Exciting Gifts for Men Turning 40

Tap to Read ➤ Arjun Kulkarni

Turning 40 is one of the most momentous occasions in anyone's life. For men, it's like the second round of 'coming-of-age', signifying the end and the beginning of a lot of things. It's a perfect occasion as any, to give him the best gift he ever got!

While I doubt there is a 'jubilee' associated with turning 40, it still is a momentous occasion as a man has completed another decade. Also, when one crosses the 40-years barrier, it is generally assumed that he is no longer in the 'growth' stage of his career but now in the maturity stage.

At 40, a man becomes stable and really settles down. No more monkey business! For other men, they start facing the mid-life crisis and feel an urge to do something adventurous and youthful. So keeping both these factors in mind, here are some gifts for men reaching mid-life.

40th Birthday Gifts for Men

Memorabilia

Turning 40 after all, is a big milestone. So why not give him a gift to celebrate that milestone? Give him something which he will remember for a long time.

A photo album is one of the best gifts. It will take him back in time to all the best memories over the past 40 years. Another good gift is a memory book of all his birthdays. Similar to a photo album, a memory book also gives the freedom to write something for him.

A surprise party would be a memorable gift. Another great idea is a time capsule. You can easily get vintage stuff on the Internet, like from when he was 15 or 20. You can also get a t-shirt with 'I can't believe I'm 40!' printed on it, just like coffee mugs or a wall hanging.

Romantic Gifts

From one heart to another, romantic gifts are the best birthday ideas. A very sweet gift would be to give him a CD of his favorite songs along with a book of their lyrics.

There are a host of personalized romantic gifts you could give him, like a card, a bouquet of 40 roses, or a new suit which has his name written on it like 'Bond. James Bond.' Book a romantic beach vacation or a cruise for the two of you. You could also give him a special spa treatment yourself!

Adventure Trips

If he is a bit morose about turning 40 and still young at heart, you could take him for a great adventure trip! You can go bungee-jumping or even sky-diving. If he is more of a water person, you could go parasailing, speed boating or surfing.

Warning: make sure he's into adventure sports or he might get freaked out! For the slightly less adventurous, there are always amusement parks and roller coasters!

Gifts for the Boss

At 40, a man may become the next big executive in his company. And every executive needs to learn to play golf so that he can socialize with his boss, suppliers or big customers. Get him started with a set of golf clubs.

If he supports a local football/soccer/basketball/baseball team, you could get him season tickets to celebrate his 40th year without having to stand in line before every match! Or how about something great for his office!

Something like an engraved fountain pen, a small clock embedded in mahogany or granite or a small sundial. Or how about a map of the U.S. marked with all the places that he's been to and the places that he still wants to go?

Retro Gifts

Stuff from the 70s is easier to find than you think. A quick look over the Internet and you'll find anything from Betty Boop mugs to The Incredible Hulk action figures.

You'll also find stuff like the list of Billboard Hot 100s from the 70s, Rock n' Roll posters, vinyl records or even a gramophone if you can spend the extra bucks.

If he had a sweet tooth, you can look for all the retro candy for a big hit of nostalgia. If nothing works, you can always fall back on the awesome lava lamp to remember the childhood bedroom.

Fail-safe Gifts for a Man of 40

40 may be the time when he is beginning to settle down in life, but 40 is also the time when he gets into the groove of other things. Regardless of age, there are three things that will never go unappreciated by any middle-aged guy.

Beer

A membership of the club that lists the finest breweries in town is one of the best gift ideas, especially for a 40 year-old man.

A trusted beer of the month club is perfect. It not only allows him to taste the best microbrews from around the country, but also gives him something to show off to his friends when he invites them over for a beer.

Tools and Resources

If he likes to shop online, a membership for Amazon Prime or Netflix is a great gift. Or maybe a hi-tech toolbox for all his needs to tinker with stuff. If all else fails, there's always the latest smartphone or tablet PC.

Cars

I'm not talking the regular set of fancy cars. I mean the adrenalin pumping stock cars that you've only seen on TV or as a spectator. You can gift him a ride-along with a professional racer. If you can spend more on this, you can even get him to drive the car! That would easily make this one of the best experiences he's had.

Just be sure to not 'gift' him stuff like gym memberships, yoga classes or something health related (unless he's a health nut. Then go crazy on it). Keep those things away from birthdays; you can make him do those things whenever you want to, so gifting him those things on his birthday will only bum him out.

The kind of gift should be exactly equal to his character. Flamboyance will not work with low-key people. So always think of how he is when you look for the perfect gift.