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December is upon us, and it’s time to find a holiday gift for the amazing dad(s) in your life. But honestly, as much as we moms love shopping for ourselves — er, I mean, our sisters, it can be super tough to find the right gift for the dudes. Maybe Dad always insists he want something small, or he says something super vague, so you’re stuck browsing and heavily sighing at your computer while trying to find the perfect present that he’ll actually like. But you don’t have to go the whiskey-stones / tie / random book about sports route (please). Whether you’re shopping for your dad, your partner, your baby daddy, your stepdad, or the man who’s been your biggest father-figure-type-person your entire life, you want what he unwraps to be something he’ll actually use. After all, he’s likely been giving you stuff for a long time: love, support, advice (good and bad), opinions (welcome and unwelcome), and if he’s anything like my dad, possibly a ton of financial help and plenty hand-me-downs.
Hopefully Dad knows how much you appreciate him, but it’s always good to reinforce that with a great gift during the festive season. If you ask him what he wants, he’ll probably say he doesn’t need anything, or he has everything he could possibly want (i.e. you), so you’re going to have to put some thought into it. Think about what he likes to do as well as what he’d like to do but hasn’t gotten around to doing yet and what he might like to do if he’d only make some time to do it. Here are some great gift ideas to get you started.
A version of this story was originally published December 3, 2019.
For the Dad Who Accessorizes With Cologne — Or Should
If your dad doesn’t already have a “signature scent” — or if he’s looking for a new one — you can’t go wrong with this cologne sampler set by Sephora. It comes with 12 sample-sized vials of premium brand cologne in all sorts of varied scents … and a coupon to redeem a full-sized version of his favorite from Sephora or Kohl’s at no extra cost!
For the Dad With Muscle Soreness
If the dad in your life is always grumbling about muscle aches from the gym, then he needs this massage gun. It boasts 10 different massage heads and adjustable speeds, so your dad can get a deep-tissue massage whenever he needs it. Plus, it’s majorly marked down for the holidays.
For the Dad Who Could Use Some More Drawers
We know, we know: buying Dad underwear and socks is boring. But let’s be real, he isn’t buying it for himself. Plus, Manmade — the beloved and innovative anti-chafe (and super comfy!) underwear brand — just created the perfect holiday bundle with four boxer briefs, eight socks, and one beanie.
For the Survivalist Dad
The Leatherman Arc is the crème de la crème of pocketknives. With 20 tools, the cult favorite product it can get Dad out of pretty much any jam.
For the Thirsty Dad
Whether it’s cold-brew, craft beer, or cola, Dad will love the personal touch on these custom etched pint glasses. Dishwasher safe with a 16-ounce capacity, they can be personalized with names, phrases, and graphics for the perfect just-for-Dad gift.
For the Cool Dad Who Loves Tech
Getting your dad a cool and stylish pair of sunglasses is amazing. But getting your dad a cool and stylish pair of sunglasses equipped with Bluetooth for immersive four-speaker audio, intuitive touch controls, and 12 hours of music and calls per charge … is next-level. These from Lucyd Eyewear come in all sorts of styles and colors — even regular glasses for indoors.
For the Dad Who Travels
Does your dad relish going to a new state or country? Give him a fun way to keep track of it with this colorful scratch map. He can hang it up on a wall and scratch away a new place.
For the TV-Loving Dad
Turn Dad’s TV-watching into an experience via this immersive home theater sound bar. This ultra-compact 20″ design delivers rich, clear sound with full-range speakers and Bluetooth connectivity.
For the Dad Who Misplaces Everything
From his keys to the remote to his work laptop, there’s nothing your dad can’t lose. These tiles will make sure he can always find them via cell phone — unless he loses that, too.
For the Dad Who Thinks He’s Top Dogg in the Kitchen
And, maybe, for the dad who likes a bit of rap while he whips up something tasty.
For the Dad Who Always Falls Asleep Right After Christmas Dinner
Comfort is key after all that meat and gravy.
For the Couch Dad
Even if your dad isn’t a slippers dad, he will turn into one thanks to these fan-favorite slippers. These slippers have it all: They’re moisture-wicking, sturdy, cozy, and their soles are perfect for indoor and outdoor use.
For the Dad Who Asked, “Who’s Alexa?”
Make the 2023 holiday season the one to introduce him to the other meaning of “smart.”
For the Disorganized Dad
If Dad is always throwing his stuff on the counter or nightstand willy-nilly (and risking losing it all in the process!), give him the gift he didn’t know he needed with this phone docking station and organizer. Whatever he tosses down, this solid wood organization station can hold it.
For the Dad Whose Grooming Game is Fierce
Whether he likes a clean shave or a full-on beard, this beard kit will make the grooming process a treat. There’s no wonder it earned more than 56 thousand rave reviews on Amazon.
For the Fit Dad (or the One Who’s Going to Get Fit This Year … Really!)
No more excuses. This Apple watch can do it all — from measuring key metrics like blood oxygen, electrocardiography (ECG), steps taken, hours slept, resting heart rate, target heart rate, and skin temperature to texting and calling to checking the forecast and much more.
For the Dad Who Needs a Good Night’s Sleep
With a patented Pod-System, these Twilla Adjustable Pillows eliminate stuffing and allow for the ultimate customization for comfort and support — and optimal ZZZs. Dad can place the removable pods (containing cooling gel foam) into the moisture-wicking Tencel cover to adjust the pillow to his preferred height and softness. Bonus: everything is machine-washable!
For the Music-Obsessed Dad Who Needs All The Gadgets
This beauty is waterproof, so he can enjoy his top tunes whether he’s a bath or shower kinda guy.
For the Card Shark Dad
MasterClass has a ton of learning options for basically every interest, and if you’ve got a card-playing dad on your hands — whether IRL or virtual — you can’t beat this lesson with poker legend Daniel Negreanu. You never know, Dad may become so enamored by the curated, intimate MasterClass format that he’ll move on to other ones — like learning creativity from David Lynch. So maybe you should grab him a MasterClass membership (which is currently 40% off!) too.
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