Father’s Day gifts dad will actually use

By the Great Gifts team · Updated 5 October 2026

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A father holding his young son’s hand on a beach

Father’s Day in the UK is the third Sunday in June — Sunday 20 June in 2027. Skip the novelty socks: dads tend to love gifts they’ll use every day, time with you, and anything the kids made themselves.

A star certificate, “Sarah’s Star”, framed beside wrapped presents and a card

We make this

A star named after dad

Name a real star. A heartfelt gift they’ll cherish forever. Our sister company, The Star Naming Co., dedicates a real catalogued star to him — “Dad’s Star”, “Grandad Bob” or whatever the kids call him — with a certificate, a sky chart and a live viewer to find it on a summer evening. It’s symbolic rather than official, and it takes up no space in the shed.

£9.99 delivered in minutes, or £19.99 as a printed Gift Pack posted free in the UK.

Name a star for dad

Things he’ll use every day

A properly insulated travel mug or flask.
A good multi-tool or pocket knife (where it’s legal for him to carry).
A barbecue upgrade for the summer: a meat thermometer, good tongs, a smoker box.

Meat thermometers on Amazon · Travel mugs

Experiences

A round of golf, a day at the cricket, a brewery tour, a driving experience — ideally with you along for the day.

Red Letter Days · Virgin Experience Days

From the kids

Something they made

A drawing turned into a printed mug or T-shirt, handprints framed with the date, or a “why I love my dad” questionnaire filled in by the children in their own words.

Drawing-to-mug gifts on Etsy · on Not On The High Street

A “Dad, tell me your story” journal

For older children: a guided journal of questions about his life, to fill in together over the summer.

Memory journals on Amazon