Christmas Gifts for Dad

A classic bifold in Herschel's coated fabric or leather trim, with card slots, a note section and RFID-blocking versions available.

Start here. There is a high chance his wallet is old, overstuffed and held together by habit, and an equally high chance replacing it has never reached the top of his list. A familiar bifold changes none of his habits, and the coated fabric versions handle rain better than raw leather. Count his cards before buying anything slimmer.

A full-size analog dive-style watch with 200 meters of water resistance, a rotating bezel and a screw-down crown.

The right shape of watch for a dad, because 200-meter water resistance removes every reason to take it off — garden, dishes, shower, sea. It also gets consistently mistaken for something far more expensive, which is the part he will mention to people. Check his wrist if he is slim, since 42mm is substantial, and a leather strap softens the sporty look.

A double-wall stainless tumbler with a magnetic slider lid, dishwasher safe and sized for a car cupholder.

If he drinks coffee or tea, he has a cup he is loyal to and it almost certainly keeps nothing hot. This one does, it is dishwasher safe where cheaper insulated cups are not, and the lid works one-handed. It gets used every single morning, which is a much better outcome than a gift that gets admired on the day and then shelved.

A deliberately plain watch with oversized numbers on a white dial and a leather strap, with Indiglo backlight.

A specific and underrated gift. Most watches get harder to read with age and this one is built around not being: oversized numbers, a plain white dial, and Indiglo that lights the whole face rather than glowing from one edge. Practical rather than stylish, which is exactly right for someone who wants the time and does not care about horology.

A stainless multi-tool with pliers, wire cutters, a locking knife blade, screwdrivers and a file, backed by Leatherman's 25-year warranty.

For a practical dad this is the gift he will still be using in twenty years, and the warranty is the reason: twenty-five years, honored. Pliers, cutters, a locking blade and screwdrivers cover most household and car jobs. Too heavy for a trouser pocket, so it lives in a toolbox or a glovebox, and it cannot travel in hand luggage.

The original metal-framed aviator, available in several lens finishes including polarized and glass.

Almost every dad has sunglasses with a scratch across one lens that he keeps wearing because replacing them never gets done. That makes this a textbook replacement gift. Aviators suit some faces far better than others — if you are unsure, the Wayfarer shape is more universally flattering. Buy somewhere with an easy returns policy.

A pre-seasoned American-made cast iron pan that works on any hob, in the oven and over a fire.

One of very few gifts at this price that gets better with age and ends up being passed on. It works on any hob, in the oven and over a fire, and it arrives pre-seasoned so it can be used on Boxing Day. The honest caveat is weight: for a dad with wrist or hand trouble, a heavy pan is a burden rather than a gift.

A small smart speaker that answers questions, sets timers and reminders, plays radio and music, and makes hands-free calls.

Worth considering rather than dismissing as a gadget. Voice control means no screen, no login and no small print, so calls, timers, reminders and radio all become spoken — genuinely useful with failing eyesight. Two honest caveats: it is an always-listening microphone, and someone needs to set it up. Do that before you wrap it.

Cushioned socks with a reinforced heel and toe and a stay-up cuff, sold under a one-pair-donated model.

Socks are the archetypal disappointing dad gift, and these are the exception because the cushioning is noticeable enough that people buy more themselves. The donation model gives the gift something to say. Treat it as the second or third box rather than the headline — nobody wants socks as the main event.