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Shopping for a woman on Valentine's Day is pretty easy, since things like jewelry, a nice dinner, and more jewelry are always safe bets. Shopping for a man, on the other hand, is harder.
In lieu of suggesting handmade love coupons, we asked Jason Ross, the founder of menswear site JackThreads, for some help on the matter. Read on for his wish-list, which is composed of seven things guys actually want—ranging from an iPad mini to personalized whiskey.
1. Lomography Camera
I've recently moved to New York City from Columbus, and I'm excited to show my friends and family back home my new apartment and life out here. This camera is lightweight, affordable, has a badass look, and it's easy to use for people like me without a background in photography.
2. Johnny Walker Engraved Bottles
Pretty much any guy would be psyched to get whiskey as a gift, but this engraved Johnny Walker Blue Label is an awesome idea for adding a more personal twist. You can choose from two different sizes (750 ml or 1.75 liter) and up to 45 characters of engraving, so you can write messages like "Happy Valentine's Day" or "I'll Still Love You When You're Hungover."
3. Love is Art Kit
If you're dating a guy who isn't usually too into Valentine's Day, this is definitely the gift to get him excited. Basically, the kit gives couples the ability to capture their "intimate experience" in art, by using their own bodies to spread non-toxic and washable paint all around the canvas. Pair this with drinks and a post-art making shower and I guarantee he's happy.
4. Nike Fuelband
My girlfriend and I both stay active, so I love that the Nike Fuelband lets me keep track of all my movements in a day, set goals, and stay motivated along the way. I've become crazy about hitting my target goals everyday, and it's a fun way to keep up a friendly (or ferocious) competition between us.
5. Goodale Wool Plaid Bomber Jacket
Varsity and bomber jackets have been huge this year, but at $39.99 you really can't beat the price of this Goodale Bomber. The black on grey coloring is easy to throw on with jeans or chinos, and I love that the wool is comfortable and breathable instead of feeling heavy and itchy.
6. Chocri Design Your Own Chocolate Bar
My girlfriend knows that I have a serious sweet tooth, so it would be awesome to get some of these customizable chocolate bars from Chocri. You can pick the kind of chocolate you want (dark, milk, white and milk-white), and choose from tons of cool toppings, fruits, spices and nuts (like goji berries, chili peppers, chocolate covered rice crispies or even gold flakes). Plus, you can add Valentine's Day-specific options, like hearts or personalized love notes.
7. iPad Mini with a Personal Video
Guys always love gadgets, and the iPad Mini is one of my personal favorites for doing everything from working to watching movies to shopping from my couch. To make this gift more Valentine's Day ready, pre-load it with a private video or set-up the iTunes library with some sexy-time playlists.
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