Shopping for your father can be a difficult task. It can be tough to find a gift that fully expresses how you feel about him and all of the things he’s done for you throughout your life. Further, many fathers have self-sacrificing natures, meaning your father might not have a lot of luxury items that he buys for himself and so you don’t have any hints in that regard as to what he’d like. Beyond this, many fathers like to err on the side of practical, choosing to surround themselves with items that have a valuable purpose. The following will explore some useful gift ideas specifically for children to give to their fathers on Christmas.
Of course, no one knows your father better than you do, so don’t be afraid to go with your gut instinct and get him something a little outside the norm. If he loves playing a specific video game and you’re thinking about buying him an upgrade within the game, go for it. If he’s obsessed with a particular band, see if you can find a bootleg of their music on whichever device he prefers to listen to music on. Let your intuition guide you throughout your holiday shopping season.
Chapter Overview
A Book He’d Love
If your father is a reader, then you probably already have an idea of the type of books he enjoys. Some dads like world war two histories, others like spy novels. Have a read through a list of the most popular books of the year to kickstart your search, but don’t be afraid to dive off the deep end. If your father likes conspiracy theories, seek out non-fiction surrounding different conspiracy topics. If your father is into science fiction, hang out on a few sci-fi forums and see which books everyone’s raving about.
Replace Something That’s Worn Out
If you watch your father carefully, you can bet that he’s got a handful of things that are nearly worn to nothing, but he continues to use. If his wallet is falling apart, the perfect gift might be a new custom leather wallet. If every pair of socks he wears has a hole in the toe or heel, get him some new socks. While these sorts of everyday items might not seem particularly whimsical or unique, a gift like this shows that you’re paying attention to him, to the things he uses and needs. This expresses love and tenderness, which is really the goal of Christmas gifts, isn’t it?
You can also give him a promotional gift box that has everything he needs for his collection.
Search For A Gift In His Stories
If your father tells you stories about his childhood or younger years, there’s a good chance you’ve been given a hint of something that he’ll like. Maybe he’s mentioned several times how his grandfather always wore Brylcream hair gel and how he misses the scent. Maybe he’s talked endlessly about the red dodge charger that was his first car and you can find a print image of the exact make and model for him.
Maybe there was a candy he absolutely loved as a kid that the local general store imported from Denmark as that was where the store owner was from. Perhaps he was obsessed with Bruce Lee and you can get him a pack of Bruce Lee playing cards. Tracking down something from his youth will present him with a fantastic gift of nostalgia that shows you really listen when he speaks.
Solve A Problem For Him
Maybe your dad almost never complains, this doesn’t mean he doesn’t have problems. Pay attention to what he struggles with or asks for help with and see if there’s a gizmo or gadget that can help. Maybe he’s frustrated with the chaos of cords behind the tv that he needs to switch every time the grandkids come over and plug in their laptops; you could get him an extra cable and a splitter so he never needs to deal with that again.
The above list should get you thinking when it comes to a Christmas gift for your father that expresses how much you love him. Once you understand the formula that makes for great gifts, you can apply them to everyone in your life you need to shop for. Merry Christmas!