no wayAll dads want in life are a good book, comfy slippers, and peace and quiet, especially if you’re raising young children (my daughter just turned her first birthday and is learning what her voice can do).
We’ve rounded up a variety of gifts for all ages, tastes, and interests (and silence with some decibel-reducing earplugs). There are enough options here that even for fathers who can’t afford to buy, there’s something here.
You may still have to postpone your purchase this year other Wear a checked shirt, save your money on a bottle of whiskey without drinking it, and try one of our recommendations below instead.
The best Christmas gift for dad
accessories
RFID blocking card holder
Keep your child safe from skimming (contactless card information stolen using wireless signals) by using a technology-blocking card holder. The Secrid wallet can hold up to six cards, has a satisfying mechanism for ejecting cards when needed, and the lightweight aluminum shell prevents it from breaking or bending when you sit on it.
Gerber Mullet Multitool Keyring
This multi-tool keychain is the ultimate trinket for the tinkerer in your life. Shorter than a standard Chubb key and packed with 11 functions from a wire stripper to a bottle opener, this pocket-sized product would make a great stocking filler for under £10.
Montbell thermos
Reusable cups are all well and good, but most don’t have handles, making it difficult to emulate cuppa moments on the go. Montbell’s insulated mug with handle keeps your tea and coffee hot and features a sip lid so you can shake it on the go when you’re pounding the pavement to put your daughter to sleep.
Read our guide to the best travel mugs to learn more.
self care
Kiehl’s Moisturizing Cream
A balanced facial moisturizer is a must-have for any man who has a thorough skincare routine or has never been near a cosmetics counter. Kiehl’s Facial Fuel is what I was looking for because it is non-sticky and absorbs quickly. It’s perfect for people like me who want to spend seconds rather than minutes in front of the mirror.
Aesop hand cream
The cold season takes a toll on your skin. Aesop’s cedar-scented hand balm is a filter favorite and comes in a cheaper tube than the £80 500ml bottle.
Salt of the Earth Natural Deodorant
Roll-on deodorant may sound more like a passive-aggressive hint than a loving gift, but these sticks, made with 100% natural ingredients and essential oils, are refillable, making them the perfect gift for dad who’s looking for a natural alternative.
laundry bag
Staying true to Scandi design, this wash bag from Hay is just the right size and comes in a bold, contrasting color that will stand out when you’re rummaging through your suitcase. The organic cotton material is durable enough to withstand an exploding toothpaste tube.
manicure set
A manicure set can be overwhelming if it’s a mix of cuticle pushers and trimmers. This four-piece pouch from Gentlemen’s Hardware goes back to the basics, including stainless steel scissors, tweezers, scissors, and a file.
Le Labo Shower Gel
Dads deserve a little pampering every once in a while, and a great shower gel can bring some spa fun to his daily routine. Le Labo’s artisan body wash is luxurious, and the Hinoki scent has a woody and citrusy scent.
ring dream sleep earplugs
Earplugs can help reduce nighttime noises and unwanted awakenings. This is especially helpful if the dad in question is a heavy sleeper. This product from Loop blocks up to 27 dB, blocking out even the loudest snoring sounds, and unlike the wax or foam plugs I’ve traditionally used, it actually stays put all night long (and doesn’t turn into a molten mess hidden deep inside your bed sheets).
house and garden
donkey gardening gloves
Watch out for thorns and nettles. These versatile gardening gloves are made from sturdy materials (vegan faux leather on the palm, stretchy, breathable fabric on the back) yet still maintain the dexterity needed for demanding outdoor tasks like pruning and deadheading. I found it to be a great all-rounder for DIY projects in and around the house, and the phone-friendly finger and thumb pads mean you don’t have to remove the pads to check progress or check assembly PDFs on your phone.
bosch cordless screwdriver
Even – especially – if your dad isn’t a DIY expert, an electric screwdriver is a handy addition to any toolbox. This compact rechargeable option from Bosch includes 10 interchangeable heads and saves time on flatpack assembly and other small tasks around the home. It also has a built-in light ring to illuminate hard-to-see screw heads.
Goose killed on plastic
Brooklyn-based four-piece band Geese is one of the most exciting groups to come out of New York since the Strokes. The band’s third LP, Getting Killed, makes a great gift for any dad who loves BBC 6 music.
wax wine scented candle
Wax/Wine’s ingenious recycling of old bottle plonk into beautiful hand-poured candles has never smelled this good. Seven scents are available, ranging from strong coffee and nutmeg scents to comfortable cedarwood and geranium scents. For an extra £10 you can swap his favorite tipple for a candle, but you’ll have to send the empty bottle yourself.
Read our guide to the best scented candles to find out more.
Niwaki Golden Spade
No outdoor task is too much for the Niwaki sukoppu, a strong, sharp and lightweight tool from Japan used for digging, cutting and moving dirt around the house. Made of steel, it won’t bend under pressure.
Indoor/Outdoor Clogs
For dads in and out of the garden, it’s hard to beat a pair of shabby wooden clogs. They are easier to put on than lace-up sneakers and less cumbersome than wellies. This one from Town & Country doesn’t cost a lot, but it’s comfortable, waterproof against early morning dew and the odd shower, and we’ve found it to be non-slip.
vinyl mug warmer
Is your house full of mugs filled with half-drinked and cold hot beverages? Enter the USB cup warmer. Perfect for any WFH setup, the heating pad will keep your car warm and your coffee sipping, while the vinyl-inspired design is perfect for self-proclaimed musos.
sports team stadium print
Amplify his sports passion with a modern drawing of his team’s home stadium in sizes ranging from 5 x 7 inches postcard to A1. Bath-based Turf Football Art has thousands of stadiums available for football, rugby and cricket, and if your club isn’t listed you can request a custom order.
stock
Hot Sauce Gift Set
Hot sauce fanatics will love this king-size bundle from spicy condiment experts Bauce Brothers. This pack includes five of the bottle shop’s UK bestsellers, ranging from the smoky warmth of Payst’s Spicy Burnt Sauce to the Scoville-scale strength of Shots Fired’s Original Reaper. All five livened up every dish I tried, but be careful. Taming Tabasco is not like that. My taste buds are still recovering from spraying too much Original Reaper.
Delonghi Stilosa EC230 Espresso Coffee Machine
Want a manual espresso machine for under £100? No, your eyes are not deceiving you. The Stilosa EC230 was rated the best budget manual machine in our filter test because it produces "a great espresso, a nice flat white, and a richer cappuccino.” This will allow him to complete his latte art before Boxing Day.
Check out our guide to the best coffee machines for the home to find out more.
Hario V60 coffee server
Does your dad prefer a slower, more filtered approach to his morning coffee? In fact, when I had five minutes to spare, this Hario glass server was an ideal companion to the V60. Not only does this increase the amount of coffee you can prepare from each batch, but the rubber lid and heat-resistant material ensures the contents stay warm for longer. Plus, if your coffee gets cold, you can quickly brew it in the microwave.
coffee scales
But when he makes coffee, a dedicated set of scales is a great addition to his tools (and will keep his kitchen set from filling up with grounds). Accurate to 0.1 gram and with a built-in timer, this rechargeable pick from Caffeine Gears lets you fine-tune your skills at every step of the process, from adding precision to weighing beans and pouring to perfecting the cafeteria plunge.
ForLife Teapot
Since not all dads are deep into espresso, the Forlife Stump is a compact, colorful 2-cup design with a stainless steel infuser insert that’s great for brewing tea leaf tea (and easy to pull out without burning your fingertips). If you use tea bags, the infuser is also removable and dishwasher safe.
Dishoom Cookbook and Ingredients Set
Cookbooks can often be hampered by ingredient lists. This is especially true if it contains exotic extracts or specialty spices. Luckily, Sous Chef has a creative solution, combining popular recipes with all the hard-to-find dishes to create dishes you can’t make with ingredients from your local store. This set further upped my curry game and the addition of euryid beans and ginger paste had Dishoom’s signature black dal smell wafting from the kitchen.
hand thrown stoneware mug
Village Pottery’s stoneware pottery is hand-thrown just outside Bristol, and its mugs have been a staple of my morning ritual for years. There are five glazes to choose from and the option to add a short personalized stamp as desired, but the artisan production process ensures this glaze is a unique piece. They’re also dishwasher safe, have survived the odd knock on me, and still look as fresh after a thousand brews as they did the first time around.
White Mouse Peanut Rayu
This crunchy chili oil is extremely versatile and its balance of heat, sweetness, salt and crunchiness makes it the perfect match for everything from scrambled eggs to stir-fries. It’s best to order two bottles as the first one won’t last long.
Katto kitchen scissors
A good pair of scissors is the perfect gift for any cooking fan, and my Katto set is useful for a variety of tasks, including frying chicken, neatly chopping herbs in mugs, and slicing pizza. Constructed from Japanese steel, it not only has a pleasing weight, but also includes clever built-in tools, including a bottle opener and clam/nut cracker. We’ve also included a penny for good luck to help keep your relationship intact this Christmas.
tortilla press
This Mexican stainless steel (15cm) tortilla press is great for taco nights. Masa (cornmeal) is mixed with water, quickly kneaded, pressed into ping-pong-sized balls, and dried into flat disks that are then cooked. The results are much better than any product you can get at the store and require very little effort.
VonShef fondue set
This set includes everything you need to get started, including a non-stick cast iron pan, adjustable burner, and six long-stemmed forks. Buy some cheese or chocolate and decide what you want to dip it in.
Wine selection, pack of 3
Step outside the wine aisle of your supermarket and sample wines that a sommelier would approve of. London-based bottle shop Top Cuvée’s best-selling pack comes in whites, roses and reds that will please everyone from casual wine drinkers to wine maestros.
Adnam’s Ghost Ship 0.5% Ale, 8 x 500ml
For dads who don’t drink, low- and no-alcohol alternatives have never been better. Adnams’ Ghost Ship beer is the bold, hoppy flavor of a pale ale, but due to the post-brewing dealcoholization process, it has an ABV of 0.5% rather than 4.5%.
Brugal 1888 Double Aged Rum, 70cl
If you’re still stuck with that bottle of whiskey from last Christmas, it might be time to try something different and a little more tropical. Rum has a reputation for being strong or best blended, but older, darker varieties can be just as flavorful and pleasing to the palate as single malts. This two-year-old rum from the Dominican-based Brugal 1888 distillery is made for sipping and has a subtle, smoky profile for peat lovers.
Licor 43 Liqueur, 70cl
If you bought an espresso machine on this list (or if you bought one for a coffee connoisseur), you’ll also enjoy the vanilla-flavored Spanish liquor. Carajillo is completed by mixing equal amounts of cooled espresso and topping it with ice. I first tried this caffeinated cocktail in Mexico City and have been making it ever since. The espresso martini knocked my socks off.
gnocchi paddle
Pasta machines are large, bulky, and difficult to store and clean unless used regularly. These 12cm long gnocchi paddles are a fun little way to shape small, ridged pasta such as gnocchi, cavatelli and more – perfect for your cutlery drawer.
Galantino Olive Oil (and Reusable Bottle))
This ceramic olive oil bottle will complement your Puglian flair for any occasion. But it’s not just about buying a fancy, hand-decorated bottle. Underneath the red wax seal and cork is 500ml of potent extra virgin olive oil from one of Italy’s oldest olive growing regions. It livened up my salad dressing and was delicious drizzled over tomatoes. Once you’re done, you can refill the bottle and reuse it.
anySharp Pro Knife Sharpener
This little device can be held in place on your work surface via a suction cup, and with a secure swipe, the tungsten carbide tool will return any knife (even a serrated blade) to its full potential.
mailbox snacks
Send a Secret Santa gift to someone with a sweet tooth with this Letterbox pick and mix selection. Choose from soda, jelly or a combination of the two (or vegetarian) and include a personal note. This is useful if you won’t be seeing it on your big day.
technology and games
apple iphone case
Protect your phone with a virtually indestructible case that can withstand drops, bumps and bumps. There is a cover to prevent dust from entering the charging port even if you put it in your back pocket.
monocular
Step up your wildlife viewing game with a monocular lens. Smaller and sharper than a set of binoculars, this pocket-sized telescope’s 8x magnification is perfect for birdwatching from hiding or on the move.
snow sky Echo Mini MP3 Player
More and more music fans are turning their backs on apps like Spotify and Apple Music and listening to their record collections without algorithms on digital audio players. The cassette Walkman-inspired design ticks the retro boxes, but the interior is modern, including a microSD card slot and Bluetooth headphone connectivity. For an extra personalized touch, you can upload your own playlists to the 8GB of built-in storage.
For more information, see MP3 Players Are Making a Comeback. We tested 15 to find the best one.
Nintendo Switch arcade-inspired case
Featuring a joystick and mash-ready buttons, this stand and case turns your Nintendo Switch console into a retro, personalized cabinet. Although it offers better graphics and a wider range of games, not limited to Space Invaders and Pac-Man.
catan
A refreshing alternative to Monopoly for board game lovers, Catan requires a decent level of brainpower and is less contentious than Scrabble.
Fitness/Outdoor
parkrun barcode keyring
This keychain is perfect for the parkrun obsessed dad. It’s personalized with your own custom barcode, so you can leave your phone or damp little piece of paper at home and simply pull out your keys and log your 5K time when you cross the line.
Total running socks
Running socks are solid, ahem… stocking fillers for those who run on pavement, and these socks from Sums are exactly what I want. Moisture-wicking mesh, anti-blister protection around the ankle, and a compression fit that hugs the foot provide excellent support and comfort. Finished in an eye-catching check pattern, this piece will be his go-to for everything from short walks to marathon marathons.
Damn tough walking socks
This lightweight set from Darn Tough is perfect for hiking. Made from merino wool, it is highly breathable and sweat-wicking, while the natural properties of the material ensure minimal odor. This is a gift for men and their noses.
Smart wool base layer
This Smartwool base layer provides year-round temperature regulation whether worn under a layer on the coldest days or on its own during the summer. It is made of merino wool and is designed to prevent friction when carrying the backpack.
silva head torch
A headlamp is a must-have when running, hiking, or exploring a campsite after dark. The lightweight Terra Scout XT from Swedish brand Silva can emit up to 350 lumens. This is enough to take you down a pitch-black trail, and the lamp body is made from plant fiber and recycled plastic.
Read our guide to the best head torches for more information.
Buff Neck Warmer/Snood
Whether it’s a snood, hood, balaclava or headband, the Buff is an adaptable piece of kit you won’t leave at home during your outdoor adventures. This lightweight option provides plenty of warmth without being overbearing during more strenuous activities, but it’s easy to wrap around your wrists and doubles as a sweatband if you’re overdressed for the occasion. Made from 100% merino wool and a natural tie-dye finish, it’s sustainable.
Coros Heart Rate Monitor
If your dad analyzes his performance metrics after every run, ride, or walk, coaches recommend a separate heart rate monitor to increase the accuracy of the results compared to what’s built into the smartwatch. Coros’ monitor straps to your upper arm, making it more comfortable and less likely to slip than a chest-mounted monitor, and it can pair with Bluetooth heart rate-enabled devices.
Sea to Summit dry bag
It may sound a bit dry, but a dry bag is an essential addition to any outdoorsman’s arsenal. Whether you’re exploring on land or in the water, this lightweight waterproof sack is perfect for protecting valuables like your phone and first aid kit from the elements.
Pas Normal Studios Balance T-Shirt
Fuel your workout with this lightweight sports top from Pas Normal Studios. The Danish company has its roots in cycling, but has branched out into general activewear with its Balance range. This t-shirt will keep you comfortable and sweat-free for every activity, from long distance runs to repetitive workouts at the gym, and its eye-catching design catches the eye (and I assume it’s for the right reasons).
books
Kindle Paperwhite
If you don’t have one or are in dire need of an upgrade, the latest Paperwhite model has a vivid display and a battery that lasts 12 weeks.
Read our guide to the best e-readers to find out more.
Cat on the Road to Find Out – Yusuf/Cat Stevens
One of the most anticipated autobiographies of 2025, Cat on the Road to Findout is Yusuf/Cat Stevens’ most compelling work. Noted for his prolific compositional period and renunciation of music, it was interesting to discover his early career and his later life’s commitment to humanitarian causes.
Bob Mortimer’s Long Shoes
In his third novel, The Long Shoe, the comedian puts a surrealist spin on the thriller genre through the protagonist of Matt, a bathroom salesman. As funny as his previous efforts are, it’s a page turner that made me laugh out loud in a way only Bob Mortimer knows.
From Peach Street to Lobster Lane by Felicity Cloake
The Guardian’s food writer is back for his third cycling and culinary journey across the country. Reading Cloake’s story of fighting along varying (and sometimes non-existent) cycling infrastructure made cyclists nervous, too. And as I sampled her regional specialties (including lots of pies), I was reminded of the bénetés and bagels from my previous transatlantic crossings.
The Explorer’s Gene – Alex Hutchinson
An elite-level runner turned sports scholar and author, he focuses his attention on exploration and its importance in everyday life. Combining the stories of modern adventurers with the latest scientific research, we explore the benefits of trying something out of the ordinary. (Although reading it laid the groundwork for even more outrageous attempts at health problems and the early onset of a midlife crisis).
fashion
paul smith socks
Your budget might not cover one of his suits, but a pair of block-striped Paul Smith socks should be within reach. Made in Italy from a cotton blend, they look and feel great and will enhance any novelty sock.
Skims Boxer Briefs, Pack of 3
Whatever you think of Kim Kardashian, whose clothing brand turned reality TV star and business mogul, Skims knows how to make comfortable pants. These boxer briefs provide unrestricted support and the soft cotton material keeps them breathable.
North Face Mule
Even though the closest I can get to the summit of Everest is climbing the stairs to my home office, I still enjoy some base camp comfort in these North Face mules. The insulated upper will keep the cold out even on days when the heating isn’t on, and the rubber sole is more durable and lasts longer than many other standard slippers. Not bad considering I wear them around the house for about 12 hours most days.
pajama set
Encourage them to ditch their old t-shirt and boxer combo for proper pajamas. This set from Marks & Spencer won’t leave you blushing when you open the door and is great for those blanket days between Christmas and New Year.
merino wool beanie
Finisterre’s beanie will keep his head warm. It’s made from breathable and warm 100% merino wool and features a traditional thick ribbed stitch design.
HEATTECH KNIT GLOVES
Uniqlo’s Heattech knit gloves showcase the Japanese brand’s thermal expertise and should keep your hands warm even when temperatures drop below freezing. Choose a subtle gray or black finish for a set that goes with everything, or highlight his colorful side with orange or blue.
Serviceworks Classic Chef Pants
Even if you’re not a kitchen hand, you can still assume that role in Service Works’ chef-inspired cotton canvas trousers. The relaxed, straight fit can be worn casually for a few days at home, but I’ve also styled it for an evening out, and the adjustable drawstring waistband will be useful this time of year.
patagonia t-shirt
Add sustainable essentials to your T-shirt drawer with the Patagonia P-6 logo. Made from fair trade certified and recycled fabric, this premium-feeling short-sleeve crewneck will complement any style.
For more information, read our picks for the best sustainable Christmas gifts and the best secret Santa gifts under £15.
Charlie Allenby A health and fitness journalist who uses running and cycling gear to tackle increasingly outrageous endurance challenges. Since he became a parent last December, he’s replaced Strava with a sensory toy and it’s now perfect for changing nappies and keeping his daughter entertained.
Christmas shopping can be difficult. So we spent months finding the perfect gift for everyone on our list. We’ve tested and selected the best products. We recruited babies, children and teenagers to find out what they really wanted. We smelled, tasted, and tested the good, the bad, and the ugly to bring you 305 truly amazing gifts.