Father's Day Gift Guide

Whether it’s Father’s Day or Dad’s Birthday, here’s a guide that will cover the perfect present for dad.

Stumped on what to buy? Buying a present is about the individual and what they like. If they don’t have a clear interest in a sports team, hobby or anything, think of ways that your present could improve the quality of their life.

Here’s some questions to ask yourself when buying your husband or dad the perfect Father’s Day gift.

What does he like?
Sports? Fishing? Specific alcohol? Gadgets? Clothes? Being able to identify his hobbies will make the gift buying process much easier. If your dad or husband is serious about a hobby and you know nothing about it, we don’t recommend buying him something UNLESS you know specifically what he wants. When we say specifically, we mean the exact brand and model name of the item. If not, we suggest going for an experience with that hobby.

For example, let’s say you know he’s a serious golfer and you want to buy him golf clubs. The issue with that is, how do you know what he has or what he doesn’t? Perhaps he likes a certain brand and has his eye set on certain clubs. In this instance, it’s better to take him to the golf range and spend quality time with him. If you rather not go with him, buy him a pass to the fanciest golfing range by your place and let him have an afternoon of fun.

Now, what happens if your dad or husband doesn’t really have a hobby or anything he’s particularly interested in? Or perhaps he has everything he needs? See what he’s missing. Example, perhaps your dad is into woodworking but has everything he needs. Well, how can you make his work space more personal for him? Perhaps buying him a mini fridge filled with his favorite drinks? Maybe a signage dedicated to his workspace or perhaps a wireless speaker that he can take with him to the shed, beach, etc. Thinking about what makes his life easier is the best approach in this situation.

Now we can write down a list of specific types of wallets, gadgets, or wines to buy but we don’t know your dad like you do. And if you don’t think you know his interests, just look around the house for clues.

Does dad have an old wallet? Is he a no fuss kind of guy and will be happy with anything or is he the type to buy the latest phone Apple has to offer? If he’s a no fuss kind of guy, look to replace an item that he has had for a long time. Maybe he never thought of replacing that old wallet he’s had for 20 years? Buy him a great leather wallet and stick some money in it for kicks. If he’s a fan of gadgets, what can you buy to compliment his collection? Unless he has stated he wanted the new android or Apple phone, it’s best to buy him a gift card and state it as his new X fund. That way, while it’s still a gift card, it’s a personal one where you thought of what he wanted but just didn’t know the exact one.

One thing you can’t go wrong with when it comes to gifts are clothes. While we always get dads a nice shirt, tie or jacket for Father’s Day, what about pants? Replace those decade old jeans or pants with some new ones. Whether it’s a different cut, color, style or pants, look through his wardrobe and see what he might like. First things first, check his size. Then, look at his style. Is he more into chinos or cargo shorts? He is a jeans guy or he likes loose fitting pants? Perhaps buy a pair that he already has but in another color? He might not realize it but he can open his wardrobe up quite a bit just by adding colors into the mix. While everyone else is buying him “Best Dad Ever” stuff, buy him something useful to go with that shirt he’ll wear while barbequing.