Gift Guides & Inspiration
What do men actually want for Christmas?
We’ve gathered the men of John Lewis to find gifts they won’t want to return
Full disclosure: the men of John Lewis love Christmas. We’re that awful person who takes an extreme level of pleasure in finding the ideal gift. The kind of ‘OMG, how did you know?’ gift that shows you not only understand the recipient completely, but you’ve analysed, cross-referenced and matched them with the perfect thing. It’s CSI: Christmas. And there’s a 99.9% success rate.
But with this huge power for perfect gift giving, comes great responsibility. It is our duty to bestow our knowledge of all that John Lewis has to offer and ensure that the man in your life gets everything he wants this Christmas. You’re welcome.
Henry Tobias Jones
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Yes, socks. Sure, they’ve become the stereotype for thoughtless gifting. But actually cool tube socks or those expensive walking ones will be treasured. For the love of all that is festive, no novelty socks. Unless I’m invited on a Christmas-themed stag do, I’ll never wear them.
We recommend:
Edwin Kamifuji Socks
Tech is to blokes what flowers are to some women. It looks good, makes you feel better about your home, and can be expensive. Give me something that comes with a must-read manual, promises to ‘save us money in the long run’ and perhaps has a feature entirely different to anything before – even if it will already be out of date by this time next year.
We recommend:
Meta Quest 3 Headset and Controllers
OK, when my wife sees that I included this she’ll burst out with laughter. ‘But you never cook?’ She’s right, of course. But I’ve seen two seasons of The Bear, so perhaps I would cook something nice if I had all the gear. That Japanese chef’s knife must be £150-plus for a reason, maybe that would help? If that fails, one of those does-everything-kitchen-aids that requires no skill to operate will at least make me a more useful sous chef.
We recommend:
Kasumi Chef’s Knife
Lewis ChongSenior Copywriter
Senior Copywriter
Lost something recently? Christmas is a great way to get someone else to pay for your clumsiness. After misplacing my AirPods last month, I used the ‘Find My’ function and it turns out they live in Inverness now. No hard feelings. They probably got sick of me listening to Radiohead anyway. But yeah, new AirPods would be great, please, Santa.
We recommend:
Apple AirPods Pro
Reader, do you have a friend who’s always cancelling plans? Is your chat mostly memes? Do they have a dog? You’ve got a hibernator on your hands and they’d love a decent wool throw in a shade that complements their solitude.
We recommend:
John Lewis Plain Wool Throw
This Niwaki spade already takes pride of place in my greenhouse. Its unusual shade of gold makes it feel ceremonial – like I'm a minor celeb breaking new ground at a local bottle bank. Now I just need the secateurs to go with. They’ll be great for pruning hedges/cutting ribbons.
We recommend:
Niwaki GR Pro Right-Handed Garden Secateurs
Staring blankly into the distance does not get the credit it deserves. We blame our modern need for efficiency. But by making everyday tasks a little less convenient, perhaps waiting for a kettle to boil on the stove, you’ll create more time to zone out/google what Kathy Najimy’s up to/test how percussive your kitchen is.
We recommend:
Alessi Stovetop Kettle
Lee HowardCopywriter
Copywriter
I’d feel obliged to wear a running top if it’s shopped, wrapped and gifted to me. That should propel me out of the house in winter months and on to my 5k route, as long as it’s long-sleeved, warm, breathable and a little bit water-repellant. Yep, some sort of weather-beating minor-miracle sports top should get my fitness regime back on track post-Christmas.
We recommend:
Under Armour Running Jacket
2024 is the year I commit to proper coffee, 100%. That means upgrading my stovetop Bialetti two-cup espresso coffee maker to a larger size, so houseguests can have a cup too and fully appreciate that nothing else will do when it comes to making coffee at home. I’ll finally put that argument to bed, one morning. The only dilemma left? Go with the classic Moka or choose the Bialetti meets Dolce & Gabbana Italian brands collab?
We recommend:
Bialetti Dolce & Gabbana Coffee Maker, 3 Cup
Yes, it’s a pricey present. But the log store on my wishlist solves two problems. Somewhere to keep fuel for the fire and firepit. And something to stand in front of our miserable-looking shed wall, a rustic mini art installation of sorts in the back garden. A real ‘I quit the city for the countryside’ statement piece.
We recommend:
Ivyline Circle Metal Log Store
John GarveyCopywriter
Copywriter
Whenever I leave the gym, having dragged myself there kicking and screaming, I often forget that the worst is yet to come. DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), or after-gym achies to pros like myself, is the post-workout pain that keeps on giving. Can’t do your hair without a bicep twinging, and can’t sit down anywhere (and I mean anywhere) without feeling like your hamstrings are being nibbled at by a school of unruly piranhas. The truth is men want massages too, we just want them administered by something in the shape of a gun.
We recommend:
Theragun 2nd Generation Mini Massager by Therabody
There’s no such thing as dry turkey, only dry chefs. I’ve been banging the drum about man’s best friend, the meat thermometer, for years. And while my partner will inevitably roll her eyes when I pull it from the drawer, neither one of us has died from food poisoning or, worse, eaten overcooked meat. But my meat thermometer isn’t quite gadgety enough. For one, I have to take my cooking out of the oven to probe for that all-important internal temperature, so there’s still an element of guesswork involved.
The Meater Plus BBQ Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer has an app, so you already know this is going to be good. In the app, you can select your cook and choose your desired temperature – it will even tell you how long cooking will take.
We recommend:
Meater Plus BBQ Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer
About three minutes after exchanging for my first home, I instantly became obsessed with turning my mid-terrace abode into a smart home. Suddenly, using switches in my castle, like a mere mortal, was laughable. The notion of walking upstairs without automated lighting seemed not only displeasing but downright unreasonable. Initially, I was concerned about the robot taking over, but I want clean floors and frankly, I’ll be damned if I’m cleaning them myself.
We recommend:
Samsung Jet Bot Robot Vacuum Cleaner
While stuffing myself with Italian food on a daily basis and being in waste management (I do the recycling in my house) is pretty much where the similarities between myself and Tony Soprano end, a well-made dressing gown is something we can both get on board with. The kind you can live in during the festive period and well into the new year. The kind you can walk to the end of your driveway in because not only is it cosy, but it looks good too. I want comfort and I want velour. That’s why this striped robe has been left open on my laptop screen for the past two weeks.
We recommend:
John Lewis Striped Velour Robe
Sam EdwardsCopy Manager
Copy Manager
Fragrance shopping online can be fraught with peril – there’s always the risk of a politely received but ultimately unloved scent languishing at the back of a bathroom cabinet. This Creed set is a nice gift on its own and also paves the way for next year’s present when you can single out their favourite scent for a bigger bottle. If you want to skip straight to that big bottle, Aventus and Green Irish Tweed are very safe bets (both are included in this sample set).
We recommend:
Creed Sample Inspiration Fragrance Gift Set
A puffer is the new king of men’s outerwear. But in a post-Barbie world, a trad black or navy just won’t cut it. Instead, opt for colourways and patterns that won’t look out of place in your mojo dojo casa house. If it isn’t hot pink, camo, or faux-fur-lined, we aren’t interested. This jacket by Paul Smith is perfection.
We recommend:
Paul Smith Reversible Camo Jacket
