Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Him 2009

Image credit: Cyron

So after weeks of careful deliberation we have come up with out top 10 gifts for guys this Christmas. We aimed to keep the list interesting (i.e. not just the iphones of this world) and we have a varying range of prices to suit all your gift buying needs.

So in ascending order, please welcome in the best Christmas presents a man could receive (in 2009).

1. Retro Sweets - £5.99

Available at Firebox these are the perfect stocking filler for any guy who has ever played a Nintendo or Pac Man game (a very high percentage!). Allow them to relive collecting Magic Mushrooms and invincibility inducing stars through the joy of candy.

2. The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 (Hardcover) - £14.99 (normally £30)

The must buy book for any guy this Christmas. “To mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has opened its archives to an independent historian, the first time any of the world’s leading intelligence or security services has taken such a step.” Who isn’t interesting in finding out all about the MI5?

3. Star Trek XI (1-Disc Edition) [DVD] - £9.98 (normally £19.99)

The must buy DVD of the year comes out on the 16th of November. This is Star Trek as you have never seen it before! “J.J. Abrams’ 2009 feature film was billed as “not your father’s Star Trek,” but your father will probably love it anyway. And what’s not to love? It has enough action, emotional impact, humor, and sheer fun for any moviegoer, and Trekkers will enjoy plenty of insider references and a cast that seems ideally suited to portray the characters we know they’ll become later.”

4. Hipstery.com – Home of the Mystery Shirt - €17.00

Looking for something a little different this year? Well why not try Hipstery.com? The site takes the difficult decision making process out of your hands via their unique and amusing questionnaire. Just answer the questions and let the t-shirt scientists do the rest. “Science has discovered it. You can benefit from it! Hipstery’s style technology is secret but involves a rigorous t-shirt screening system with maps, charts, mathematics and optimism – combined with vital data you provide us (we’ll ask you questions during the checkout process) and ensures you receive a t-shirt that you’ll want to wear forever, or at least until people refuse to sit next to you on bus.”

5. X-Mini II Capsule Speaker - £19.99 (normally £24.99)

Standard speaker look about as interesting as a Labour Party conference when placed next to the X-Mini II. “Ever since the X-Mini Capsule Speaker appeared in 2008, we have been completely blown away by the absolutely astounding sound quality and volume that these little gems produce! The X-Mini Capsule Speaker regularly stops customers in their tracks at our retail store, people cannot believe that what they are hearing is eminating from these handy pocket sized units.”

6. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) - £49.99

This year the game for guys has to be Uncharted 2. “

Nathan Drake is back, as gaming’s most charismatic hero tries to solve the mystery of Marco Polo’s last voyage (and earn himself a fortune in treasure at the same time). The original was one of the first games to really prove the power of the PS3, but this sequel is another huge leap forward.

The first game already mixed intense gunplay with precarious platform action, but this adds in new stealth elements and more flexible parkour style climbing controls. Your enemies have been upgraded as well, with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence that makes them just as agile and resourceful as you.”

7. Adopt an Animal - £36

Who doesnt want to help save the planet? Well now you (or at least the person you buy this gift for) can help save the world one endangered animal at a time. Our personal favorite is the orang-utan. But you can choose from a whole host of animals. “Within the last decade alone, orang-utan numbers have fallen by between 30 and 50%. Help us protect these gentle giants and their forest habitat.”

8.Two For One Indoor Skydiving - £49

People often say that life is all about experiences. Well why not try this great offering from Red Letter Days. “Wind tunnels have been used for years to test the aerodynamics of cars. Then some bright spark came up with the idea of flipping one upright and jumping into the airflow - and body flying was born. The wind tunnel is a 120mph wall of air, easily strong enough to support your weight, so that you can experience freefall without the need to jump out of a plane. You’ll both start off with a safety briefing from your instructor before being kitted out with your specialist flight suit. Then step into the wind tunnel with your instructor, where you’ll be lifted into the air for two incredible 60 second sessions of body flying.”

9. Creative Zen 8gb X-Fi2 - £99.99

Whilst there is no denying that the iphone is the king of MP3 players we thought it would be much more interesting to feature (in our opinion) their closest rival. The best thing about this piece of kit is the price tag, one of the few decent players you can get for less than £100. “The ZEN X-Fi gave you the sound of perfection. Now we’ve gone ahead and made it better. No buttons involved, simply let your fingers work their magic across the 3″ TFT LCD screen and access all the player’s features instantly.”

10. PS3 Slim - £249.99

Playstation have finally done the decent thing and lowered the price of the Playstation 3. Not only that, but they have come up with a redesign. The Playstation is now housed in a much slimmer and sleeker housing and you get a 120GB hard drive. At the time of writing you can also get a free game from Amazon when you order your PS3. “As DVD playback made the PlayStation 2 more than just a game machine, hefty multi-media features make the PlayStation 3 Slim an even more versatile home entertainment machine. 32% smaller, 36% lighter and consuming 34% less power than the originals, this latest edition of the PlayStation 3 has been completely redesigned for a much more streamlined feel. Features such as video chat, internet access, digital photo viewing, and digital audio and video will likely make it the central component of your media set-up. Still, it is first and foremost a powerful gaming console.”

Image credit: semihundido