Socks
Please, please think carefully before buying socks for men.
Only a small percentage of men get excited by gifts made of wool.
If you have knitted the socks yourself then they are more likely to appreciate the gift, but otherwise the chances are the man will secretly wish you hadn't bothered.
Don't get upset or angry with me. This is something deep and genetic. Men just dont appreciate socks that much.
If you know the recipient actually needs socks, then go ahead, but otherwise do try something else. After all there are plenty of better ideas than socks on this site.
Obviously some men are different and love the idea of receiving socks, but they are few and far between.
The only exception to this might be specific socks for specific activities. Hillwalkers snowboarders and skiers need special socks and giving them a pair of those might just elicit some gratitude, provided the recipient is a keen walker or winter sports enthusiast.