Top 10 Toys for Men in Their 20s

As a twenty-something male, gifts come kind of sparingly to me. I’m at that point in my life where I am too old to receive a substantial present from my parents. I’m also too young to profit from gifts that are a result of a lifetime of friendships, love, work or achievements. I have no wife, so anniversary presents and gifts from my children just aren’t going to be there. And all of my friends are more or less in the same entry-level, work-force, position that I am, so they are not really in a position to hand out gifts.

So for a man of my status in the world, and considering the status of those around me, what should I expect to receive for a gift whenever my birthday or Christmas rolls around? Here’s my top 10 toys/gifts for 20+ year olds:

2. Silly Movie – We all have our favorite harebrained, juvenile, uproarious movie, but how many of us own it? Afterall, Old School, and Caddy Shack are not exactly the ideal choice movies for that special lady friend. Not to mention, there is only 2 times in a man’s life when he really thinks about watching a silly movie; (1) when he is with a bunch of friends talking about the good old days, and (2) when he and his friends have nothing to do for the night. For those of us who have been in those positions, and we all have, we know how rare it is we have the movie of choice at hand. So since old, silly, movies go for about 10 bucks at the local video store, pick this up for one of your friends video collections. It’s almost like buying it for yourself!
3. Lunch – Food is everyman’s best friend, so why not give it to him as a gift? You can offer it in the form of much needed groceries, an eloquent affair, or as a night out at the bar with the boys. I particularly said lunch, because springing for a proper dinner or breakfast often tends to cost more, so why not get you dawg more food for your buck?
4. Video Games – We can’t all go out and buy our boys’ favorite system, but if he already owns it, go out and buy his favorite game. It’s a lot less costly, and it’s something that you can enjoy. Madden Football 2007 and Fight Night are my top two suggestions. If you’re not the game-playing type, leaving your friend to video jocking by himself, I recommend first-person shooter games.
5. Team Memorabilia – The best thing about every guy is that we all have some kind of affiliation to some kind of sports team. Even those men, who don’t like sports, probably appreciate their alma mater’s athletic program, or has a friend who works or dabbles in the industry. So get your friend a hat, or a shirt, or even a couple of tickets if you can snag’em.
6. Razor – Unless your friend has already splurged on an electric razor, chances are he is always going to be in dire need of a bag of Wic shaving razors. And if he is the type that shaves all day, throw in a bottle of shaving cream.
7. Cleaning Lady – Ever been to your boy’s apartment and realized that he is the sole person on Earth who is messier than you? Well, spare him a week’s worth of cleaning with the services of a cleaning lady. They are totally worth the pay, assuming that cleaning your buddy’s place is not like trying to fill the O-zone layer, and they can get the work done in a much quicker time then you helping your buddy clean up.
8. T-Shirts – Apartments are not the only things men often get dirty, and rarely keep clean. All of us men have gone through a day or two without an undershirt on a day where we probably actually needed one. And why? Because men don’t do laundry. It’s not an opinion; it’s just a law of nature. For the past 4 years that I’ve been on my own, I can’t account for 75% of the laundry that has been done for me. So the way I figure, I few more T-shirts in the door give me a few more days a month to skip on the trip to the laundry mat.
9. Date – Have a friend who has spent one too many Friday nights on the couch? I’m sure you do. It doesn’t make your friend a loser, but it does make you a loser for being friends with him. So why not fix that and set him up with a friend or a co-worker. It doesn’t have to be the greatest hook-up of all time, just enough to make him say, “Thank you.”
10. Bowling – For those of us Americans who can’t afford the big fancy dinner, the rising costs of night clubs, or the big night out on the town, nothing beats the economical advantage of a night of bowling. And I don’t care what you say, but bowling can be fun no matter who you are. It’s a great time to just talk to your friends, flirt with women, and to simply enjoy yourself. Even if you have to make it a competition, divide it up into teams, or play for a round of liquor, you can always make a night of bowling exciting.
11. Road Trip – It was a wonderful thing to do in college, so why stop? Whether it’s hopping in your friend’s car and driving to the nearest Reservation, or buying a couple of cheap bus tickets to spend a “hotel-less” weekend in
    Florida
    , it can still be done after you graduate. Not to mention the fact that if you cannot afford the big luxury escape that some people can afford, there’s nothing more thrilling than having to scrap and scuffle for every ounce of fun you can. I mean, what’s more fun than buying a couple of bracelets off some spring breakers, bartering for a stranger’s collared shirt, and sneaking your drunken friend inside the club while holding him upright with your off-hand and showing your I.D. with the other? Not that I’ve done that or anything.