What if my dad already has everything?

Most dads who 'already have everything' don't actually, they have the practical things. What they don't have is well-curated objects they'd never have bought for themselves: a museum-quality fossil replica, a leather notebook, a beautifully edited book. Choose the category they wouldn't pick on their own.

Are gag gifts a bad idea?

Most of them, yes. A 'dad jokes' button is the exception, it's a category gag (a self-aware nod to dad humour) rather than a personal-roast gag, and it works for the right recipient. Personal-roast gag gifts almost always misfire.

How much should I spend?

$25-$50 is the sweet spot for most adult father-child relationships. Below 5 starts to feel token; above $75 starts to feel like apology or compensation. The price isn't doing the work, the choice is.

Is it OK to skip Father's Day?

Depends on the relationship. If your dad cares about it, a $25 thoughtful gift outperforms not acknowledging the day. If he genuinely doesn't, a phone call or a meal together is enough. The wrong move is to send a generic gift you don't believe in.

What about step-fathers and father figures?

Acknowledging step-fathers and father figures on Father's Day usually lands well, they're often invisible on a day designed around biological dads. A small thoughtful gift with a note ("thanks for being part of my life") is meaningful in a way the same gift wouldn't be to a biological father.

Father's Day gifts that go beyond mugs and ties