VALENTINE'S GIFTS FOR HIM FROM SYLVIA PARK

*Not actually a fact, but could be a fact.

But women can be easy to buy for – no matter our interests. Show me a woman who doesn’t like flowers, chocolates or a good bottle of wine! Actually, any wine… Some men are the same. But some just aren’t.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, we want to share some gift inspiration with you so that you can treat the man in your life. Valentine’s Day is not about what you do or how much you spend, it’s about showing that special person how much you mean to them. So without further ado – treat him with these ideas (and it’s always a bonus if you get to share it with him!)

Pop the cork and indulge in a bottle of Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage, Tattinger or Dom Perignon for a luxurious night in. Show off your domestic prowess with a fancy fresh seafood platter to partner with the bubbly and some fresh lemon to make the most of summer. Grab his favourite DVD (or the one from your first ever movie date!) and settle in for a romantic evening. Top it off with a back massager and you have one happy and relaxed partner. If your man is not the bubbly type, give him the red of his life (Penfolds Grange Shiraz 2012).

Tip: Countdown currently has 20% off all bottled wine when you buy six or more (good opportunity to top up the rack!) and you can find the aforementioned drops there. PAK’nSAVE Sylvia Park has specials on Bluff salmon, trevally and tiger prawns until Valentine’s Day, so do not leave it until the last minute! For CDS, DVDs and more check out JB HI FI and The Warehouse, and visit The Body Shop, Noel Leeming or Life Pharmacy for massagers or at-home treatments for him.

With ribs smoked for 12 hours, stacked high and dripping bourbon and coke BBQ sauce onto fries or Angus steak with bacon mustard potato and truffle mash, this is your place to bring him to meat heaven (assuming he isn’t a vegetarian, of course!). With starters such as chipotle meatballs, spicy chicken wings and sticky pork bites, Garrison really aims to please the tum, and also boasts a good selection of beer on tap. Make a night of it and head to HOYTS Cinemas afterwards for the latest flick.

He’ll never again want to see a film with the “common folk” after experiencing HOYTS Cinemas’ LUX! Think delicious dinners, desserts, wine and spirits, and soft reclining armchairs with footrests while taking in the current cinematic sensation. We reckon he’ll particularly enjoy the soft pulled pork nachos, onion rings, or the classic cheeseburger, accompanied with a Corona or two! Tickets are affordable for a fun night that won’t break the bank – enquire at HOYTS for more information.

If he’s the rugged type that moans when you drag him shopping with you, we’re sure that you could turn the experience around if you make the shopping all about him! Let him pick the pace, the place and he’s on his way to treat town! New jeans, shoes or even to pick out his own sportsgear, he’ll love the experience and that you appreciate his choices and letting him take the lead. You could suggest Barkers, EziBuy, H&M, Hallensteins, Industrie, Rembrant, Rodd & Gunn, Timberland, ZARA, Nike, Platypus, Amazon, Converse, Country Road, Factorie, Jay Jays, Jeanswest, Just Jeans, North Beach, or Stirling Sports. To go with his new outfit, he could even get a slick haircut from Edge, Just Cuts, Rodney Wayne, Kess, The Sharing Shed or Schnips. To take the manover home with you, head to Shaver Shop for all of your exclusive DIY manscaping and beard taming needs. The team at Shaver Shop have infinite knowledge of the manscape so ask them if you need a hand!

Now a soothing traditional back massage is something that he’s surely not likely to buy for himself, but will immensely appreciate. Alternatively, a head massage or a special relaxation massage especially for the hardworking corporate man, or a rejuvenating whole body massage for the sports player or tradesman is a great choice! Check out Gong Li Massage and About Face for other options and packages. Perhaps you could even get one together! How’s that for a win/win?!

This is something that certainly benefits both of you! We once asked a wise person*, “if a man was really nice, really smart and really good looking, but he didn’t smell nice, would you still be attracted to him as a potential friend or partner?” The wise person did not think they would. Our favourite safe picks when you don’t know what scents he prefers are John Varvatos Classic EDT or Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male. For these and more, check out Parallel Imports, Life Pharmacy, Life Pharmacy Beauty, The Warehouse and ZARA. LUSH also sports a bunch of products for “the man” to have him smelling almost-edible after bathtime – and there’s another idea! (wink)

*Based on one opinion. Also “wise” is debatable.

Boys like toys. If it moves, lights up, flies or beeps, he’s probably going to want to play with it. From drones, electric razors, robots, Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo consoles, projectors, sound bars, headphones (deep breath), iPads, phones, portable power banks, action cameras, digital cameras, VR headsets, and smart watches, Noel Leeming has it all. Just stay away from the kitchen/household appliances, nobody wants those as a Valentine’s gift… Also check out EB Games, Sony, The Warehouse, Parallel Imported, Omnitech, 2degrees, Spark, Vodafone and JB HI FI for your gaming and electronic needs. Bonus for you: him playing with his gadgets means more “me time” for you, but time together if you’re also into your gadgets.

There’s no time like the present, so give the present of time! Ha ha… Jokes aside, a new watch is always nice to have, especially if the old faithful is getting a bit tatty or past its use-by date, so to speak. Make an extra-special effort to show a bit of love on V Day by engraving a nice quote or meaningful message on the back of the watch. A great token of love to last the testament of time…. Okay, we’ll stop now!!

You can view and purchase watches from Carati Jeweller, Michael Hill, Pascoes and Walker & Hall. Engraving can be done at Mister Minit. Bonus for you: he’ll never have an excuse to be late again, even though he’ll try…

Have you got any other ideas? Let us know on our Facebook page!