One of the hardest people to buy for is invariably the man in your life: whether it's your Dad, Husband, Brother or Son, getting a clear idea of what they'd appreciate and enjoy can be tricky.
No one wants to resort to socks or novelty chocolate for every occasion.
One idea can be to appeal to the little boy within every man by buying him a nostalgia item.
A prized comic book, a retro styled watch or a t shirt with his favourite childhood TV show or movie can bring a smile.
Another option is a personalised item.
Monogrammed golf balls, lighters, hip flasks, guitar picks or towels can imbue an everyday item with your care and thought.
An upside is they'll never get lost.
A birthday can also be a special opportunity to make a dream come true with an experience: a race car drive, a sky dive or a hot air balloon trip can create life long memories your birthday boy will enjoy forever.
Another alternative is a professional lesson to sharpen up those golf, tennis or guitar skills.
For the outdoors type, the options are endless.
There are a staggering array of multi tools and weatherproof kit ready for his next adventure.
Whether he actually heads into the wilderness or just kicks around the back yard, a man will always have a use for a pocketknife and a good quality water proof jacket.
For the more indoors guy, what about a gadget? A new game console, tablet computer or voucher for a game store might be just the thing.
In this digital era, you can always find a use for another flash drive or phone case.
If you want a gift that keeps giving, you could buy membership to an "of the month" club and have a different beer, cheese or T Shirt delivered twelve times a year.
In a similar vein, a magazine subscription is always a great gift.
Your gourmand might appreciate some good quality kitchen tools.
Think a bit broader than your classic barbeque tools to a chef quality knife or a cast iron pan.
Failing all those suggestions, a classic gift for any man is a hamper.
A bottle of nice wine, port or whiskey accompanied by some delicious nibbles makes a wonderful gift.
You can reflect their tastes by choosing sweet, savoury or locally produced items to round out your hamper.
Good hamper companies are able to refine the choices in your hamper so they perfectly match the tastes and preferences of the lucky recipient.