Unusual Father’s Day Gift Ideas

So it’s nearly June and our minds turn to what to get Dad for Father’s Day.  You try to get hints of anything he wants but he’s noncommittal as usual so you need ideas.  Something that tells him how much you love him without being useless.  Here’s a few suggestions.

Father’s Day history

Did you know that Father’s Day was actually first celebrated in the United States at the beginning of the 20^th century to complement the existing Mother’s Day celebration.  The first Father’s Day celebration was held on July 5^th 1908 in Fairmont, Virginia and was inspired by Grace Golden Clayton.  She had lost her father in the 1907 Monongah Mining Disaster along with 360 other men, 250 of them being dads.  She suggested that their local pastor honour these fathers.

The celebration took off properly in 1910 when it was held in Spokane, Washington on June 19^th to celebrate a single father who was raising six children.  Word spread and other people began to think that honour fathers was a good idea.  It became a nationally recognised holiday in 1966, confirming it was the third Sunday in June.  Here in the UK this is the date that we now celebrate the occasion also.

Picking the gift

Picking a gift for Father’s Day can be a challenge and we often end up with a ‘predictable’ gift such as a new pint glass, a mug or even a picture frame with a family shot in.  But a new trend in personalisedgifts means that even if these traditional gifts are still the right choice for your Dad, you can add something to them to make them special.

If you are buying for a young child to give to their Dad, then a mug showing I Love My Daddy is a good place to start.  You can also get the wording changed if the kids don’t use Daddy to ensure that the message means something to the recipient.

Similarly, shot glasses and beer mugs are a great gift that can have a truly personal message added to them.  From adding ‘best dad in the world’ after his name or other special messages, you can ensure that your Dad knows that the gift is all about him, not just a general shelf item.

For dad’s with a sweet tooth, a personalised sweet jar is a great present and gives them an excuse to refill it when it is empty.  For younger kids, there are some available with the familiar cuteness of the Tatty Teddy on it while messages To My Daddy and Lots of Love from X are just ideas of what can be printed into the label.

Finally, if Dad has a shed or a man cave, then a door plaque is a great fun way of showing him you love him and personalising his little space.  Slate is a great material for this purpose as it withstands being outside and a wide range of messages can be added to it.