Father’s Day is coming up later this month (June 21st), and if you are like me, you have no idea what to get for the dads in your life. Every year in June and December, I rack my brain for gifts that the men in my life might find useful. Guys just don’t appreciate “stuff” like women do.
I have three dads to shop for: my husband, my father and my father-in-law. So not only do I have to come up with one genius gift idea, but I have to come up with three. Each of them enjoys doing slightly different things so I rarely come up with something that will work for all of them.
But since I genuinely enjoy the hunt, I have a hard time settling for less than the perfect gift. I’m not one of those who can buy the same old Home Depot gift card each year and move on. Not that there is anything wrong with a Home Depot gift card. My husband loves the smell of lumber a little too much and would be very happy to purchase himself some obscure tool that will collect dust in our garage. Let’s just say we have enough stuff collecting dust and I don’t want to encourage adding to that collection.
Anyways, here are my picks for Father’s Day 2015:
My husband is a HUGE fan of all the men’s accessories they are making out of wood right now. Thankfully, wearing a wood watch doesn’t make him smell like he has been hanging out in Home Depot for a little too long. He has now accumulated a couple different styles of wood watches and gets compliments on them everywhere he goes. We even purchased wood watches for my dad and father-in-law for Christmas last year, and they both love theirs. I really like this dark wood style from We-Wood, which is currently on sale. Use coupon code DADGIFT for an extra 15% off, which brings it down to $93.50.
And if a wood watch isn’t your guy’s thing, what about wood wayfarer sunglasses? Since my husband clearly appreciates wood, I got him these for our anniversary last year. I’ll admit, the frame has cracked a couple times, but I purchased them from Nordstrom and they happily exchanged them each time. They are a really cool, updated look on a classic frame.
If the dad in your life travels on airplanes regularly, Bose noise-cancelling headphones are a life saver. I’m talking the difference between arriving to your final destination feeling refreshed instead of angry and cranky. These things are a little spendy (around $300 depending on the style), but they will make the screaming baby in the row behind you a non-issue. And let’s be honest, most dads have dealt with screaming babies of their own so they sure don’t want to hear anyone else’s.
I bought my husband one of these Jaqet flip wallets last year and he absolutely loves it. There are a couple pockets on each side for an ID and credit cards, as well as a money clip. The saddle color is a really pretty cognac color, but they have more traditional black and brown options as well. The company hand makes all their products in California and I love supporting smaller businesses like this one.
Is your dad into golf? If so, personalized golf balls are the perfect idea. I pretty much order all the men in my life custom golf balls every couple years with silly little sayings. I hope it makes them smile when they pick their ball up since they can’t get out of the sand trap. Although I’m sure my husband would rather have a whole round of golf without spending any time in the sand.
Since my hubby hates shopping, I often use holidays like Father’s Day to make a few updates to his wardrobe. I love this pink seersucker button down from J Crew Factory. Use code SPLASHYSALE for an additional 30% off and free shipping. Tons of other styles and colors if your dad isn’t into pink preppy materials.
Is grilling your guy’s thing? This iGrill thermometer is a techy new way to man the grill. Say goodbye to sitting next to a hot grill and waiting to see if dinner has reached the optimal temperature. This little gadget will let you check on your food’s temperature through your phone without leaving the comfort of the couch. Grilling from the couch – I think every man out there could get behind that. And woman.
I think tickets to some kind of upcoming event is really the perfect gift. Concerts, Sporting Events, Craft Beer Festivals, car shows, the ballet – whatever suits your guy’s fancy. With tickets, there is no “stuff” and it is all about the experience.
One of the all-time best gifts I’ve ever given to my husband was for our first wedding anniversary. Since paper is the traditional first wedding gift, I got my hubby a bunch of tickets (get it, printed on paper?!) for things we could go do together. And bonus, I got to tag along and enjoy the fun as well.
Or, if you’d rather not tag along (say, if your husband is really into Monster Trucks), line up a friend or kid to go with him. Ticketmaster has a ton of ideas, but don’t forget to look on places like Groupon for other local deals.
Hopefully, this list gave you a few ideas for the dads in your life. If not, head to Home Depot and pick up a gift card. #noshameinthatgame
