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- I would be glad to drill: on February 23, men will receive equipment, flasks and consoles
I would be glad to drill: on February 23, men will receive equipment, flasks and consoles
In 2026, on February 23, men are mainly going to be given entertainment and goods related to cars and sports, analysts said. Sales of small woodworking machines and tincture preparation kits have increased significantly. Traditional gifts are also popular: socks and shaving foam. But less than before. In addition, the trend for gifts "to ourselves" has intensified this year, experts say. About what else will be given to men and why they began to choose more expensive presents — in the Izvestia article.
What men will get on February 23rd
Sales of themed products — that is, those whose names mention "February 23" and "Defender of the Fatherland Day" - increased by 340% and 270%, respectively, on the eve of the holiday, analysts told Izvestia.
According to the Check Index center of the OFD Platform, the number of purchases of automotive products, computer games, and sauna and spa center services has increased by 8-12% this year. But the purchase of socks, gift certificates and shaving foam decreased slightly — by 2-8%.
— The trend for gifts "to ourselves" is intensifying, — noted the analysts of Check Index. — This year, on February 23, men prefer to give entertainment and goods related to cars and sports. In particular, relaxation in the sauna, dumbbells, computer games and auto parts. As a rule, such gifts are made by men themselves.
The Ozon press service reported that in the three weeks of February, sports watches showed the fastest growth in demand - sales increased 84 times year-on-year. Smart home accessories, smart rings and perfumes are also in the top.
"Gamers were also noticed: computers and accessories were purchased 4.3 times more actively, digital versions of Xbox games — eight times, and smart glasses — three times more often," the company added. "Many people choose outdoor goods as gifts, and the demand for sports goods has increased 2.4 times."
Thus, interest in unusual sports and tourism has increased: baseball equipment is being bought five times more actively, for floorball (a team sport from the family of varieties of bandy) — by 3.7 times, for fencing and kendo (the Japanese martial art of fencing with bamboo swords) — by 3.3 times.
"The demand for climbing and mountaineering equipment has increased 2.5 times compared to February 2025. Fishing supplies are also being bought: the demand for shoes and clothing for hunting and fishing has increased fourfold, for fishing rods and tackle — more than doubled," Ozon reported.
In the last two weeks before the holiday, sales of PlayStation 5 increased the most among gift categories compared to the same period last year: by 215% in monetary terms and by 183% in kind, the Wildberries & Russ press service reported. At the same time, sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 increased slightly — by 14% and 6%, respectively.
"We also see a high demand for products from the DIY segment (DIY. — Ed.). For example, sales of small woodworking machines soared by more than 200% in turnover and by 170% in units," they said. "Among the products from the Men's Choice section, flasks (+207%), tincture sets (+102%), grill sets (+40%), as well as Dendy and MegaDrive retro consoles (+60%) were among the growth leaders before February 23."
Sales of men's cosmetics before the holiday increased by 160%. They are also 140% more likely to purchase gift sets of products: most often tea, spices, nuts and dried fruits.
"Among other categories, before the holiday, there was a sharp jump in demand for electric vehicles (+83%), as well as for goods from the Auto Chemicals and Cosmetics section (+79%)," the marketplace's press service noted.
According to Avito.Analytics", users are being practical this year: most of the purchases are in the segment of up to 3 thousand rubles, while there is still interest in more expensive technological gifts.
"Watches are in stable demand," they gave an example. — Sales of classic wrist models increased by 10%, and their average cost was about 11.1 thousand rubles. Sales of smart watches and fitness bracelets remained at the level of last year, they cost an average of about 13 thousand rubles."
Why do people buy expensive gifts
In 2026, gifts are most often prepared for the husband and son, as well as for the father, according to data from the Cooper store and restaurant delivery service and the OnIn research company. More than half of the donors planned to spend from 1 to 5 thousand rubles, another 21% — from 500 to 1 thousand. Another 5% are ready to allocate more than 10 thousand rubles for a gift. The last thing men would like to receive are socks and personalized souvenirs with photos — mugs, T-shirts, and calendars.
According to the Ormatek brand, practical gifts remain the most popular: categories related to everyday comfort and everyday life are in the lead, while expensive and status options are less in demand.
For Russians, February 23 provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of a man, to express recognition of his efforts and role in the life of his family and society, said Maxim Kiryanov, Marketing and communications Director of the modi brand of emotional goods. According to him, useful gifts of emotional value are becoming relevant.
"The sales hits also include tool kits, grooming products, car accessories, and themed board games such as air hockey, mini golf, or soccer," he said. — Fortune cookies in brutal black color are also very popular, they are often taken as a pleasant addition to a particular gift.
In addition, over the past year, Russians have significantly increased their interest in licensed products from popular global franchises. They mostly prefer popular or nostalgic brands, such as collectible cars from the films "Fast and Furious" and "Back to the Future."
—In 2026, the trend is becoming cliched, in the opinion of most, gifts, but with a humorous presentation and elements of self—irony, which gives positive emotions to the recipient," he said. — Humorous products are relevant, for example, socks with memes or non-standard labels packed in a jar, sweet sets with unusual flavors, or care products with recognizable designs and clear images.
Office supplies for the Minecraft universe, collectible toys and table hockey are in high demand for the younger generation, and blind boxes, gifts with unknown contents, are becoming the leader in interest for this audience.
The trend towards gifts to oneself by February 23 reflects noticeable changes in psychology and lifestyle, said Tatiana Goldman, a practical psychologist and member of the Association for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
—Today, more and more people do not want to depend on whether they are congratulated or not, and take the right to celebrate into their own hands," she said. — In psychology, there is even a term self-gifting — "a gift to oneself": such purchases are made to celebrate an event, reward oneself for efforts, or simply support during a difficult period.
At the same time, the attitude towards self-care is also changing, the psychologist added. Previously, it was believed that a man should give more than receive, and generally talk less about his desires.
"Now this model is gradually disappearing, and buying a gift for yourself is becoming a way to allow yourself to relax and enjoy without feeling guilty," she said. — There is also a pragmatic reason: when a person chooses a gift himself, he gets a sense of control over the situation and avoids disappointment. Such purchases become a small reason to please yourself and dilute your daily routine with pleasant emotions.
Psychologist Olga Kushnareva also noted that buying expensive gifts for a gender holiday is about changes in relationships and in the perception of a man's role.
— February 23 is less and less perceived as a formal holiday "for show." For many women, this is a way to show that the man next to them is an important person, a support, a partner, and not just "there because it's supposed to be there." An expensive gift becomes a form of recognition and gratitude," she said.
Another factor is social influence, Olga Kushnareva added.
"We live in an era of beautiful pictures and high expectations," the expert believes. — Social networks raise the bar for holidays — and people start investing more, sometimes even unconsciously comparing themselves with other couples. But sometimes gifts become a way to maintain balance in a relationship: to compensate for lack of attention, guilt, or expectation of a reciprocal gesture. This is also part of the modern culture of relationships.
However, according to the psychologist, it is important to remember that the value of a gift is determined not by the price, but by the meaning. The most expensive things don't work if they don't have warmth and a desire to please.
How stores prepare for the holiday
In the run-up to February 23, competition between companies has also intensified. In February, Russian alcohol retailers recorded a sharp increase in malicious bot activity on their websites — 2.5 times compared to the end of January, Servicepipe analysts told Izvestia. The peak of activity occurred in the last decade of the month, when customers usually start looking for typical gift sets.
On the same days, retailers have recorded a surge in attempts to hack loyalty programs: bots register fake accounts, receive welcome bonuses, earn points through massive "purchases", and then use them for real orders with a high receipt. This is especially active in the premium alcohol categories, where bonuses can significantly reduce the total cost.
"The growth of legitimate traffic in e—com is almost always accompanied by the growth of bot traffic," explains Anton Chemyakin, head of the analytical department at Servicepipe. — Retailers who want to make the most of the "hot season" are simultaneously preparing for an influx of customers and for competitors to aggressively collect data at peak activity, while automated bots from the "gray zone" will try to cash in on marketing budgets and loyalty programs.
As a result, during the holiday period, you need to serve real customers and filter a lot of automatic requests that slow down the site and significantly distort statistics. Simultaneously with the parser bots, traffic from AI agents is also coming to the portals of alcohol markets, to which users are now actively seeking help - people do not want to sort through dozens of product cards on their own.
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