Gift Boxes Can Be Excellent Gifts for Men. Not Sure How to Pick One? Here's How to Select Gift Boxes for Men and 10 Great Gift Box Ideas for Any Man in Your Life (2019)

When faced with the prospect of picking out a gift for someone important to you, it is pretty normal to find yourself at a loss.

Everything you consider seems to be boring or not special enough. This dilemma becomes worse when you’re buying a gift for a man. Whether it’s your brother, your friend or your husband/boyfriend, gifts such as shirts, wallets or perfumes can sometimes feel like really ordinary choices.

If you’re stumped for ideas, then gift boxes are definitely a convenient solution especially for guys who are choosy or hard to buy gifts for. Great gift boxes can be made up of edible treats, or items selected around a theme or even just a bunch of his favourite things – it’s a gift that charms by being a bundle of surprise!

Subscription boxes are an innovative concept introduced recently in India though they've been popular abroad for some time now. If you are wondering what these are, then let us explain. This involves signing up for a plan wherein a box of curated items connected to a theme, is sent at regular intervals. The boxes contain a fresh collection of items every time, making them a fun gifting idea as they offer a whole lot of joy to the receiver, not once but repeatedly!

The choice in subscription boxes is pretty wide – there are food/beverage boxes, books and even grooming and clothing boxes. In India, there are a few websites such as mygiftbox that currently offer such services. Plans are typically available for certain time periods – quarterly/half yearly/yearly- so you can pick as convenient.

Opting for a gift box as your gift doesn’t mean you don’t take the effort to make it personalised. In picking out the gift box, get inspired by who he is - his likes, his personality, his tastes, favourite leisure activities etc.

Since, companies mostly have pre-packed boxes you can easily scan through them to see what would be the right fit. Start by thinking of what he’d appreciate the most - a box of snacks, a box of grooming essentials or a set of books – or a mix of these? Or would he like something quirky or sentimental? Keeping these aspects in mind will help you narrow down the available choices and pick the right one.

Obviously the gift box you choose must take into account the nature of relationship you share with him. Is he a friend, a relative, your partner, your boss or perhaps your colleague? For close relationships you can pick out boxes that contain items that are more intimate in nature such as grooming products or perfumes. But in other cases, make sure your gift boxes don’t contain stuff that’s too personal. In these cases, go for boxes that have neutral items like leather goods, gourmet snacks etc. The other factor you must keep in mind is the occasion. A gift box that you consider for your partner for his birthday may be much different than what you may like to give to celebrate a promotion. So make sure to consider the suitability of the gift to the occasion.

Subscription boxes, as we've said before, are the new in thing. However think carefully before going for this option. Such gifts are suitable only for near relationships like your brother or partner. Given the immense choice in such boxes and the fact that such services offer the best value when taking for longer periods, you need to be pretty confident that the person you are gifting will appreciate the idea.

Do you want to give a really cute and romantic gift box to your boyfriend or your husband? Then Oye Happy's "You've got mail!" package is perfect for you. This creative and adorable gift has a handcrafted box which is full of charming goodies like chocolate, a tiny heart in a bottle and 6 small postcards. For the chocolates, you've got a choice of either cupid's crunch or delicious milk chocolates. The postcards can't be customised but have some of the cutest messages on them like "You make every day a ‘present’ with your presence", and "Even when you are in a bad mood, you still look cute." or "There is nothing more fun than random conversations with you." The box is a cute 4 inches X 3 inches in size and you can get it for Rs. 590 from oyehappy.com

Perfumes are a clichéd gifting idea but sometimes it is the best choice. This perfume and deo set from Natica is a great option for a good friend, a close relative or colleague. Simple and elegant, the set contains 3 fragrances that are packed in a premium gift box. This specially packed collection contains: Nautica Blue EDT, Nautica Voyage Deodorant Spray and Nautica Classic Deodorant Spray. Buy it on myntra.com for Rs. 1,528.

If you are looking for a gift that's a little less personal but still impressive, then we suggest this Louis Philippe Men Red Accessory Gift Set, available on the same site. This set priced at Rs. 2,204 contains a self-design tie in red, a matching pocket square and a pair of rectangular steel-toned cufflinks with red highlights.

A gift box filled with yummy goodies is always welcome. The Snack Attack Hamper from The Gourmet Box has a mix of exotic munchies that'll are sure to guarantee hours of fun snacking. The hamper contains flavoured popcorn, health bars, flavoured chips, trail mix, quinoa raisin bites, and more. Neatly packed within an elegant box tied with a ribbon and a personalised tag, this gift hamper is a fantastic choice for your boss or even an important client. Order it on the gourmet box.in for Rs. 1,300. Prefer something simpler? The Gourmet Jar Mini Happiness Box comes with 5 bottles of handmade gourmet condiments made naturally without any preservatives. Available for Rs. 360 on Amazon, this box is a delightful and offbeat option for a casual gift or even on festivals.

This combo box is a great option when you are looking to gift something practical and useful. The set contains a men's wallet, a keyring made of genuine leather as well as a dairy with a leather cover plus a pen. Given it’s classy looks, the gift box is an excellent option for office colleagues or a friend. Order it on amazon.in for Rs. 1,499. A cheaper option is the Urban Forest Leather Wallet Combo which comes with a dark brown men's leather wallet, a black pen plus a black keyring. Buy for Rs. 599 on the same site.

The Hey Dude gift box is a carefully put together collection of eclectic items that are a must-have for most men. The set contains a tube of refreshing Bergamot & Tea Tree & Mint Shower Gel, a bar of delicious dark chocolate, a tasteful leather key chain as well as a sleek passport sleeve. Curated from different top brands, the gift box is perfect when you are looking to gift someone who is choosy. You can add a personal message to the box – just provide it on the order page. Buy it on thestylesalad.in for Rs. 3,350.

If your guy is someone who loves expanding his horizons and enjoys trying out new things, then this subscription box is a superb choice. The Culture Carton from cratejoy.com is sent monthly and it contains a curated set of lifestyle items (4-6) and a book typically based on a theme involving some aspect of self-development. The box contains stuff, which can range from grooming products to leather goods, accessories to even gourmet food. The book which is included usually alternates between classic fiction and modern fiction every month. This subscription costs $45 or Rs. 3,200 per month. The boxes ship from U.S. so delivery might be delayed for us in India.

Another interesting and a more affordable option is this World Box from mygiftbox.co, which is themed every month around one chosen country. A perfect way to explore new cultures, this box is excellent for guys who are interested in discovering unexplored and unfamiliar stuff. Each month the box will contain a variety of items from different categories including arts and crafts, food products, beauty products and jewellery. Products are handpicked from local manufacturers of that country which makes it an authentic experience. Prices start at Rs. 1,500 per month, and there are 4 subscription options - monthly, quarterly, half yearly and yearly

This is the ideal gift for a guy who loves to read. The Book Box is a subscription plan which offers 3-4 handpicked books per box on the chosen genre, In addition to books in English, these are an option to choose books in 6 regional languages. There is a wide choice in genres including children, horror, nonfiction and drama, so you will need to know the kind of books he will enjoy. Available at mygiftbox.co, the cost for this subscription plan varies depending on time period chosen, prices start at Rs. 800 per month and go up to Rs. 8,200 for yearly subscription.

Thinking about gifting a makeover to your guy? Then this clothing box would help in a big way. In this subscription, a stylist is assigned who select products after understanding the style profile of the guy you gift the box too. Each box will have 2-3 items and over time, it will help in transforming his wardrobe. You can order this box at a cost of Rs. 1,575.00 per month.

If you feel a grooming box will be more apt, then consider the Adam Box from mygiftbox.co. Available at monthly/quarterly/half yearly/yearly intervals, these boxes will include 4-6 top quality items from leading brands. These carefully chosen products are designed to give the recipient an opportunity to explore exciting grooming products. The monthly box is priced at Rs. 800 while the yearly one goes upto Rs. 8,200

If the man you are looking a gift for loves his drink, then the Cocktail Box from mygiftbox.co will be a hit with him. This box includes a curated selection of ingredients (except alcohol) and recipes that can be used to make cocktails. Each box will have 3-4 ingredients like syrups, citrus, garnishes, bitters along with related recipes. The quantity provided would be sufficient to make cocktails for 3-4 people. Monthly subscriptions start at Rs. 800 while the yearly one goes up to Rs. 8,200.

If he's not the drinking kind, then how about the Beverage Box? This box has three options – tea only, coffee only, or a mix of both. A box under this plan will typically contain 3-4 different types of the chosen product that you can sample, each picked out from leading international brands so you get to experience some of the most exotic blends from across the world. Monthly subscriptions in this case as well start at Rs. 800 on the same site.

A gift box option that's definitely one-of-a-kind– making one yourself.

Giving a gift box put together personally by you has a charm that can't be matched by store bought ones. However, this is a gift that needs planning to have the right impact, so start well ahead of time.

Begin by deciding the theme of the gift box. It can be of his favourite snacks, his preferred alcohol, books, items related to his hobby ....anything really; it all depends on what you know of him. Pick a basket from craft stores offline or online, assemble the items and arrange them in the basket. Wrap it up beautifully with a bow, and viola, your thoughtful gift is ready. Remember, while it is not too hard a gift to pull off it does require sufficient time to organise the items you want to add into the basket, so plan with care.