Groomsmen gifts

I've only been in one wedding as an adult. My best friend got the groomsmen a couple of framed Sports Illustrated magazines that featured their favorite team on the front cover.

 

I'm in a wedding this summer and wasn't even aware the groomsmen received gifts. Nice.

 

A really, really nice bottle of whiskey, if that's your thing. Johnny Blue makes a good one. Or, a rare Bourbon, like Pappy Van Winkle.

 

I was best man when my brother got married in 2008. He gave out little Swiss Army pocket knives that included one blade, a nail file, scissors, penlight, ink pen and -- best part -- a 2-gig flash drive. I can't wait for the Swiss Army foldout laptop.

 

I gave my groomsmen a personalized flask and a small golf notebook that held tees and ball markers and was leatherbound.

 

i've been a groomsman a half-dozen times and never received a thing (nor expected anything) and didn't give my anything. oh, i gifted my best man, she her maid of honor, and we picked up the tab for all the tuxes and hideous bridesmaid dresses.

are my circle of closest buds ignoramouses? or could the ritual of gifting a groomsman be a regional thang? keep in mind i got married in another time ('88) than most of y'all; is this perhaps a ritual of more recent vintage? ???

 

I got a nail clipping/grooming set from my brother 30 years ago that I still use.
Got my best man a bottle of cologne the first time I got married in 1987 and the groomsmen personalized pens when I remarried on 2002.

 

I didn't get my groomsmen any "stuff", mostly because I wouldn't want anything, and knowing them they wouldn't really either. I don't drink, so a flask, alcohol, mug, whatever, would be pointless. I don't need any mongrammed things (though the bats sound pretty cool). So I just took them out to eat and got us good seats to a game (can't remember what game, or even what sport). I figured that would be better and more fun than cufflinks or a money clip, and they seemed to like it.

 

yeah, guess this is why it never even crossed my mind to 'gift' my groomsman. as i've been when offered a groomsman spot, they seemed so genuinely touched to be asked, flattered by the acknowledgement of our friendship. looking back, that was plenty gift enough for them as it was for me.

but it is a lovely gesture...

 

I've been in something like 10 weddings and cannot remember anything. Whatever you do, give them good memories.

 

I've gotten a tall beer glass, duffel bag, toiletry bag and pocket knife. All have been useful. None have been expected. I've been in five weddings and forget about this kind of thing every time.

If your friends are like mine, they're guys and it's free stuff. Don't sweat trying to impress anyone.

 

I've only been in two weddings. One friend gave me an iPod Shuffle (back when they were new). The other friend gave an assortment of stuff:

- The tie we all wore in the wedding (he had instructed us to wear black or gray suits)
- A bottle of tequila (he found a set of limited-edition Cuervo bottles that matched his number of groomsmen + him)
- A throwback jersey (I got Bo Jackson - AWESOME)

The second, personalized gift was much better. When I got married, my gift was:

- a beer mug with their initials
- a Dopp kit with their initials (I didn't get myself one and should have - I want one of these)
- a bottle of their favorite booze (one friend didn't like liquor, so I got him a gift certificate to a nice beer store)