Classic Birthday Gifts For Dad

I like to get birthday gifts for Dad that say, “I love you Pops!” At the same time, I don’t like to get too corny or sappy and say it in every card. There’s a fine balance to strike, don’t you think?

So here is my tried and true list of classic birthday gifts for dad that I’ve seen awesome success within other words, fathers really appreciate these. 🙂

Let’s start off with one of my favorites

1. Scorpion Fish T-shirt

Want a completely unique birthday gift? Turn your child’s drawings into wearable art!

My husband adores his little girl. So I turned one of her imaginary animals – a “Scorpion Fish” – into a personalized t-shirt for him. He loved it! In fact, he’s asked for a new one every year. Now he has several t-shirts featuring these creatures.

Then grandpas and uncles started asking for them. Now they’re a family collection! (I’ve got a tutorial on this… coming soon.)

There are lots of other great personalized birthday gifts for dad here too.

2. Personalized Chocolate Bar

Men love chocolate as much as women do. Make dad a personalized chocolate bar with a printable candy bar wrapper! Simply search for printable candy bar wrappers on Google. Cover a Hershey’s bar (or whatever kind of bar he likes) and you’re set!

3. Big Wishes Or Problem Solvers

The best way to buy him what he wants is to listen to what he is saying. Often you’ll hear a complaint – which is a clue that there’s a problem to solve (*ding* birthday gift idea!) – or he’ll make a wish out loud (*ding* another gift idea!).

Hold onto those complaints and wishes – then add some good old fashioned sentiment to it.

We Gave My Dad The World

There was this globe. It was gorgeous – fully functional and inlaid with semi-precious stones and OH how my dad couldn’t stop talking about how good this would look in his office (Aha! The WISH)… but he couldn’t justify spending a few hundred dollars on it.

My siblings and I pooled our money together and gave it as a combined gift. My sister made a beautiful homemade gift tag that read…

“World Class Dad: To the dad who would give us the world if he could, here is our version of it. We love you!”

Men don’t people to know when they cry… so we won’t tell you his response. 😉

4. “The Man Can” Birthday Gift Basket

Give him a thoughtful gift that celebrates his manhood! Buy a masculine-looking bucket and fill it with goodies that men can’t get enough of – zip ties, rope, duct tape, and chocolate. A handmade manly birthday gift basket like this is completely customizable!

5. “Dear Dad” Book

This is one of the most memorable birthday gifts for dad. Basically, you gather letters people write either about or to your dad.

Talk to the people he loves the most – aunts, uncles, friends, kids – and gather stories about him. Compile these letters and stories with pictures, then make a photo book with everything in them.

The response from this gift is priceless.

6. The Birthday CAN Cake!

People make diaper cakes for baby showers – hey, why not a can cake? This is especially great for those men who don’t care for the fluffy cake you eat with a fork. Get a 12 pack of his favorite drink and make it into a “cake”, complete with a candle of course!

Check out the simple DIY can cake tutorial here.

You’ve got to try it! It’s creative, so easy to make, and he’s guaranteed to love it…my dad did. 😉

7. Edible Poster

The kids love to get creative with these birthday gifts for dad! Make Dad a candy bar poster with a few of his favorite candies. Make them into a giant card, replacing little words with the bar itself (for example: “we promise not to SNICKERS at your age”). The kids will love making it, and dad will certainly enjoy eating it.

Here are some great candies that you can use to mean “DAD”:

• Pop Rocks
• Big Hunk
• Mr. Goodbar

• Smarties
• Sweetart
• Sugar Daddy

8. Personal History Guide & Journal

Family history is becoming more and more popular. Give him a guide to writing his own personal history along with a classy journal for his birthday. It is a gift that keeps giving – generations to come will treasure his recorded personal history!

9. Going On A Treasure Hunt

I like to make gifts more exciting by turning them into a treasure hunt. Have the kids help you if they are old enough, or let them help Dad on the hunt for clues! We like to put bite-sized candy bars (or even a full-sized gift) with each clue to take the excitement one step up. Here is a great little page to help you plan your next scavenger hunt.