GIFT GUIDE for that Special MAN

As all men are different, each with their own preferences and taste, I looked at a number of gifts to bring you a wide range from which you could choose.

A gift to suit his interests or match his character, and show him you have thought about what he enjoys and found something to interest him on his birthday, Christmas, or any other special day.

• For the man in your life, a personalised gift, purchased with real thought is a wonderful surprise.

• I believe it's possible to purchase a reproduction, from hammacher.com , of the entire edition of New York Times printed on the day your man was born, which contains all the news 'the Gray Lady' saw fit to print. He will be so enamoured to see how different the world was then and how full his life really is today.

• What does he have to do around the home which takes the enjoyment out of Sundays?Perhaps you could hire someone to come in and do it for a month or stretch to three months. Does the hedge need trimming, lawn mowed, compost raked in, construction of a shed, painting of the roof, clearing the gutters?

• If he takes a primal pride in his outdoor cooking abilities, perhaps the latest barbeque gadget, or even a new grill, maybe the latest cookbook will give his open fire cooking inspiration a boost. Interesting cuts of meat, a range of different marinades will also excite his mastery.

• Tickets to a Movie and Dinner, or perhaps Theatre Tickets is another thought that could give Dad or your husband a very warm feeling.

• Perhaps there is a specific series on television that he enjoyed, and would love to be able to watch again at his leisure, a DVD set to enable that wish would be a lovely thought.

• A Donation in his Name. If that special someone like your father is no longer with you, a lovely way to honour his name is to make a donation to his favourite charity or one you know he would have supported in his lifetime.

Sometimes it is necessary to take the edge of a day that has been particularly stressful, so why not invest in a good 15 year old, single malt, bottle of scotch such as Glenlivet and a fun Whisky glass from Amazon.

Perhaps you could purchase something from the gym - an hour or two with the personal trainer, or a sports massage.

A full valet service, polish and paint protection for his car is another good idea for someone who is car proud.

How to recognise him

He would pull off his Rayban Sunnies and say " What keeps those jeans of yours from falling off?".

Men who love their sport, whether he is an armchair sportsman or one that still takes part - there are many gifts for this man.

Tickets to his favourite game, something the two of you could enjoy together.

If he is a golfer, an hour or two with the club professional - book and pay for a time slot at one of his favourite courses. Buy vouchers from the club for either a golf cart or to hire a caddy for three months.Obviously, you are aware that his handicap improves immediately, if he is bought a top of the range club or driver.

If fishing is his pastime, buy him a handcrafted Creel if he is or aspires to be a skilled fly fisherman, so he may bring home fresh fish for dinner. A more reasonably priced compact fishing tote makes it that much easier for you to join him and not be weighed down by the gear.

Recognise him:

He is usually out for awhile over the weekends and maybe a night or two during the week. He is reasonably fit, has a lot of like-minded friends, and is very interested in your sports ability.

He could be ultra fit and enjoy cycling, running or mountaineering. Visit one of the specialists in his form of sport and see what is available in the latest trend is or 'must have' area.

Recognise him with these sayings "It's only a bit or dirt (or blood) brush it off" or "You're always a winner if you lose with a smile" or the most often used "I told you to keep your eye on the Ball!"

Whatever his interest is in this field, there is always something the DIY man would like to have. A chat with him and a few well placed comments and questions will usually ferret that special 'want' rather than the 'need' out of him.

Storage is usually a want, specialised tools that would make his woodworking so much more enjoyable, perhaps a course on how to build or make something that is in his line of interest, but possibly above his skill level.

Does he love his car or motorbike and all things auto, is he a frustrated Schumacher, Button, or Casey Stoner, perhaps he is building his own kit car?

Wow, this is loaded with gift ideas - from laps around the local circuit with instruction by professionals, to movies, racing seats for the kit car, an audio system or inbuilt ipod installation.

Tyre warmers for the bike, or a new set of wheels he has been admiring for some time.

Recognise the DIY Guy:

"Don't take yourself so seriously, take what you do seriously"

or "Why pay someone to do it, when you can do a better job yourself"

There is a lot in this field which will keep you in ideas for many years to come. Have a look at the myriad of a techno or gadgetry stuff available at Amazon.com.

If he is an Apple fan, gift cards from the iStore - he could then purchase music, the latest in Apps - in this area what about the GLI Vehicle Diagnostic Tool for iPhone which connects directly to his vehicle's engine. On Board Diagnostics data to sent to his iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, letting him run an app to find out what his car's actually up to.

As a bonus, it will charge your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch at the same time. Perhaps he doesn't do laps around the local circuit, but he will not have to worry about his check engine light and will feel cleverly in tune with his vehicle while driving.

Whatever the hobby may be - perhaps he's a bibliophile, reading books on murder, biographies, war stories, history or non-fiction a gift card will always be welcome. A years subscription to his favourite magazine or maybe he needs the latest Kindle, or a cover for his iPad?

No matter the hobby, a book may always be found relating to his specific interest, be it philately, numismatics, photography, art, model building.

Courses relating to his hobby which expands his knowledge and creativity will be cherished for years to come.