Has Father's Day gifts changed a lot in recent years

[DodgerGirl]

I remember when June would come around and Father's Day would be just around the corner and Father's Day gifts always used to be very simple. Like it used to be that clothing such as ties dress shirts and shoes were always popular gifts for dads. But if you look at Father's Day gifts today clothing is still popular but now it seems that power tools such as drills and chain saws have become popular along with car products such as Turtle Wax and also camping equipment and fishing gear. And I don't recall when camping equipment became hot Father's Day gifts and the same with fishing gear as well. I remember when stores would promote Father's Day sales when clothing and electronics but if you go to any store like Lowes or The Home Depot you'll always find tool boxes and power tools being on sale for Father's Day. And it tells me that these are the new Father's Day gift trends now

 

[BrianL]

A neck tie was the classic Father's Day gift bceause men would wear ties to work. Having a variety of ties is important when you wear one every day. These days, people don't dress up near as much as they used to. My office is super-casual these days, expecially since COVID! The gifts do still focus on the things that men stereotypically like or use - tools, car stuff, sports stuff, etc. I do think the average spend has probably gone up - as it has for most gifts for most holidays. That's just a byproduct of rampant consumerism really.

 

[easyas123]

I've been giving my father a bottle of wine for as long as I can remember! Even as a kid I knew he didn't want turtle wax!!!

 

[Kitty 34]

First year without my Dad (passed at 92 last summer) but I always baked him his favorite two layer cake. I was toying with baking that cake this year because he never shared that cake at all.

 

[DodgerGirl]

Growing up every June a week before Father's Day my mother and I would go to the mall and go Father's Day shopping and we would buy Dad new shirts and pants but mainly he LOVED tools and power tools were his favorites and my mother and I would sometimes go to the hardware store and look at the power drills they had and if we would find a power drill Dad liked we'd buy it for him along with packs of drill bits. But today Dad is more interested in cooking and appliances and I started buying him cookbooks and frying pans because Dad loves trying out new recipes and just loves cooking in general. I can see why cookware and appliances have become popular Father's Day gifts today because it's no secret why fathers love to cook

 

[Frwinkley]

As a young child, I always bought my father a bottle of Aqua Velva aftershave. He died in 2010. I have a small bottle of his that I kept. On occasion, I take a smell. Brings me back to my wonderful dad.

Now my DH and I celebrate our wonderful son-in-law. He's a great dad and an even better husband.

 

[Ronaldo17]

First year without my Dad,
It used to be a bottle of Brandy and chocolate.

 

[LoveDaisy]

OP your post confuses me. In post one you claim power tools are the new in gift and you would buy your father shirts and ties and he loved them. But in post 5 you say you used to buy him drills with bits, yet you were buying them years ago and your father liked them so why do you think they are the new in gift?

I don’t think there is any ‘in’ gift I think it’s buying what your father likes. My father would not want clothes, tools, turtle wax, or cooking things. All which you mention. He would much rather having camping or fishing things and this isn’t a new trend, it is what he has always like.

A commercial does not make something an in gift, all it means is that company choose to advertise at that time because they hope people will buy their product.

 

[RangerPooh]

I think where you shop and what you shop for is dictated by what your dad’s into. Growing up we’d never get my dad a tie. I saw him wear one once in my first 18 years of life, and that was to his cousins funeral. My dad is the Hawaiian shirt type. Or camping gear or tools.

For my husband it’s tools, fishing, or camping gear, but we don’t rule out a nice tie. This year I ordered a keychain from Wander Club with segments that reflect each of the national parks we’ve visited.

 

[RedAngie]

Even 50 years ago my father never wanted clothing as a Father’s Day gift. He didn’t wear ties nor dress clothes at work.

You couldn’t buy him tools or hardware. The basement and garage already had a thousand pieces.

His favorite gift was a box of Phillies Blunts cigars (before they were used for nefarious purposes. )

 

[jimmymc]

Ties have definitely declined in popularity over the past 50 years. I see a lot of recommendations for high end shaving or beard supplies and whiskey tasting equipment.

 

[Cadiewampus]

Me and every father I know just wants peace and quiet and to not be asked to fix anything or go anywhere

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

The only thing I can seem to think of nowadays is food GC's... Food is the only thing that is (fairly easy) to please them.

My dad has been retired for many, many years.... so ties etc... are out. Tools might be popular, but yea, like I am going to figure out what he would want/need. It seems that men are pretty picky about that kind of stuff.

Can't go wrong with food.

 

[barkley]

I've been giving my father a bottle of wine for as long as I can remember! Even as a kid I knew he didn't want turtle wax!!!

It used to be a bottle of Brandy

whiskey tasting equipment

while i'm a fan of all 3 of these-the founder of the first u.s. celebration (115 years ago this week) would be AGHAST b/c she was an active advocate of the temperance movement.

 

[longboard55]

This is a great gift for an older parent, mom or dad. I do it with my mom who is 96 and has very limited mobility. Everyone has gobs of pictures on their phones. Go to the CVS or Walgreens web site, whatever is closer and download 100 pictures of family having fun and get the 4x6 prints. They are super cheap, pretty much always on sale, you can get them for around 15-20 cents a piece most the time. Older people have limited computer or phone skills but they will love going thru the family photos. As a bonus dig up some older photos