I know exactly what you're talking about! I can easily come up with ideas for the females, but what about those guys?! I hope someone answers your post. Wish I could help, but I'm stuck here too. My grandma used to make quilts or afghans for everyone, but that is so time consuming and we're running out of time. You know, the bubble gum machine would work for guys too. You could paint it with their favorite team colors, racing car driver number, etc. and if its the type I'm thinking of you can fill it with other things (peanuts, m&m's, etc.)Hmmmm..... going to have to ponder on this idea!I think my step-dad could use one for on his bar in the rec.room for his peanuts. Thanks for the idea! :)

I'm making flowerpot gifts this year also. My mom and mom-in-law are getting 2 1/2 feet tall garden angels made from various clay pots stacked together, glued, painted and wooden or wild grapevine wings attached. I made my family a snowman this past weekend in the same way. He was supposed to go on the front porch, but everyone loves him so much he has a new home on the farm table in the kitchen.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Hopefully some of these fabulously talented folks on here will have some great ideas!

Blessings and light,
Chris

Last year I made all of the guys in the family Cookbooks. Bought notebooks and labeled them "Cooking 101 for Guys". I included a few basic family receipes such as the "Green Stuff" which is a salad everyone loves, the famous family Sugar Cookies and others. I listed and gave definitions for such things as a "cookbook", Cooker", Cookstove", etc. also a list of mixed up measurements such as one cup equals 1 cup unless you use an odd cup, etc. I found some of the craziest receipes on a site that is sooooooooo gross and funny at the same times. Some of the receipes were: Jellied Moose Nose, Boogers on a Stick, Coyote Droppings, Lizard Tongues on Crackers and more, some of them even worse. The site is: www.bertc.com If you like this sort of weird and funny things you will love it. ......Have fun! Another idea my daughter made was a neat Christmas stocking and she put a bottle of wine in each. One year I made all the guys barbeque aprons and put some cook tools with them. Another idea would be to make them all double fleece blankets where you knot the ties......good to take to games, etc.

If you sew, you could make men boxers (if they wear them, or even if they don't). Since the Chiefs are doing so well this year, and being from KC, we're all big fans. I'm making boxers out of Chiefs fabric. The only problem is, I didn't buy enough and from what I understand it's sold out in the whole state of Missouri and won't be available again until sometime in December. We can buy all the other team fabrics too, so I'm making things out of them for relatives in other areas.

Our WalMart has the Chiefs and Rams fabric for $5/yd. Hancock Fabrics has a wide array of team fabrics for $5.97/yd. and is also available on their website.

My pattern is Simplicity 9958 and includes sizes XS - XL. That includes boys to large men. You can use up some of your excess fabric, or another option would be to make them out of flannel for warmth, or silk for luxury.

My grandsons don't want the fly open, so I sew it shut. They like to wear them around the house.

Hot chili pepper fabric would be cute or anything with food on it for the Chefs in the family.

I also have a pattern for a fleece headband that everyone loves.

Posie, I love your idea for the cookbook. My sister asked me to make a cookbook for her for Christmas with all my favorite recipes. Including some from that site would be fun. Thanks for that.

One year I gave my BIL a cookbook, "Looneyspoons" by Janet and Greta Podsleski. He loved it, and they sat around reading the funny stories in it and died laughing.

I hope this post gets more ideas. I could use some too.

Barb

oddly enough, one of the most-requested gifts I do is 'boy balm and leather food' which is a very tough sounding name for a beeswax and olive oil balm I invented (I use a 1:1 ratio of wax to oil, and pour it into little tupperware containers) that's scented with clove, amber, and cinnamon, or balsam (fir) and cedar essential oils...

every one of them uses it as suggested-lip balm, hand cream, something to deal with that dry flakey spot between their eyebrows, a swipe on a paper towel is all the polishing most leather goods really need (it IS skin, after all)...

and by making it sound 'tough' it gets even the teens (who are ultra-concerned with their masculinity- some are allergic to the shampoo, it smells too fruity?) to use it-

I'm making another batch this year- last year's batch ran out in March, since my mother, my father, and my husband were all using my pot!