8
A Carhartt pocket tee
The ever-classic Carhartt pocket tee is a favorite among HuffPost readers, including Ruane's husband. They're thick enough to be worn without an undershirt and can be easily styled with jeans or slacks. Fashion-forward fathers and good ole' boys who work with their hands will both be happy to unwrap one or three.
9
A pickleball starter kit
Pickleball is the game of the year it seems, and what better to get your dad or brother involved than gifting them this set that contains two paddles, four balls and two grip tapes to start a pick-up game anywhere.
10
A timeless L.L. Bean sweater
Taking a note from my own father, the king of New England: You can never go wrong with a 100% wool sweater, mainly ones from L.L. Bean. They're great for skiing or other winter sports, as they're still warm even if they get wet. Order by December 18 to get one before Christmas.
11
A Google Nest
If your giftee is the type to watch the news as he's making dinner (or who would love to shout to a voice in the sky to know the weather or time) he'll likely love this easy-to-use Google Nest.
It's a user-friendly home tech item that doesn't totally break the bank and could be great for multitaskers and anyone who keeps up on current events. Order now to get it by Christmas.
12
A Hamilton Beach food processor
For guac, pie crusts, soups and more, this Hamilton Beach food processor does it all. At under $50, it's a versatile tool that will quickly earn its worth in anyone's kitchen. This model was specifically requeste d by Ruanes brother-in-law.
13
An easy-care houseplant
Give the gift of green this year with any of the gorgeous plants from The Sill. Order by Dec. 17 for free standard shipping that will arrive by Dec. 25. If you order by Dec. 19, the brands express-shipping option will get it to you by Christmas.
14
An outdoor hammock
Hikers, campers, Phish fans and any other dude in your life who likes reclining in the sunshine will be happy to unwrap an outdoor hammock. This model only weighs 24 ounces and comes with all the tools needed to hang it.
15
A GoPro action camera
Family content creator Sage Pasch previously told HuffPost that shes gifting her fianc this waterproof action GoPro to take family videos when everyone is surfing and swimming. These fun mini cameras are also great gifts for people who love winter sports, skateboarding or being outside.
16
A pair of convertible mittens
Michelson also recommended a convertible mitten. "They keep your hands toastier than gloves and instantly allow you the dexterity you need to use your phone (or do any number of other things) without fully removing them," he said. This pair that we found on Amazon is made for ice fisherman, so it would be a great option for anyone in chilly climates.
17
A larger-format Polaroid with film
Polaroids are back, baby, and this set contains an adorable retro-looking camera and some film. He'll enjoy instant-print photos in the classic square shape and can connect the camera to the app for modern editing.
18
A toddler bike seat
If you've got a biker with little ones in your life, he'll love this toddler bike seat from Thule. The adjustable foot rests and straps keep your kiddo safe as they get bigger with a childproof safety buckle and built-in light for extra safety.
19
A digital photo frame
Looking for a universal sentimental gift? Grab your loved one on a digital photo frame. Wellness editor Lindsay Holmes calls it "by far been the most successful gift I have ever given," and said it's nice for keeping long-distance friends and family feeling connected.

Before You Go

Bookstore Owners Recommend The Books That Make The Most Foolproof Gifts
The Illustrated Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language by Mark Forsyth(01 of08)
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Have you ever wondered where the word assassin came from? Did you know the word is related to the word "hashish, which is in reference to a Medieval cult of hitmen so renowned for their abilities that people assumed they were drug-addled super killers? No? Well, you will if you read this delightfully fascinating book from author Mark Forsyth. A study of words, their meanings, evolution and connections, "The Illustrated Etymologicon is more of a witty jaunt through language than it is a tedious lesson in etymology. Springing from Forsyth's quirky "Inky Fool" blog, his debut book serves as an "erudite guided tour of the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language," according to its publisher, and is complete with pen-and-ink illustrations from the author.

[This] is a gorgeous book to gift for the holidays. It's for language lovers (and what bookworm isn't?), and for folks who love beautifully designed books. It's full of witty and thoughtful connections between words that is a delight to read and flip through. Consuelo Wilder, buying and inventory director at Book People in Austin, Texas
(credit:Amazon)
"Legends & Lattes" by Travis Baldree(02 of08)
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The second book in this cozy fantasy series by Travis Baldree has quickly become a bestseller with its Dungeons and Dragons vibes and themes of found family. The sword-wielding orc Vivian lost her sense of meaning after dealing with a devastating injury working as a notorious mercenary for the company Rackam's Raven, and she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk. Nursing her wounds, the restless Viv spends her time in a beleaguered bookshop and in the company of its bitingly foul-mouthed proprietor a life she definitely did not foresee. But adventure finds its way back to her when the town of Murk proves to be a lot less tranquil than expected. With its mysterious encounters, summer flings and a growing number of skeletons, Baldrees fantastical novel is the perfect winter indulgence.

Travis Baldree's two titles, Bookshops & Bonedust and Legends & Lattes, were two of the happiest books I've read this year. Baldree got it right, especially with his bookselling rattkin, Fern. These books should come with a calorie warning, though the baked goods will have you reading all day at the local cafe. Christine Longmuir, owner of Two Rivers Bookstore in Portland, Oregon
(credit:Bookshop.org)
"Monstrilio: A Novel" by Gerado Smano Crdova(03 of08)
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Monstrilio is a literary horror and queer novel that defiantly blends love, terrors and despair. This ambitious debut by Gerado Smano Crdova is broken into four parts and four alternating perspectives. Crdovas writing is at times horrifically graphic and then, inversely, paced slow and quiet, allowing the reader to catch a breath from the more intense parts of the story. Its considered an exercise in the limits of love, the frightening undoing of loss and the autonomy of identity.

I would recommend Monstrilio by Gerado Smano Crdova for fans of literary horror. There's a lot to love in this chilling debut about the monstrosity of grief. After the death of her 11-year-old son, the boy's mother is inspired by a Mexican folktale and removes a part of her son's lung and places it in a jar to nurture it. What starts as a desperate attempt to keep his memory alive soon becomes something else entirely. Unconditional love and grief are powerful, complex emotions, and Monstrilio interrogates the slippery morals that are compromised in times of extreme desperation. Inventive, unsettling, and surprisingly tender, [it] blurs the lines between human and monster, belonging and rejection. I highly recommend it! Shane Khosropour, manager and book buyer for Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago, Illinois
(credit:Bookshop.org)
"Big Swiss" by Jen Beagin(04 of08)
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This wild and inventive novel from author Jen Beagin follows a female protagonists complicated romance. Middle-aged Greta is a former pharmaceutical tech who lives in Hudson, New York, and works as a transcriptionist for a sex coach. The sex coach, who goes by the name Om, is a new-agey type of therapist, and while going through hours of recordings, Greta finds herself completely bewitched by one of his clients a married Swiss woman she calls Big Swiss. When Greta one day recognizes the womans voice at a dog park, she panics and gives a fake name, launching an explosive affair between the two. Beagins book is funny, dark and dives into the messiness of infidelity, desires and sexual stereotypes, all told through her two tortured protagonists.

I'm something of an evangelist for this book, which I did not read right away in February of this year, but boy am I glad I found my way to it. Beagin crafts a wickedly funny tale about a young woman adrift and leaning into one bad decision after another and with no apologies. I rooted for Greta (and Big Swiss!) and chortled and guffawed my way through this book. It's perfect for the funny person on your gift list or for someone you know who needs a break from the crushing anxiety of our daily life now. Dan Graham, promotional director with Book Soup in Los Angeles
(credit:Book Soup)
"King: A Life" by Jonathan Eig(05 of08)
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Jonathan Eigs biography of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. is touted as an exhaustively researched new work by its publisher, which says it is also "the first to include recently declassified FBI files.

Eig, a journalist and New York Times bestselling author, had already taken on several other modern legends including Muhammad Ali and Jackie Robinson. In King: A Life, the author provides an engrossing and humanizing narrative that reads like something akin to a thriller. Quickly paced and filled with compelling reflections and extraordinary new details into Dr. Kings life, this work of nonfiction will give more insight into the civil rights leader, including his relationship with his wife, Coretta Scott King.

You may think you know all you need to know about Martin Luther King, who looms large and mythical over our American story. But now, this exceptional biography tells the story of an earnest man wrestling with very real personal demons, carried by his convictions and the understanding that he could not turn back now. MLK was dogged by Hoover's FBI, plagued by self-doubt and the near certainty of a violent death, and stood and met the moment anyway. Give this book to the biography or U.S. history reader on your list. It soars! Graham
(credit:Book Soup)
"Romantic Comedy" by Curtis Sittenfeld(06 of08)
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A romp of a contemporary romance, Curtis Sittenfelds Romantic Comedy is perfect for anyone who binges 30 Rock but craves a little more heat. Bitingly funny writer Sally Milz, who is a sketch writer for a late-night SNL-esque comedy show dubbed the The Night Owls, is a cynic when it comes to love and why wouldnt she be, when she daily witnesses a string of celebrity glamazons falling for the dumpy male comedy writers on her team? The pairings baffle and irritate her, so she writes a script mocking one of her writers and his recent romance with a beautiful actress. But when Noah Brewster, a mainstream musician and known modelizer, is the guest for the weeks show, Sally finds herself possibly in the very same situation she mocked with an attractive A-lister who might be falling for her.

Romantic Comedy is the perfect title given its hook. As the title promises, the book is both a romance and supremely funny. What the title doesnt promise, but the book delivers on every page, is Curtis Sittenfelds intellectual acuity and uncanny wisdom, her knife-sharp observations about true intimacy, about being a human in a physical body, about being vulnerable in love and friendship, about insecurity and compromise and communication and professional success. Funny and romantic, yes but also so tender and wise and beautiful. All that, plus its a love letter to therapy and the Indigo Girls? Literary fiction doesn't get more enjoyable than this. Emilie Sommer, book buyer at East City Books in Washington, D.C.
(credit:Bookshop.org)
"The Neighbor Favor" by Kristina Forest(07 of08)
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Shy bookworm Lily Greene has always preferred fictional relationships to the real thing. She works in the publishing industry, dreams of becoming a children's book editor and even has a pen pal relationship with her favorite fantasy author, a mysterious Brit who goes by the name N. R. Strickland until one day, he ghosts her. A few months pass after their last correspondence, and Lily decides she needs to engage with the real world. She needs a date for her sisters wedding and boldly asks her good-looking new neighbor Nick Brown to help her find one. She's oddly drawn to Nick, but cant seem to pinpoint why. Their attraction is undeniable, but with plenty of hang-ups for both of them, will the bookish pair bind up?

For the romance readers in your life, this year I would gift The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest. This charming and modern story brings shades of 'You've Got Mail, when an obscure author starts corresponding with what seems like his singular fan. I love how it explores the magic of connections forged through shared passions. Leah Koch, co-owner of The Ripped Bodice in New York City and Los Angeles
(credit:The Ripped Bodice)
"The Arsonists' City" by Hala Alyan(08 of08)
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The Arsonists City, the second novel from Palestinian American author and clinical psychologist Hala Alyan, is about the Nasrs, a family with members who are are scattered all over the world but are pulled together for one central thing: to save their ancestral home in Beirut. When the Nasr patriarch passes, the new one, Idris, takes his place and decides to sell the Beirut home. But then the family rallies against Idris decision, forcing more to the surface than just this shared cause for connection, but also the rivalries, jealousies and secrets that the distance kept subdued.

I would recommend Arsonists' City as a perfect gift for someone who loves family sagas, multiple points of view, and exploring the impact of political backdrop on daily lives. Alyan's poetic sensibility adds an extra layer of depth and artistry to the narrative, making [this book] a truly captivating and emotionally resonant read. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates well-crafted character studies and an intimate exploration of humanity's struggle to find its place in a world of upheaval. Lucy Yu, owner of Yu & Me Books in New York City
(credit:Yu & Me Books)

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