Aging like fine wine, that special man in your life is turning 40 or is in his 40s, and you want a timeless treasure to celebrate this mature man. Look no further because we got you covered! Care, affection, time, and gifts are all languages of love, and we believe when it comes to gifts, things can get a bit tricky. This happens as two attitudes are essentially involved, one of the gift-giver’s and the other of the receiver’s.
So many questions are running through both of your heads, ‘What to give?’ ‘What’s in it?’ “Will they like it?’ ‘How did they figure out I like this?’ etc. But with this article, we’re here to provide you with the ultimate guide to gifts for men in their 40s or ones celebrating their 40th birthday.
So gather your wrapping papers, tape, scissors, and a credit card, and let’s find the perfect gift!
Amazing Gift Ideas for Men in Their 40s
So, as we move along, we have a list of 25 gift items for you to choose from; these assorted items are curated in a list and are selected based on their appeal to the mature man.
No man will like all the items on this, but we’re positive he’ll like at least one. For added convenience, we bifurcated the items into four categories: fashion, hobby, custom-made, and technology.
So, without any further ado, let’s dive into the world of modern-day gifts for men in their 40s.
Fashion
Our first category for you is fashion; fashion for men is timeless and ageless. We see men discovering their preferences in fashion at a very early age and sticking to those preferences with little to no variation. Of course, exceptions are there, but for the sake of this article, we’re going with the general opinion. So, when it comes to fashion-related gifts for men in their 40s, we have the following options:
1. Wallet
Classic, timeless, and a no-brainer, wallets are by far the easiest when looking for gifts for men in their 40s. We assure you, your mature man will have a smile on their face when he opens the present and smells the leather of a handcrafted wallet. Of course, yours might not be the ‘all leather’ type of man, so we recommend the latest carbon fiber wallets widely available in the current market.
2. Watch (A Watch with Custom Engraving)
Men and their love for expensive luxury watches dates back to the 15th century. If not too expensive, you can always gift him a watch that has a vintage look, as these watches can still turn a 40-year-old man as excited as a 12-year-old boy. Also, if your special man has a thing for customized and exclusive products, try going for a personalized engraved message at the back of the watch, like in the movie Doctor Strange.
3. Duffle Bag
How about a go-anywhere, do-anything duffle bag for your special gentleman who knows how to treat a lady? We’re talking about the duffle bags, which we often see popular movie stars carrying around. We recommend picking one that suits both needs as a simple gym bag or a weekend get-away bag.
4. Shoes
Yes, shoes! And we’re not talking about some Jordans or Sneakers. We recommend the perfect blend of beauty, class, and handcraft, as well as some good old leather shoes, perfect to go with the tuxedo you would love to see him in. On the other hand, leather boots can also be a pretty great option here.
5. Grooming Essentials
Thoughtful, emanating care, and sure to be liked by your handsome gentleman! Grooming products like skincare, haircare, beard essentials, or simply a trimmer or shaving kit are bound to make your man realize the love you mean to show with this gift. On the note of grooming, a good fragrance also counts and comes across as a very intelligent choice.
6. Backpack
Something to carry around: the laptop, accessories, stationary, or enough stuff for a weekend hike. A backpack seems to be quite a productive choice for gifts for men in their 40s. Avoid anything that looks too young or too flashy; he is in his 40s and has to maintain a mature look after all.
7. Perfume
Women adore men who smell nice, and most men know this, so gifting your special gentleman a perfume fragrance of your liking will send an impactful gesture and will surely boost their confidence and individuality. We suggest going with the fragrances that are best sellers and of famous brands like Gucci, Armani, Versace, Hugo Boss, etc.
8. A Leather Briefcase
Sounds too old school? We assure you it’s not. Men in their 40s love to carry around a leather briefcase that sends the aura of a strong and mature personality. In this regard, we believe a good-looking, handcrafted leather briefcase accomplishes the job pretty well. These may be on the higher side of the budget, but they are worth it!
Hobby
It’s a busy life for your special man, and gifting them something they’ll enjoy as a hobby or as an activity that’ll help them relax seems like one of the perfect gifts for men in their 40s.
Below is a list of 6 items that will prove to be the perfect hobby gift for the big birthday boy who just turned 40.
9. A Favourite Book
Most men in their 40s have a reading wishlist; these are books that they never got the chance to read due to their fast-paced lives. Rest assured, the avid reader is still in there waiting for the characteristic smell of a new book. So go ahead, you have your ways of figuring out which author they love to read; get them that book, and when you wrap it up, be sure to add a nice little bookmark with your name and date; they’ll never forget this.
10. A Collectible
Is he a sci-fi person? Loves comic characters and movies? Then, trust us; he will love a collector’s edition action figurine of their favorite superhero. No, they don’t grow out of it; the love for superheroes is always there, just suppressed a little under the weight of responsibilities. Word of advice: Have the collectible checked by an expert before buying online; there are a lot of fakes going around.
11. A Painting
Before you start with the price, we would like to counter by telling you about these amazing online websites where you can order your favorite pictures together to be made into a beautiful painting on canvas. An oil painting on canvas of your most cherished moments together will make your special man very happy.
12. Membership (To a Golf Club or Any Other Club They’ll Like)
Between work and home, our strong, special men don’t get enough time to indulge in their favorite sports or play the games they used to love as young men. So what better way than gifting them a membership plan to their favorite local sports club where they can make their weekends much more eventful and energizing?
13. A Plant
Does your man have a thing for gardening? And you want to gift them a plant but can’t figure it out? Not to worry at all; we have listed below 5 plants that every gardening enthusiast will love!
- Snake Plant
- Aloe Plant
- Hoya Plant
- Succulents
- Oyster Plant
These plants are a no-brainer and are loved by almost the entire online gardening community. The perfect gift? Wait till you see the next one.
14. Dumbbell Set
We understand your mature man wants those big biceps but doesn’t get the time to hit the gym because of his busy schedule; look no further; we have the perfect solution! A dumbbell set will help him get the dream biceps at the convenience of their home. With these, any free time can easily become gym time, and the results start to show in less than 3 weeks—the perfect hobby item for gifts for men in their 40s.
Custom-Made or Customised Gifts
One-Of-A-Kind! Nothing beats the touch of a little personalization on some of your favorite objects you carry around with you daily. Hence, this list of 5 hand-picked items is customized to provide the user with added exclusivity. With the internet overfilling with websites offering customizing services, it has become much easier to gift your big man something, unlike the things available in any shop. Starting with:
15. Custom-Made Watch Case
Your gentleman’s watch collection must have become extensive, especially after many birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. So, here is our idea: a custom watch case for all his expensive and treasured timepieces with some added space for cuff links. Classic, elegant, and literally his name on it, made from the best quality leather to compliment the beautiful watches it’s made to keep.
16. Whiskey Label
A whiskey bottle with his name on it, just from the sound of it, comes across as a brilliant one-of-a-kind present. If he likes fine Whiskey, he’s probably wondered what his name would look like on a bottle like Jack Daniels. Let’s realize this dream for his 40th birthday! This is one of the more thoughtful presents when considering the list of customizable gifts for men in their 40s.
17. Custom Glass Ashtray
He smokes; you probably don’t like it too much, but if he is, why not give him the proper ashtray for it?
This is where these custom glass ashtrays come in; they are easily available on Amazon, and customizing them is also a breeze. The glass makes it look much more classy, as if it’s made for a proper cigar smoker; we’re positive he’ll feel the same and love it!
18. Customized Pen
Every big-boy Billionaire entrepreneur carries around with them a luxury and expensive pen that they use mostly to put in their front pocket. Still, occasionally, it is taken out to make important signatures. How about a similar kind of pen, but customized with a personal engraving for your special man in his 40s?
19. Custom House Portrait Art
Remember the first house you bought together? Or the house he grew up in? Yes, what’s better than to give him the gift of a walk down memory lane? So we recommend gifting a custom house letterpress portrait art to remind him of the house he grew up in and spent most of his childhood in.
Technology
This is the most extensive category we have, with more than 8 items on the list. Men grow up, and so do their toys; the items we have on this list are all meant for the modern mature man’s interest in the latest and cutting-edge technology. Most of these items are, what we feel, a bang for your buck, so without any further ado, let’s dive into the world of technology and take a look at gifts for men in their 40s.
20. Nintendo Classic
Coming up on number 1, we have a video game, and why not? Chances are your handsome gentleman, at some point in his early life, used to play it for hours. This will bring back a thousand memories of childhood as well as provide a very simple break from the draining office work. Also, keep in mind that he may be a PlayStation guy, so I highly recommend doing your homework before you make the purchase.
21. Noise Cancelling Headphones
If your man loves music, this is a very obvious and simple choice. It’s a miracle what these headphones can offer regarding sound clarity, suppressing ambient noise, head tracking, battery life, equalizer, etc Definitely get him one of these and throw in an additional headphone case if it doesn’t come bundled with one.
22. Yearly Subscription of GrubHub, UberEats, etc
If your special man is also one to order a lot, then a food delivery app subscription will be one of the best gifts for men in their 40s. He’ll enjoy not paying the extra delivery fees and getting huge discounts at both takeaways and dine-in(s). So every time he orders, he’ll remember what an awesome daughter, sister, wife, or friend you are. We advise doing a little research to decide as to which service provider is the best in this regard.
23. Smartwatch
Watches are cool, but what’s cooler is the latest edition of the smartwatch from one of the leading companies like Garmin, Apple, or Samsung. Some of these smart watches are utility-oriented and are ideal for outdoor adventures, while others focus more on functionality, features, and style. Nevertheless, there are smartwatches in the market that focus on both, so do compare the pros and cons of each before ordering one, or better still, go to an offline store and grab one.
24. Coffeemaker
Yes, the modern man and their love for coffee! The coffeemakers we’re talking about here are programable to make coffee automatically at a set time, can be monitored by a smartphone app, are connected to the internet via home wifi, and make everything from a cappuccino to espresso to latte; you name it. We’re sure this will delight your special man in his 40s.
25. Home Office Pro Lap Desk
Does your man work from home a lot? This portable, comfortable, and affordable lap desk will prove to be the best gift for him; these come with cushions on the bottom for added comfort during those long working hours, a cup holder, mobile phone holder, tablet holder, mousepad, you name it, this has it! Another top-tier item when considering gifts for men in their 40s.
26. AR/VR Headset
With Apple launching its first VR headset, AR/VR headsets are gaining so much popularity in the modern-day tech world. Some of these headsets are worth the money for the things they offer. The immersive experiences of watching a movie or a travel POV video are amazing and are bound to bring a smile to the face of your special man.
27. Bluetooth Speakers
For a 40-year-old? Why not? If he loves music, he’ll appreciate this gesture that can turn his evenings into a beautiful orchestra of music and relaxation, which isn’t what you’d need after a tiring day at the office. We recommend going for a speaker that comes with support for an AI assistant, for example, SIRI or Alexa; that way, he won’t even have to move from his place to enjoy his favorite music.
Expert Tips (Bonus)
While gifting something, it is very crucial to analyze the personality and attitude of the receiver; you have to factor in their hobbies, their interests, their likes and dislikes, their outlook towards the world, and the different materials it has to offer. The very nature of your gift sends a message as to how well you know the receiver; consider this when you are reviewing ideas for gifts for men in their 40s.
The gift/gifts you choose should have at least a few properties about them that are valid across all categories; their features are:
- You need to ensure the gift you’re giving is of the best quality; a compromise on the quantity can be made, but not on quality. Buy less, but buy quality products even when buying for yourself. There are various quality inspecting bodies putting their certificates on products, and if that isn’t there, try watching a YouTube video to gain some insights.
- When gifting something, you need to consider the fact that it can last long; you’d hate to gift something that’ll not even make it to your special man’s next birthday. While going over ideas for gifts for men in their 40s, one must take into account the fact that your handsome will appreciate you going through the process to find the perfect gift while opening the present.
- Utility, the use of the gift is also to be kept in mind, giving someone a gift that they cannot or might not be able to use would make it a waste and we definitely don’t want that, so research well and make sure your gift doesn’t require too many additional purchases to be enjoyed fully.
- Personalization is something of a brownie point; if the gift you’re giving can be engraved or customized with something personal, a message, or their name, it’s a bonus. Men love the personalization of their belongings; we feel it has something to do with putting your name on things that fascinate men. Nevertheless, look for items with personalization options or if it could be done from a different shop post-purchase.
We’d like you to remember the receiver’s everyday life, likes, and preferences. Something as simple as knowing if they prefer regular coffee or decaf can help you get the perfect gift for your special man. Think of it as something that they’ll regularly use in their daily life, so it’ll remind them of you!
Conclusion
There are so many items to choose from, right? But these are all suggestions, and only you can pick the right one for your handsome because we might know men and their taste, but you know the man and his taste. We hope this bifurcation of the gifts under the different headers will provide some added clarity to your process.
A gift is a very personal affair; it shows so many feelings wrapped in one that the receiver is always bound to be overwhelmed by the thoughtful gesture. The items we mentioned on this list are all suitable for men already in their 40s or entering the mature world of the 40-year-old. The options for gifts for men in their 40s are virtually limitless. Hence, we hope through this list, we’ll spare you the overwhelming feeling of choosing from so many options.
Decided yet? Let’s get to wrapping!