20 Gifts for Father (Figures) of All Ages
Here’s your three(ish)-week warning. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18th.
Family structures are less traditional today than in 1960. Data from the US Census shows that over 18 million children live without a biological, step or adoptive father. You may have lost your Dad this year, long ago, or maybe you’re no longer in touch for other reasons. Perhaps you never had a warm relationship with a male role-model at home.
If “Father’s Day” brings up uncomfortable feelings, feel free to skip this story. I’m sorry for triggering a painful memory.
I spent the last 6 months living with my parents. It was an odd thing to do at my age, but I’m filled with appreciation for the experience. The last time I had spent more than a week or two at home in Minnesota was the summer of 2005. As I finished up business school and had a jammed travel schedule, my Dad became my airport chauffeur. If my math is correct, he did 23 trips to and from the airport between late November and early May.
Not only that, but he was also Ralphie’s dog walker. The visits to the park for laps around the lake did both of them good.
On snowy and cold mornings, he was out with the shovel and snowblower, getting the sidewalks cleared and helping out neighbors.
And though he continues to be plagued with a cadre of health challenges, he hasn’t chosen anger. He volunteers at the church reception desk and spends his free time watching YouTube videos of New York City fires. Don’t ask me, ask him. He spent my childhood as a volunteer firefighter in our small Minneapolis suburb.
What I’ll remember about this time with my Dad are the small things. The cookies he’d often bake. The donuts he enlisted my help in glazing one afternoon. His trips to the store to buy birdseed to keep the backyard feeders full. His amusement when one night after dinner, four rabbits and a wild turkey had a showdown between our yard and the house across the street. Our disagreement that wearing boots around the house (which is half carpeted) is dirty and gross. His non-ending fussing over the stovetop after I’d cook a high-splatter meal. And most recently, our Sunday morning walk to my favorite NYC bagel shop, where he stopped and made me take a picture of him expressing his political views in front of Trump Tower. He hoped to rile up his Republican friends.
It’s with this warmth in my heart that I offer 20 gift ideas for the father figures in your life, whether that’s your dad, stepdad, husband, partner, co-pet parent, or someone that showed up for the important moments.
Make him a style icon
Tech pants. Style editors have given their blessing for men to wear non-Chino fabrics to the office in 2023. For a casual day with no client meetings, the Roark Layover 2.0 pant goes from workday to weekend with a polished look but in an easy technical material.
Faherty shirt. Now in a sophisticated washed black color, the linen laguna shirt is perfect for a nice summer dinner out.
Fun swimsuit. Does Dad dream of sushi? Does he have a big personality to pull off these “Jiro” trunks adorned with sushi rolls from Swedish brand Nikben?
Janji active shorts. The 7” multi-short from Janji supports clean water projects around the world by committing 2% of sales to global nonprofits. Look good and do good.
Throwback apparel. Take Dad back to his youth by shopping the assortment of collegiate and pro sports teams merchandise on Vintage Brand, a site offering shirts and memorabilia featuring artwork and iconic designs from the last century.
Help him feel his best
TRX GO trainer. Perfect for all ages, body types, and fitness levels, a TRX strap is a great addition to any home-gym set up so Dad can work on his… “Dad bod.”
Athletic Greens. Give Dad a nutritional boost with this daily supplement powder that promotes gut health, supports immunity, boosts energy, and helps recovery.
Heated razor. My Dad likes this thing so much, he abandoned his electric shaver for it. After what I thought was an unsuccessful Christmas gift of 2021, it sat in his closet for at least a year before he reluctantly gave it a go. I’d call that a success, even in the face (pun intended) of his initial skepticism.
Mini massage gun. If he’s like most dudes, your Dad might have an ache here or there. Unlike more expensive models that are bigger and more powerful, this mini massage gun is perfect for a carry-on bag and tucks into a nightstand drawer for a before-bed trigger point therapy session.
Treat him to something tasty
Coffee club subscription. Spoil Dad with 6-months of rotating varieties of Dogwood Coffee’s single-origin roasts.
Bruvi. Throw out the Keurig. (Ok, maybe donate it to the Goodwill instead.) This new machine offers multi-brand and multi-beverage single serve drinks and works with premium coffee brands. The brewer replaces other coffee makers, kettles and grinders. Their pods are designed to break down in the trash without leaving microplastics behind.
Whiskey. Be the most prized bottle on the bar cart by gifting Mc’Nean organic single-malt scotch whiskey. Flavors of citrus, peach, apricot and spice will delight Dad’s palette.
Flattop grill. This was a 2022 holiday hit for me. When I saw my Dad drooling over this in a catalog one day, I knew exactly what had to happen. We fired it up a couple times over the winter, experimenting with pancakes, fish, and even pasta. This spring it got a twice-weekly workout.
Give him something good to read
Audible subscription. Great for on-the-go guys, Audible is awesome for long flights, the daily commute, or even a bedtime story when eyes are too tired to read. Choose from 1, 3, 6, or 12 month options.
Atomic Habits. A post recently went around my Columbia Executive MBA program Slack channel. What books were our favorites of the program? This one came up. With over 109,000 reviews and a 4.8 star Amazon rating, the people can’t be wrong.
Gift book. Whatever the Dad in your life might be into, chances are there’s a beautiful hardcover book that will indulge his every interest. These heavy hand-me-downs are good for offices, coffee tables, and paging through on a lazy weekend morning.
Power his best life
Blanket for the cabin. Even pops needs a little warm comfort. Whether it’s a rainy afternoon with a second cup of coffee or a crisp fall morning with the early morning news, Dad will love a timeless wool throw. This may be nostalgia speaking, though. My parents just gave me one for graduation.
Compost-maker. Tis the season for a garden out back. Help Dad re-live his Greenpeace era with a new at-home compost system that turns food scraps into nutrient rich plant food.
Tech-enabled bird feeder. Here’s me being sentimental about my own father’s love of feeding the feathered friends who fly into our yard. I think he might get a kick out of having video footage delivered to his phone about rare species sightings.
A digital notebook. Turn note-taking into a delightful digital experience helping him show up as the man with the best ideas and the coolest tech.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases