Gift IdeasGift ideas for your father
Fathers are hard to buy for because they buy little and ask for less. Look at his routines: the morning walk, the newspaper, the scooter, the garden, the cricket match.
A handwritten letter
Say three specific things you are grateful for. It is kept longer than any object.
A framed photograph of the two of you
Choose a photo they have not seen for years. Print it larger than you think.
A box of their favourite sweets
Find out the exact shop and the exact sweet. Precision is the gift.
A good pen
For someone who still writes by hand. Have the name engraved if the shop offers it.
A book you loved
Write a line on the first page saying why you chose it for them.
A photo collage printed as a poster
Collect pictures from friends and family first, then join them in any collage maker and print the result.
A keychain with a name or a small photo
Useful every day and impossible to have too many of.
Breakfast in bed and a day without chores
Costs nothing and is remembered. Do the dishes too.
A meal you cook yourself
Their favourite dish, a set table, phones away.
A jar of notes
Fifty small slips, each with a memory or a reason you are glad of them.
A hand-painted card
Children's drawings are the best cards a grandparent can receive.
A tree or fruit sapling
For someone with a garden. Planted on the day, it marks the year.
A good umbrella or raincoat
Unromantic and thanked for every monsoon.
A steel water bottle or lunch box
Sturdy, daily and impossible to dislike.
A pack of dry fruits
Keeps for weeks, suits every age, and nobody has to guess a size.
A shirt or kurta
Check the size from a shirt in his cupboard, not from memory.
Reading glasses case, magnifier or reading lamp
Small comforts for someone who reads every day.
A soft cushion, backrest or foot rest for their favourite chair
Comfort gifts are the right gifts for elders.
A large printed family photograph
Get everyone into one picture, print it big and frame it.
A photo album you have filled yourself
Printed photos, with dates and names written underneath, in an album they can hold.
A day out together
A film, lunch and a walk. Put the phone away for the day.
A toolkit for the house
Every new home needs a hammer, a screwdriver set and a measuring tape.
A hobby kit
Gardening tools, a painting set, a fishing rod, a set of chess pieces: whatever the next chapter is about.
A subscription to a magazine or newspaper
A gift that arrives again every month.
A phone cover, stand or power bank
Check the phone model first.
Sports gear for their game
A racket grip, a pair of gloves, a jersey of their team.
A grooming kit
A good razor, trimmer or a set of skin care basics.
A scarf, tie or pair of cufflinks
Accessories need no size.
A donation in their name
To a cause they care about. Give them the receipt in a card.
A wall calendar of family photos
A year of pictures on the wall, one for each month.
Their old photographs scanned and restored
Collect the family's loose prints, have them copied and give back both the originals and a new album.
A handbag or wallet
Look at the one in use now, and choose the same style in better quality.
A wrist watch
A classic gift for a milestone: a first job, a wedding, a retirement.
Perfume or attar
Buy the one they already wear, or go together to choose.
A pair of comfortable walking shoes
Take them along for the fitting. Feet do not forgive guesses.
Dinner at the place they keep mentioning
Book the table, arrange the travel, and pay before the bill arrives.
Tickets to a concert, play or match
For the fan of a band, a team or the theatre. Go with them.
A music player or radio
Loaded with old songs, bhajans or ghazals for an elder who finds phones fiddly.
A pilgrimage or a trip to their home town
Plan every detail: tickets, stay, a companion. For elders, the planning is the gift.
A weekend trip
Choose a place a few hours away. Two calm days are better than a rushed long journey.
A big family gift bought together
A television, a washing machine or a holiday, given by all the children or all the friends as one gift.
No idea matches these choices. Set one of the boxes back to "Any".
Your shortlist
How to choose for your father
- Upgrade something he uses daily and would never replace himself: wallet, belt, spectacle case, shaving kit.
- Fathers of a certain age like things that last. Choose plain and sturdy over fancy.
- An outing with you, such as a match, a film or a drive to his home town, is often the best gift.
About the spending levels
This site does not quote prices, because prices change with the city, the shop and the year. Each idea is marked with one of four levels instead:
- Token: A small gesture: the cost of a snack or a few cups of tea.
- Modest: An everyday gift for friends and family.
- Generous: A special gift for someone close or a big occasion.
- Grand: A once-in-years gift, often given by a family together.
Questions people ask
What is a good gift for your father?
Start from what the person does every day and what they would not buy for themselves. On this page, "A handwritten letter" and "A day out together" are two ideas that suit most people.
What if I have very little to spend?
Choose the Token level in the filter. Handmade and personal gifts, such as a handwritten letter, cost little and are often the ones remembered.
Gifts for other people
Guides
- Shagun: giving moneyThe envelope, the extra rupee and how to decide the amount.
- Gifting etiquetteGiving, receiving, regifting and gifts to avoid.
- Return giftsIdeas for birthdays, weddings, pujas and housewarmings.
- Gift wrappingWrap a box neatly, or wrap without paper at all.
- Gift messagesShort lines to write on a tag or card, to copy.
- Secret Santa name drawerPair everyone for a gift exchange on one phone.