Gift Idears For a Dude?

[Polly Smithson]

Alright lovely darlings, I need your help - you're all rather brilliant so this should be no problem. ;)

My oldest younger brother (turning 21 this year, whaaatttt how did that happen?! :ohno) moved out to his own place in Washington this year and he's been scraping by for a few months now, in the way you do when you're a strapping young lad with newfound freedom and a steady (if humble) income. As a bit of a perk-him-up I'm sending him a care package of things that come in handy/things that are a nice treat. Alas, the box is not full and I need more ideas!

So far it contains:

A manually-charged flashlight
batteries
matches and candles
basic household tools (a screwdriver, a hammer, various utility odds and ends like hooks and bolts)
a first aid kit
MREs
2 novels
A sudoku puzzle book
money so that he and his best mate can go out to dinner at their favourite buffet restaurant
$100 EMERGENCY cash (with a note describing what is not an emergency ;))
A new journal and pen
mac and cheese
Jello
a few packs of instant soup in exotic flavours like Bangkok Curry and Lemongrass Garlic (his fav)
Approximately a million packs of Sweet Tarts
Some chocolate for his best mate
A tea mug, tea cozy, and tin of tea

I'm not sure what else to include - what's useful in a pinch? I thought about knitting him a scarf but thought that might be a little too gay. Perhaps some Digestives to go with the tea but there's a lot of space to fill still yet. :\

[Captain Untouchable]

there's no emergency alcohol - pretty much every present for a guy I ever purchase involves some sort of whiskey-based product (unless it's for my gay buddy Jack, in which case he gets girlier alcohol). If you're looking to be really classy, you might wanna see if you can pick up a hip flask and fill that up... dunno what kind of shops you have available though.

When I moved into my flat, absolutely everyone bought me toilet paper. It started out as a good idea - I mean, it's always useful, right? - but then it turned into a joke, with someone bringing a single roll of toilet paper with them every time they showed up.

If you want to go for really usefullness stuff, some of those little plastic containers that you can microwave and/or freeze food in might be pretty useful. When you're cooking for a small number of people on a low budget, it's much easier to cook large batches and store some up for later... assuming you've cooked something that'll survive the freezing and/or microwaving process.

Also, if you want to play the embarassing big sister card, throw in some condoms with an "instructions for use" note, or something. ;)

[Darth Turbogeek]

A clone of Denise Milani. Something all young males will love

[Travis North]

One of them compact Honeywell electric fans makes a good gift, especially since AC as an alternative burns money like a beast.
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[Morgan Evanar]

Contraceptives.
Whiskey, rum, vodka.
Wine, red and white.
Some decent chocolate.

[Polly Smithson]

Excellent! I have a stock of good chocolate and mini spirits on hand so I`ll toss some of those in and pick up a fan, some TP and containers at the store this week.

No way I`m getting him condoms because a) that`s just crossing the big sister line into territory I will never be brave enough to venture into and b) he`s sort of careless and needs a good dose of clap to cure him of his stupidity. ;)

[Crusader]

It is a tradition around here to give salt and bread to someone who has just moved in. Well salt, pepper, sugar and oil should always be in an appartment.

other stuff:
-a radio alarm
-clothes hanger
-candles and matches
-a good buddy movie on DVD that never gets old
-a mix tape/cd with music that reminds you of good times

And one of those white boards with a marker and a sponge so that he can put it on a wall to take notes about stuff he still needs for his appartment.

I put one of those on the inside of the entrance door so that I always have to look at the stuff I still haven't done this week... nothing is more efficent than a guilty conscience.

Oh and don't forget condoms...

...and one of those sheets from IKEA that make sure that no liquids on the bed make it into the mattres

[Freight Train]

Extra socks, especially if he's the type to put off sweeping floors or go wandering about outside without shoes.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Definitely socks, as Train mentioned.

Maybe some really bad b-movies to be used as drinking game fodder? The walmart $5 bin is usually fantastic for that.

A deck of playing cards is always necessary to have on hand, too :)

[Polly Smithson]

Ahaha he just found out he literally has three weeks to find a new place to live. :lol

Shame, It's not funny and I'm sure he's stressing like crazy but oh man, the poor kid. I remember those days. At least he'll learn now to always have a savings account with at least a couple months of living costs built up so that he can put down a deposit in emergencies such as this!

Now the question is: do I bail him out or let him figure it out on his own steam and be all the tougher for it? Nnnnngh instinct is saying one thing, experience the other.

[Sanis Prent]

Underwear. All men (me included) just wear their old stuff until they break down into basic underwear molecules and disintegrate. We always appreciate new underoos.

[Morgan Evanar]

Underwear. All men (me included) just wear their old stuff until they break down into basic underwear molecules and disintegrate. We always appreciate new underoos.Truth. Get him some undies.

[Crusader]

Yeah new and clean underwear is always nice to have.

[Tom Harriman]

Isn't underwear a bit of a pants present?









...yeah, I'm kinda ashamed of that. ^_^;

[Sanis Prent]

I'm always happy to get underwear so maybe I've just got simple tastes?

[Captain Untouchable]

Yeah... I was kinda going for the underwear = pants pun there... :uhoh

[Crusader]

I hope you know that you need some "pants on experience" to do that pun!

[Colonel M. James Hunter]

But I like the breezy freedom that pants off experience gives... :(

[Natia Telcontar]

Toiletries are always handy.