Gifts for the Dad Who Has Everything: 15 Ideas That Aren't Another Tool

The best gifts for a dad who has everything are the ones he can't buy himself: an experience, something consumable he'd never splurge on, or an object that honors what he loves instead of equipping it. A man who already owns the gear he wants doesn't need more gear.

That is the whole trick behind a good Christmas gift for a dad who has everything. He has bought the tool, the rod, the jacket and the gadget. What he rarely gets is proof that someone noticed what he cares about. The ideas below are sorted by what Dad is into, with a few that work for almost anyone. They also work for a grandpa or a father-in-law.

Quick picks

• The angler: a guided half-day trip, or a glass with a real fishing lure for a stem.
• The car guy: a track-day seat, or a glass with a real spark plug for a stem.
• The hunter or archer: a lesson with a good instructor, or a glass with a real arrow for a stem.
• The doctor or surgeon: a dinner out with his residents or old partners, or a glass with a surgical screw for a stem.
• Anyone: a framed photo from a trip he loves, a recorded family-history interview, a class, or a good bottle with a handwritten note.

Why gear gifts miss with a dad who has everything

If he cared about a better reel, a torque wrench or a rangefinder, he has probably already researched it and bought it. Whatever you pick will be second best to what he chose himself. Three kinds of gifts avoid that problem.

• Experiences. He can't buy back a day he never set aside for himself.
• Consumables. Food, drink and small luxuries he'd never justify on his own card.
• Things that honor the hobby. Not another tool for it, but something that says you know what it means to him.

Gifts for the dad who fishes

Book a guided half-day charter or a day on a good river. Most outfitters sell gift certificates, so buy it as a voucher and put the date on a card. Going with him is better than sending him alone. If you can't go, ask a fishing buddy to take the trip with him.

For something he can keep on the shelf, AnglerVitre wine glasses use a real fishing lure as the stem, in green, pink, purple or yellow. A set of 2 is $89. It honors the sport without adding one more thing to the tackle box.

Gifts for the car guy

Skip the accessory he'd have bought himself. A seat at a track day, a driving school session, or tickets to a vintage race or car show gives him a day around cars with nothing to maintain afterward. Check the date and the age limits before you buy.

For his own table, MotoVitre glasses are made with an authentic spark plug as the stem. A set of 2 is $89. If he has ever pulled plugs on a Saturday afternoon, he'll know exactly what he's looking at.

Gifts for the hunter or archer

Hunters are usually well equipped. What they seldom pay for is instruction: a lesson with a respected shooting or archery coach, a day at a good range, or a guided scouting trip. Buy a block of time instead of a product.

The ArcherVitre glasses have a real archery arrow as the stem, fletching and all, in red or green. A set of 2 is $109, and it reads as a salute to the pursuit rather than another thing to carry into the field.

Gifts for the doctor or surgeon

A surgeon who has everything rarely has an evening with no pager. Give him a good dinner reservation with the people he trained with, or a ticket to a conference or retreat he keeps skipping.

The OrthoVitre wine glasses, from a company founded by an orthopedic surgeon, use a stainless steel orthopaedic surgical screw as the stem. A set of 2 is $85. It is a piece of his working life, set on the table at home. See also the story of what orthopedic surgeons actually want.

Unique gifts for dad that work for anyone

If none of the hobbies fit, these hold up for almost any father, grandfather or father-in-law.

• A framed photo from a trip he loves. Pick a real moment, not a posed one. Have it printed large and framed properly, so it looks like it belongs on a wall.
• A recorded family-history interview. Sit down with him for an hour and ask about his first job, his father, and the year he met your mother. Record it. For a grandpa especially, this is the gift people wish they had given sooner.
• A class or lesson. Woodworking, cooking, sailing, a language. Choose something he's mentioned wanting and never done.
• A nice bottle plus a handwritten note. The bottle should be one he wouldn't pick up himself. The note matters more than the bottle. Say something specific he did that you remember.

When to order

Experiences and vouchers can be bought as late as you like, but anything shipped takes time. For our glasses, order by December 15 for delivery before Christmas. Shipping is free on all U.S. orders, and they arrive gift-ready. They are hand wash only, so tell him they are not for the dishwasher.

Questions people ask

What do you get a dad who has everything for Christmas?

Give him something he can't buy himself: an experience, a consumable treat, or an object tied to what he loves. Avoid anything that competes with gear he already chose.

What is a good gift for a grandpa who has everything?

Time and memory. A recorded interview about his life, a framed family photo, or a lunch out with the grandchildren tends to mean more than a thing.

What do you get a father-in-law who has everything?

Pick something connected to a hobby he's proud of, but not something that equips it. A guided trip, a lesson, or a keepsake that honors the interest works well and won't feel too personal.

Are the glasses a set?

Yes, every set has 2 glasses, in wine, martini or champagne styles.

Keep looking

Browse the full gift guide, or go straight to a collection: fishing lure, spark plug, archery arrow or orthopaedic surgery.