Okay, so let’s jump right in. Here, I’ll pull together some gift options for dads, forced work events and more.
DADS
- Cool socks or ties
- Hobby-related things: golf balls, whisky stones, new tools, books
- Anxiety management journal (for all the times you make their hair grey)
- Gift card for a massage
I won’t lie, I was/am terrible at giving my own dad gifts. When I was growing up, my job was to help each of my parents wrap their presents, and I put my name on the ones I liked the best. As an adult myself now, I think the practical gift might just be the unsung hero of the holiday season
WHITE ELEPHANT OR BAD SANTA AT THE OFFICE
- Discovery or sample set of tea or coffee from a luxury brand (if you’re in Australia, think T2 and the like)
- A new, fanc(ier) pen
- Fun, yet functional gifts like our stickers or glitter sticky notes (and we have PG-13 versions too, if the curse words aren’t your style)
- A practical gift like a coffee mug or a camera cover/mousepad etc.
While joke gifts like the DVD of a terrible movie or a nerf gun may be fun…most people won’t actually go home with those gifts. It’s a bit wasteful. Be a bit more environemtally friendly this year and choose something maybe a bit more general and less kooky — but something that most folks will actually use.
THE FRIEND THAT HAS EVERYTHING
- An experience they would appreciate: a candle with their favourite scent, a pottery or painting class, tickets to an upcoming exhibit
- A practical organisational item from somewhere you traveled abroad by a local artist: a trinket tray from Paris, a magazine holder from Fiji, a rattan bowl from Bali…
- A statement item for their hobby: a lapel pin that declares just how much they love to read, a clutch bag you found second hand and immediately thought of their bright pink dress they love so much…
- Their favourite indulgence: do they always have a new cheese in their fridge? Are they always looking for a new yarn to use for their knitting? Do they collect table books? Add one to their collection.
I won’t lie, I’m probably one of these people myself — but mostly because when I find something I want, I’ll buy it, then and there. I couldn’t tell you the number of times my partner bought me my favourite luxury bath accessories only to find out I had restocked the week before. Our gift to each other during the holidays now is a dinner out to a new restaurant.
Black Friday is a great time to stock up on gifts, though some of these ideas are ones you may buy well before the holiday season. I’m also a fan of last-minute gifts – but do always keep in mind shipping, if you’re buying online!
What are some other scenarios for gift-giving?
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