Holiday gifts for men: Exactly what to buy your guy

“Who doesn’t want to know who came up with the Post-it note and why,” says Panama Jackson. “It’s great conversation fodder and ensures that you can always make it to Jeopardy. In fact, I’m going to buy this book for myself.”

Why Didn’t I Think of That?: 101 Inventions That Changed the World by Hardly Trying, $10, amazon.com

“This gift will work for loads of guy-types: prepsters, jocks, self-proclaimed geeks, hipsters, couch potatoes and Wall Street players,” says Amit Wehle. “And assuming your man digs his duds [and you are, in fact, in a relationship], you can start a tradition and get him one each year, well…until it gets weird.” But if things don’t work out, this is one gift that can easily say “just friends”.

Ironic Polos, $22, collegepolos.com

If the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, he’ll be smitten with you (and craving a burger) after you give him this slider-scented candle (yes, we’re serious—this exists).

White Castle Scented Candle, $13, whitecastle.com

At this point, you’ve probably discovered most of each other’s hobbies and likes, so you should know if your man is a Star Trek fan. “If he is, this gift rocks,” says Wehle. “It’s clever and useful and will earn you puppy-dog affection. It’s not going to break your wallet but will come close to breaking his heart—with joy.” For a guy you’ve been seeing longer, this also makes a great stocking stuffer.

Star Trek Enterprise Pizza Cutter, $25, thinkgeek.com

Every guy we talked to agreed that this was the gift of the season. “This in-depth documentary series chronicling famous moments in sports history will appeal to both hard-core fans and those who aren’t covered head to toe in their team’s colors, says Nick Nadel. “It’s a little pricey for a casual relationship but perfect for your sports-fan or history-buff boyfriend. Just be sure he’s OK with getting a little misty-eyed in front of you; the episode about the Colts marching band is downright heartbreaking.”

ESPN Films 30 for 30 DVD Set, $75, 30for30.espn.com

At this point in the relationship, you’ve probably hit the “let’s stay in tonight and gorge on pizza and 30 Rock episodes” stage, says Nadel, which makes the Apple TV the perfect gift. It streams music and movies from any Apple computer and allows for easy one-click movie and TV-show purchases and rentals. As Cary McNeal says, “It’s frickin’ awesome.”

Apple TV, $99, apple.com

But if your dude’s not an Apple kind of guy, a Netflix membership is a good way to go. Don’t just take our word for it: “Netflix Instant may be mankind’s greatest innovation. Well, that and Funyuns,” says Nadel. For extra-cool-girlfriend points, preload his queue with his favorite shows and movies.

Netflix Membership, starting at $8 a month, netflix.com

Even men who don’t log as many miles as George Clooney in Up in the Air need a place to keep their toiletries when they’re on the go. Stylish without being at all girly, “this is a practical gift best appreciated by a guy who’s a little more grown up,” says John DeVore.

Leather Excursion Travel Case, $100, redenvelope.com

The new Xbox 360 with Kinect is all about gaming without remote controls. The price tag may be steep, but as Jackson tells us, “I don’t care if it’s your first date or your 782nd, if you get him this, he’ll propose.”

Xbox 360 with Kinect, $300, xbox.com