Welcome to the Gifts for Blokes blog.
This blog is an extension of the Gifts for Blokes Online Store and is where you can find product reviews, articles and a fun photo gallery of customers using products purchased from Gifts for Blokes.
We hope that over time the content that you find here will grow and expand into what will be an interesting and fun blog to visit.
Gifts for Blokes is an online store based in Australia with gifts for men of all ages and for all occasions.
Shop online at www.giftsforblokes.com.au and find men's gifts the easy way.
Who’s Cooking The Turkey?
Posted on 27 December 2011 | Comments Off
Around this time of year there is copious amounts of festive cheer, family and friends and of course beer. All of this festivity requires the equivalent in food and what better option for your celebratory feasts than the turkey? It’s bigger and more impressive than a chicken, so it’ll feed more people. You could leave the cooking caper to the women…or you could impress them with your manly wiles and “do” the turkey.
If you have your turkey frozen, be prepared for it to take 2-3 days to thaw in the fridge. Cooking the turkey is relatively easy, however they can come out dry, so you need to be on top of it.
Pre-heat your oven to 180° C. You’ll then need a large roasting tray (it has high sides, more like a dish than a tray) and a wire rack that sits inside it. Add about a cup of water to the roasting tray and place the turkey, breast side up, on the wire rack. The water will help to keep the turkey moist. Brush the turkey with melted butter, or, if you prefer, lay strips of fatty bacon across its breast. This helps prevent the bird from drying out.
Cover in foil and place in the oven. Cooking time will depend on the size of the turkey. A size 25 turkey (2.5kg) will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to cook, whereas a size 45 (4.5kg) will take 3 to 3.5 hours. If you want to really impress, the size 90 bird (9 kg) will take around 6 to 6.5 hours.
Finally, to avoid poisoning all your guests, make sure the turkey is cooked through. You can check this easily by tipping the bird so the juices run out of it, or poke it in the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juice is clear, then it’s done! If it even has a slight tinge of pink, leave it in a bit longer. For blokes who like gadgets, a digital thermometer is essential. Stick the probe into the thickest part of the meat and when the temperature hits 70°C, you’re done!
Still a little unsure, check out this great little video.
Do Blokes Want Christmas Decorations?
Posted on 22 December 2011 | Comments Off
Men usually get lumbered with doing the hard parts of Christmas decorating but do they really care about them?
It can literally take hours, sometimes days, to put up all the Christmas decorations. And if you are one of those households that puts up lights and statues of Santa and his reindeer on the front lawn – not to mention unravelling the tinsel around the 8ft Christmas tree and making sure it is perfectly balanced and even… it is no wonder some blokes might not be as ‘keen’ on Christmas decorating as their partners are.
So what can be done to help in this? Well, the most obvious solution is well, beer – which can help lessen the stress and pressure.
Or – how about a few “blokey” decorations such as a Christmas train? We all know men love their trains and what a perfect opportunity for them to get involved if they have a Christmas train to play with.
But here is something even better - a very entertaining little blog post we found called “20 Geeky Christmas Decorations to Nerd Up your Holidays.”
It includes such things as a Pacman Christmas Tree (yes all lit up!), a Dalek Christmas Tree, Star Trek Centrepieces, Darth Vader Stockings, Cthulhu Decorations, a Star Wars Wreath and a Gingerbread Tardis. Now just imagine his excitement if you manage to get your hands on decorations like these.
So with a few simple decorating “adjustments” you can help your bloke enjoy the whole Christmas decorating experience as much as anyone else!
Blow That App To Pieces
Posted on 20 December 2011 | Comments Off
Boys will be boys, and blokes will be…well, blokes.
We all know blokes love a bit of action, have a desire to be a super hero when they grow up and save the world from evil aliens. They also need a bit of time out and stress relief from time to time.
Our new, now in store, appBlaster covers all of the above and more, like some physical activity while he’s taking out his frustrations and testing out his hand eye coordination and reflex times.
Simply download the free app on your iPod or iPhone, slot it into the appBlaster, and you’re on your way. The iPod/iPhone screen will give you a view of the room you’re in through the camera facility…and the app will supply the aliens in which to blast and ultimately defeat.
His dream of being Champion of the Universe is now within his reach, so long as he gets them before they get him. Beware, as these pesky aliens will sneak out from anywhere in the room, even from behind, and overthrow him.
The perfect gift for the bloke who has yet to realise his “super” man dreams, and likes a bit of screen action.
You’ll have him up off the couch and running around…with a big smile on his face! And possibly a random “WOOO HOOO! I am the CHAMPION!”
Christmas Parties At The Office – Do’s And Don’ts For Blokes Part 2
Posted on 15 December 2011 | 1 response
You’ve received the invite, and you know how to behave and what to wear – yes, wear underpants; no, don’t wave them in the air, even if you have removed them for some photocopier-bottom action. (Actually, don’t even think about that!)
You plan to be polite, mingle with your work colleagues, and be responsible with your alcohol consumption. Which is a good thing really, as keeping a reign on your drinking can prevent a big office work party no-no, the Christmas part romance!
This is to be avoided at all costs. Control yourself and your emotions, and respectfully decline any forthcoming romantic offers from colleagues, even if it is tempting. You’ll both regret it later. It can also make the workplace incredibly uncomfortable for everyone, for weeks, if not months, afterwards.
With all these “behave” warnings and reminders about what to look out for, it’s incredibly tempting just to skip the whole debacle all together, right? Wrong!
A definite “Do” for the office Christmas part is to “turn up”! This is particularly important if you hold a management role, you are aiming to be noticed or are in line for a promotion or payrise. It’s a great way to chat with your workmates, including your superiors, in a casual environment, and get to know them more.
Not only is it important to turn up, make sure you also turn up on time. This is, despite the marketing, “work”, and turning up on time shows respect for others. It also gives you the opportunity to speak with others, including your boss/es, before the free bar kicks in and creates havoc.
It will also allow you to disappear early without appearing impolite. And above all, enjoy yourself – after all that is what you are there for!
Christmas Parties At The Office – Do’s And Don’ts For Blokes
Posted on 13 December 2011 | 1 response
We all know that the ubiquitous Christmas party comes around once a year. It is at this time, when the booze is out and we are all feeling less inhibited, that things are said or some things happen, that we would like to wipe from our memories forever. To stop this Christmas fallout from happening, there are certain do’s and don’ts that should be observed if we want to go back to work in the New Year!
Possibly the first and most important “don’t” is not to drink too much. We all know men who are quite shy and reserved at work. However, these are the ones to watch when they have had a drink or two because they may well end up dancing on a table waving their underpants in the air! Don’t let it happen to you!
Make sure that you are wearing appropriate clothing. Even though it is a party, it’s still a work event and the chances are that your boss will be watching you. Don’t turn up in your jeans and tshirt if the venue is obviously upmarket. If you’re not sure what to wear, ask the others how they plan to dress.
Mingle with everyone and try not to talk about work all night. This is a night for getting to know co-workers and their significant others will be bored to tears if they have to listen to this. If there are business clients attending the party, make sure they are comfortable, have food and drink and that people are talking to them.
The Christmas party can be fun as long as you keep your partying under control. You don’t really want to end up as the joke of the night. Luckily it IS possible to be sensible and still party!
How To BBQ Sausages
Posted on 8 December 2011 | Comments Off
Isn’t it funny how something as simple as a discussion on the best way to cook a snag can get any gathering heated in debate? We’ve all got an opinion, haven’t we? Of course, ours is right.
What? You’re not sure about that? Well, here are our best tips, gathered through years of sausage BBQ experience. Why not give them a try and then tell us what you think?
1. Always have your sausages at room temperature before adding them to the BBQ. It’s less stressful for their skins and it helps them heat through evenly.
2. Don’t try to cook partially defrosted snags. They won’t cook through properly and might decide to explode right in front of you.
3. Buy good quality sausages. They have more meat content and will give you a better result.
4. Don’t ever prick the sausages. I don’t know who started that trend but they should be made to pay for all the dried out sausages they caused. Yes, it lets the moisture out, making the sausage dry and pretty tasteless, too. And all that splatter that happens when the juices run out makes the BBQ a lot harder to clean and the sausages will burn.
5. If you have trouble with sausage splitting, you are adding them to a plate that is too hot. That makes the skins pop. Move them away from the hottest part of the BBQ and they’ll cook perfectly.
Now go and see what you think.
You might like to try some Spoonfed Snag Jam on your sausages. Ripe red smoked tomatoes with a hint of cumin & chilli, freshened with lemon juice go beautifully with a properly cooked, succulent sausage. You’ll get your Snag Jam in our BBQ Basics Blokes Box along with some spice rubs and essential BBQ tools.
Go and enjoy your snags.
Want It Wrapped
Posted on 6 December 2011 | Comments Off
Has the Christmas panic set in yet? Are you still hunting around for the perfect gift for the bloke in your life?
Gifts For Blokes makes shopping, wrapping and sending so simple you will keep coming back again and again to buy your gifts. If your order is being sent directly to a special bloke in your life – whether your dad, grandfather, brother or cousin – we can gift wrap your purchase at no extra charge.
Of course at this time of year, a card will go a long way – so when you place your order, add a few words in the message section of the shopping cart and let us know whether it is a Christmas gift or a birthday gift. Make sure you keep the message on the card brief as long messages…well they just won’t fit.
Shopping for a special gift on Christmas Eve is no longer considered fun. The malls fill up just as quickly as the shelves are emptying and finding a car park is a headache in itself. And what man could pass up our BBQ Essentials Blokes Box or our AppCopter – both great gifts for men of all ages.
Do yourself and your loved one a favour by shopping earlier and online – that way you are guaranteed to get the gift of your choice without any of the stress attached.
BBQ Gas Bottle Covers
Posted on 1 December 2011 | 1 response
We have spoken about a bloke’s love of the great BBQ too many times to recall, however up until now a simple gas bottle has never been so appealing. In fact a gas bottle rarely even gets a mention unless the bottle itself is empty.
New in store and just in time for Christmas, is the BBQ Gas Bottle Cover which is available in two designs – “Dad’s BBQ” or “Australian and Proud”. Whichever fun design you choose you will be the envy of every barbecue-loving bloke on your street. Made from a flexible synthetic material, they are designed to fit a 9kg gas bottle.
They are simple to put on and remove when you exchange gas bottles and even better, they retail for only $19.95 each. Note however the skin is designed to be used on gas bottles in a sheltered area as exposure to direct sunlight may reduce the skin’s lifespan.
Summer is the perfect time to dust off your barbecue – if you haven’t done so already! If you do find you are lacking some inspiration in the BBQ kitchen so to speak, then check out these recipes. Not sure about you but we can’t bear to pass up a good marinade and the barbecued eggplant sounds pretty good right about now.
Australians and barbecues go together like bees and honey, monkeys and bananas, spaghetti and meatballs – well – you get our drift! So break out your best barbecue recipes and start cooking.
Boxes for Blokes
Posted on 29 November 2011 | Comments Off
Unless you know someone really well, or have a specific item in mind when shopping for a present, it can be tricky to get it just right. Or you may be shopping for that proverbial man who “has everything”. Whether it’s Christmas, a birthday or Father’s Day, finding that perfect present can be very stressful.
A gift hamper may be just the solution you need. Especially a hamper that brings together some themed items in a stylish and very manly box.
If thinking about gift hampers brings to mind collections of teas, jams and crispreads, wrapped in cellophane, have a look at the selection of gift boxes available in our store.
Whether you know a little, or a lot, about the bloke you are shopping for, you should be able to find a gift box that he really appreciates.
You could, of course, put one of these together all by yourself. First, find a suitable container, preferably one that is solid enough to be re-used. Heavy cardboard or even timber would be ideal. Then, fill the box with a few carefully selected items that fit a particular theme, one that is hopefully of interest to the bloke in question.
However, if you have little time to spare, don’t enjoy shops or crowds and want to minimise your stress levels, then let the hard work be done by someone else.
Our hampers are filled with some of our most popular gift items and presented in reusable dark boxes and bags. Any bloke would be stoked to find one of these under the Christmas tree.
Kris Kringle Gifts for Blokes
Posted on 24 November 2011 | Comments Off
Men aren’t really hard to buy for if you know where to look. We’ve got some great little items in stock that we think will be perfect for Kris Kringle gifts.
For the blokes with a sense of humour, we love the Pill Stress Balls and the Flat Topped Golf Tees. There are two stress “pills” to choose from – Arouzer which looks like a little blue pill and Hypochondriac which is shaped like a green and white capsule. They are great value at only $12.95 each.
The Flat Topped Tees will be every golfer’s worst nightmare. For only $7.95 you can watch your golf buddy try to sit his golf balls on the tees, only to have them fall off each time. Fun for you and (eventually) for him.
If his taste runs more to games, we’ve got those too. Zippy Game and Think Twice Dice Game are both priced at only $9.95 but will keep a game lover happy for hours.
We have lots of practical selections, too, like the Weather Station Keyrings, Stig Soap-on-a-Roap and Bar Boss Bottle Openers. We’ve even got Star Wars gifts to choose from.
There will be something in our Kris Kringle selection to suit every bloke, no matter what his taste. Best of all, there is nothing priced over $19.95! Whether you need just a little extra gift or something for a work mate, you’ll find it here.