Great Gift Ideas For Men - Celtic Jewellery?

I was desperately searching for the perfect gift for my friend Mike's 50th birthday and was astonished when my cousin suggested Celtic jewellery. Mike is one of those mens men, into rugby and football but too old to play now. A round of golf and propping up the bar at the end of the game is about his limit.

I said no way and laughed when Maxine made the suggestion. Mike is so cave mannish he won't even use mens deodorant and only uses aftershave when he's on a promise with his wife Rita. I could imagine the look on his face if I bought him a Celtic pendant or ring - it doesn't bear thinking about!

Celtic jewellery was out of the question, so my search for something different began. As Mike has been a good friend since our school days I wanted to buy something pretty special for him. I was really flummoxed, no point in going down the cosmetic route and Mike doesn't read much so books or book tokens were out of the question.

I looked at golf related gifts, but unless I bought something gimmicky there wasn't anything that he really needed or would use. I like my gifts to be useful as well as different, no point in buying something that is not wanted or used.

I searched the shops in town for 3 hours and ended up with nothing but sore feet and disillusionment. There were plenty of gift packs for men - they are gearing up for Christmas earlier than ever this year - but they were just overpriced and nothing special.

When I got home I sat back comfortably on my sofa, lap top on knee, coffee at my side and searched the Internet. There was a lot more choice than in the shops - you could say that I was spoilt for choice. So much choice I still couldn't decide what to get for Mike's birthday present.

Out of interest I keyed 'mens Celtic jewellery' into a search engine and was totally astonished at what I saw. Unique, intricate, gorgeous designs that looked really special to me.

I loved the unique Celtic jewelry designs so much that I was keen to buy but then I pictured Mike wearing a Celtic bracelet, pendant or ring and just couldn't do that to him unless as a joke gift before the main present. There was a neat dress watch with a Celtic bracelet, but I knew that Mike's wife Rita had bought him a watch for his last birthday.

Then I clicked on a link and found exactly what I was looking for. A few weeks earlier I'd seen him at the pub and he'd been grumbling about it being cold on the golf course and it was in the middle of an English summer! With winter coming on it was a good idea to buy him a gift that he could enjoy, was useful and kept him warm whilst playing his favourite game.

That special gift idea was a hip flask with an intricate Celtic cross adorning the side. Brilliant! I knew that Mike would love that. Filled with his favourite brandy it would keep him warm on a cold English winter or summers day.

I also bought Mike a Celtic design key ring and fob and an early Christmas gift for myself - a really gorgeous pewter and malachite Celtic bracelet. The prices for Celtic jewellery are unbelievably low for such beautiful workmanship and the designs have special symbolic meanings.