Ask your spouse or other family what your brother-in-law is always first to do. Maybe he’s the kind of guy who likes seeing movies on opening night or he’s first in the fam to get season tickets to the games. If there’s something he’s first to jump on, that will clue you into a true passion — then it’s easy to brainstorm birthday gifts for your brother-in-law.  

For a single brother-in-law, think about how your dude keeps his place. Does it look like it belongs on HGTV (for its style or because it needs an extreme makeover)? If he’s got his own distinct style for his pad (i.e. rustic sailing cottage look) then go with that as your inspiration. If the place needs a style intervention, it may be best to go in another gift direction.

Compliment your brother-in-law on something you like from his outfit, and fish for clues on where he shops and maybe something he needs.

Everyone has something that they’re saving their proverbially pennies for. You can straight up ask your brother-in-law if he’s saving up for anything big these days. His answer might spark an idea for a great group gift for your brother-in-law for Christmas.

If your brother-in-law works, think about how he gets to the office (long car ride, commuter train, bike). Chances are he could use a gift to make the commute more bearable.

Chat with your brother-in-law about why he chose his profession. You’ll get a sense of whether he’s the analytical kind, or he is driven to helping people, or even has an inner passion he never pursued but still loves (like photography).

When you feel stumped on what to get as gifts for a brother-in-law, try thinking about what you share in common. Maybe you both have kids, love to travel, or cook at home. It will be easier to hunt down an awesome, original gift if you base it on something familiar to you.

Here's inspiration for all the in-laws:

9 Ideas for Stealthy Shopping for a Father-in-Law

Anxiety-Reducing Ways to Shop for Your Mother-in-Law

How to Find Gifts That Score Points with Your Sister-in-Law

The best gifts for a brother-in-law should follow two rules. First, the gift should show you're not clueless when it comes to knowing what's cool. Second, the gift should not feel utterly generic. No one gets to call their brother-in-law their bro if you're giving gifts that are cliché or snore-worthy. So step up your gifting game with this complete list of ideas for any brother-in-law.