5 Great Gift Ideas for Father’s Day*

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You may or may not be aware that next month is Fathers Day! As I’m saving hard I’m already on the look out for the right sort of gift to get my old man. It’s so hard when he’s been a dad for 27 years, he has EVERYTHING! Last month was his birthday and I resorted to buying him something while I was in the US! My dad doesn’t have any hobbies really (aside from the pub or falling asleep at the TV) which makes it really hard to buy for him. He doesn’t play sports, or read, or fish, or even garden. He likes DVDs but he’s more than happy to buy them for himself. I want something that he wouldn’t buy for himself so here are 5 ideas I have for him;

Star Wars Metal Construction Kits £9.99, IWOOT
Although my dad isn’t a nerd, he is a big Star Wars buff.. and when he was a kid he liked to make models. What would be more appropriate than combining the two? Not only that but the fact they’re small and all silver means my mum shouldn’t complain about it too much when he decides he wants to display them, just not on the mantle I’m sure. He may no be so into the hobby anymore but hopefully something to concentrate will help his ever rising stress levels.. or of course it could make them worse. Still, being the daughter he manage to truly get into Star Wars it seems like a very appropriate gift. You can get the Millennium Falcon, an Imperial Walker and even R2 D2!

Empire Magazine Subscription £12.50, Great Magazines
I said my dad doesn’t read, and I was maybe being a bit to broad with that, he will happily read a magazine cover to cover. One of his favourites is Empire because he is rather into his films. A magazine subscription isn’t something he’d ever buy for himself which is what makes it such a good gift. Not only that, but it’s for a 6 months subscription which brings us nicely around to Christmas.. so should I get stuck again I can always renew it as part of his Christmas gift. Saves all the hassle of looking for something else really!

Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting for Two £51, Red Letters Day
My dad likes his beers, and he knows his beer. He has done a few distillery tours up in Scotland so sending him on a brewery tour sounds like it would be something right up his street. Not only that but Red Letter Days currently have one on offer for £51 and he could take one of his mates along with him. Whether he’ll get more of a kick out of the tour or the tasting is another thing though! I love Red Letter Days, I’ve used them a few times to buy gifts and the person as always enjoyed their experience!

Personalised Cheese Board £19.54, Keep It Personal
Something rather simple but rather personal between myself, my sister and our dad, cheese and our love of it. When we lived at home as teenagers we used to all sneak down to join my dad for a late night cheese and crackers feast after my mum went to bed. Even now, my dad often goes to Marks and Spencers and buys a block of fancy cheese for us all to enjoy, and lets not forget the selection he gets at Christmas. I know this personalised cheese board is a little bit “cheesy” sorry, I couldn’t resist, but I also think it’s a cute idea that links my dad to his two daughters. I’d probably even see if my sister wanted to go in on it.

Crosley Cruiser Turntable £100, Urban Outfitters
Should money be no object, this would be the ultimate gift for my dad. He still has all his old records but his turntable is buried in the attic and it’s so big they have no where to keep it. This turntable in a suitcase would be perfect for him to still be able to play his records and keep it to hand as it’s small. It would fit easily onto a shelf or under the coffee table. Unfortunately at £100 it’s a little out of my reach at the moment but one day and I know he will love it.

These are ideas based on what my own dad would like, of course it may be different for your dad or the dad of your children. If the dad you know is into extreme sports, maybe something from Skate Hut would be a bit unusual? Or perhaps he’s a bit of a nerd, then you could try searching Forbidding Planet. Or maybe he likes listening to music on his iPod, then an itunes voucher wouldn’t go a miss. You don’t have to stick to the same “Worlds Best Dad” stuff that appears in the shops every April to June, you could look for something that would really appeal to him as I have done with my dad. But if he’s anything like my dad, he’d simply be happy to not lift his finger for the whole day except to change the channel on the tv!