Christmas gift ideas for men: the guide by age, from 20 to 70

Every year, the same scene: you look for a Christmas gift idea for a man, type "gift for men" into a search engine, and come out with a pair of novelty socks and a vague sense of defeat. The problem isn't the man, it's the method: a gift for a 22-year-old student and a gift for a freshly retired 63-year-old have little in common. So here's a guide sorted by age, from 20 to 70 and beyond, with a few solid ideas for each bracket, including one for drinks time (we can't help ourselves).

In short: start from what he's living right now (first flat, young kids, retirement, an all-consuming hobby) rather than his exact age. And if you want a gift that makes the whole table laugh that very evening, whatever his age, look at show-off bottle openers: the Beer Mortar, the Capgun or, for the golfer, Le 19e Trou.

Before you choose: 4 questions that avoid the back-of-the-cupboard gift

• What does he do with his evenings? Sport, games, cooking, DIY, drinks on the balcony: the best gift extends an existing habit.
• What does he already own three of? If his kitchen has five basic bottle openers, a sixth identical one won't change his life. One that launches the cap into the air might.
• Object or experience? Past a certain age, many people prefer a moment (a workshop, an outing, a tasting) to one more thing.
• What budget? Set it before you start looking. A small, well-chosen gift beats a big, off-target one at any age.

Christmas gift ideas for men aged 20 to 30

First flat, house share, first real paycheque (or not quite yet). At this age, the best gift is one that's useful straight away and impresses the mates.

• Kit for his first place: a good frying pan, a decent kitchen knife, a desk lamp. Not glamorous, but he'll think of you every time he uses it.
• A board game that comes out every party: party game, quick card game, quiz. For inspiration, see our drinks party games with friends.
• An experience for two or with friends: escape room, go-karting, concert tickets. The memory lasts longer than the wrapping.
• The drinks-time idea: the Capgun, the pistol bottle opener that launches the cap with a squeeze of the trigger. Perfect for the king of the house share, as long as he aims at the garden and never at a flatmate.

Christmas gift ideas for men aged 30 to 40

Often the decade of big moves: new home, sometimes first children, less time for himself. The right gift gives him back a bit of that time, or an evening that's truly his.

• Something for his current passion: cycling, running, fishing or photography gear. Discreetly find out what he's missing.
• A workshop or class: cooking, barbecue, wine tasting, home brewing. Half a day to learn something new is a luxury at this age.
• A nice set of glasses suited to his favourite beers, with our guide which glass for which beer.
• The drinks-time idea: the Beer Mortar, the rocket bottle opener that sends the cap skywards with a loud PCHHHIT. The object that comes out when friends finally come over for dinner, and that everyone wants to try.

Christmas gift ideas for men aged 40 to 50

He knows what he likes, and has often already bought himself whatever he wanted. The winning strategy: the object he'd never buy himself, or the moment he'd never take the time to organise.

• A ready-made tasting evening: a few beers in different styles, a cheese board and the method from our article on hosting a beer tasting at home. For pairings, dip into beer and cheese.
• A fine tool: a quality pocket knife, a well-designed toolbox, a meat thermometer for the barbecue.
• A book on his favourite subject: history, cooking, travel, sport. A beautiful book is kept; a gadget gets lost.
• The drinks-time idea that gets a laugh: a show-off bottle opener, mortar or pistol, set in the middle of the Christmas Eve table. At 45, you're still allowed to play.

Christmas gift ideas for men aged 50 to 60

The kids are grown up (or nearly), free time is coming back, and so are the hobbies. It's often the age of Sunday golf, the vegetable patch, the well-organised cellar or the big trip planned for years.

• For the golfer: Le 19e Trou, the golf bottle opener. You open the bottle, then the little articulated golfer putts the cap straight into the hole. The perfect nod for the man who recounts his round at every family meal.
• For the gardener: good tools, sturdy gloves, a vegetable-garden notebook.
• For the beer lover: a selection of beers to discover, with our guide to beer types to go with it, and our tips on how to store beer.
• For the traveller: a good guidebook for his next destination, a travel kit, a universal adapter.

Christmas gift ideas for men aged 60 to 70 and over

He has everything, he says so, and he's right. Here, emotion and shared time are worth more than any object. But an object that creates shared time works too.

• A moment with his loved ones: a lunch organised by the grandchildren, a trip to a match, a family brewery visit.
• A photo album or memory book: family photos, a few words from everyone. Expect emotion under the tree, tissues included.
• A comfort item: a quality throw, a good garden chair, an e-reader.
• The intergenerational drinks-time idea: a fun bottle opener the (adult) grandchildren will ask for at every visit. The Beer Mortar, or Le 19e Trou for the retired golfer: the kind of object that gets three generations talking.

Christmas gift ideas for men on a small budget

A small budget doesn't rule out the wow effect; it just means aiming carefully. A few ideas, for any age:

• Homemade: a tin of biscuits, a jar of jam, a beer box you've put together yourself with a note on each bottle.
• The "voucher for…": "good for one dinner cooked by me", "good for one chore-free day". Free, and often the gift people talk about most.
• The small object that gets a laugh: an original bottle opener costs less than it looks and gets used at every drinks session. For more ideas, see our selection of unusual bottle openers.
• A homemade Advent calendar: if you start now, our beer Advent calendar tutorial explains how to put one together.

And if you're shopping for a colleague rather than a loved one, our Secret Santa gift ideas for men are for you.

An original Christmas gift for men: why the bottle opener works at any age

Because it ticks the three boxes of a good Christmas gift: it's funny when unwrapped, it's useful (a capped beer needs opening), and it works straight away, that very evening, in front of the whole family. The 20-year-old adopts it for parties, the 50-year-old brings it out at the barbecue, the 70-year-old proudly shows it to the neighbours. The whole range is on our beer gift for men page, and the differences between models are explained in our bottle opener comparison.

Two rules apply at every age: a launched cap has sharp edges, so never aim at a person, an animal or a face, and keep these objects out of children's reach. As for the beer, enjoy it at your own pace, with water on the side: a successful Christmas Eve is one you remember. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health; please drink responsibly.

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