Personal Picks: A Dad’s Guide to Father’s Day Gifts

Around the time I first got excited about craft beer, vinyl, and beard cultivation, my son started teasing me that I was the “hipster dad starter kit.” I guess I had it coming. But this was a term of endearment coming from him, so I couldn’t complain. As a copywriter here at UncommonGoods who’s also a father, I tend to get tapped for the “dad’s-eye view” of things, especially around Father’s Day. You might know me from my work as the Most Interesting Dad in the World. Basic hipster dad or not, I offer this personal perspective on our wide array of gifts for family guys. Any of these items would make me smile on Father’s Day. Simon—take note.

Who says you can’t be a dad and still be a kid at heart? This peanut butter sampler delivers all the comfort of a kid classic with amazing mix-ins for decidedly grown-up indulgence. Grab your spoon. | Peanut Butter Sampler

Occasionally, I’ve been accused of being over-educated. But if a love of Shakespeare’s timeless language makes me a knotty-pated fool and rampallian, so be it. This poster proves that Shakespeare’s insults represent some of his most memorable linguistic acrobatics. | Shakespearean Insults Chart

Anyone who’s spent five minutes with me can attest that I’ve been a top contender for the Socializing Non-Participant Award several years running. Styled after spelling bee honorable mentions, these adulting ribbons would make any dad feel like a semi-capable adult. | Adult Award Ribbons

I gave my wife one of these sleek and handy bedside caddies for Mother’s Day last year. She loves it, and our dog loves swiping items from it. I’ve praised the design every chance I get. So far, my family hasn’t taken the hint. | Bedside Essentials Pocket

Imagine you’re quaffing mead in a raucous Viking feasting hall. Or raising a horn of ale at a colorful gathering in the Seven Kingdoms. For any dad who doesn’t exclusively drink port from dainty crystal glasses, Das Horn is a handheld slice of sword and sorcery style. | Das Horn

I have a Spotify playlist for every occasion, know certain drum solos by heart, and never need to ask directions to the Love Shack. With 400 multiple-choice questions covering the musical multiverse, this IQ challenge is just the ticket for dads like me. | Music IQ Party Game

Work worries. Existential quandaries. Insidious pop song earworms. Dads have plenty of reasons to lose sleep. Designed by a card-carrying insomniac, this drug-free device promotes sleep through a meditative projection of light that helps slow your breathing to a relaxing level. Zzz… | Moon Beam Sleep Aid

My mom claims that the first thing I ever saw on TV was the Apollo moon landing when she propped me up in front of the screen as an infant. I’ve been star-struck ever since. This color-coded chart traces the trajectories of every orbiter, lander, rover, and rocket-riding vehicle from the Space Race on. Far out! | Cosmic Exploration Chart

Remember that Viking-inspired drinking horn? Why not brew your own honey wine to go in it and raise a toast to Odin? This kit has everything you need to start your own revival of the ancient, golden beverage. | Mead Making Kit

From Switched On Bach to the Moogfest revival, analog synthesizers have intrigued me for decades. As a kid, I dismantled a tape recorder and made an accidental synth by poking around its innards with a screwdriver. Since I lived to tell about it, maybe I should make one more deliberately with this DIY kit. | DIY Synth Kit

As a writer, I have a fetish for unique pens. And, as noted above, I have a long-standing fascination with outer space. If only one product combined these interests in a functional design I could carry everywhere I go… | Meteorite Pen

Like lots of guys, I don’t want to smell like I’ve been ambushed by a miasma of designer fragrance at the department store cosmetics counter. These long-lasting, travel-inspired solid cologne tins are made with natural and organic ingredients for unpretentious, masculine scents. I’m partial to the woodsy notes of the “Land” variety. | Solid Cologne

Having toured breweries and tasting rooms from Plzen to Bushwick, I’m always finding new varieties of beer to obsess over. Keeping track of them is another matter. This compact, custom journal can help guide your zymurgical odyssey. | Brewers Passport

As an avid cyclist, I’ve been admiring this British car boot-inspired design since it was added to our collection. Stylish, sturdy, and secure—it’s everything you could want in on-board cycle storage. And it would be a great way to transport a couple of six packs, Das Horn, meteorite pens… | Bike Boot Bicycle Storage

From his colorful buildings to his whimsical Target teapots, Michael Graves is synonymous with playful postmodernism. Named for the Japanese word for window, the Mado watch features iconic numerals designed by Graves surrounding a square aperture. Time to get architectonic! | Mado Watch