NEW YORK – Whether you go big, small or DIY, there are lots of ways to please dad on Father's Day.
Homemade cards and drawings, and things made of clay or popsicle sticks, are evergreen options from little hands. So is gathering your top family photos for framing, or knitting up a sweater, hat or socks.
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If store-bought is your jam, try one of these:
A WEIGHTED PILLOW
Is he tied up in stress knots? Weighted pillows are the new weighted blankets, the latter sometimes considered too hot with uneven weight distribution. A weighted pillow from Quiet Mind comes in three sizes and is intended for hugging and laps. While it may be difficult to travel with a weighted blanket, pillows are portable to keep the Zen from deep-pressure stimulation going away from home. $179 and up, depending on size. Available at Onequietmind.com.
A LEATHER-BOUND BOOK
From historic ballparks and all things Kobe Bryant to ideas for epic hikes and the beauty of the national parks, Quince has on offer a range of lovely, leather-bound, coffee-table books. There’s one for just about any kind of dad, also including Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and a collection of Randal Ford’s dog portraits. Starting at $89.90. Available at Quince.
AN URBANITE GRILL
Got a city-dweller? Grilling can be problematic on fire escapes, balconies and parks that don’t allow open flames. The Kenyon City Grill is electric, smokeless and highly portable. Plug it in and dial up temperatures that go over 550 degrees. There’s a disposable and therefore replaceable drip pan. $695. Available on Amazon and the Kenyon website.
SOME SMART SUNGLASSES
Tech-enabled glasses are abundant these days. Reviews are up and down by brand so choose carefully. A new entry from Lucyd, the Eddie Bauer x Lucyd collection, has enhanced audio quality and easy access to the voice assistant. They come in several styles, from aviator to rimless. Most styles come in 13 colors. A charging dock is included. They play music. They take calls. They use Siri. They have a 12-hour battery life. Is he ready to take the leap? Starting at $229 on the Lucyd website.
A SKIN-CARE SYSTEM
Dads, they have skin too. And some may care enough to follow through with a full regimen. For dads into self care, try the Jan Marini Men’s System. It touts impact for all skin types. Age prevention, hydration, sun protection and a shaving gel included. $260. Available on the Jan Marini website.
A WORLD WAR II HERO
She was the 11,000-ton Mighty Moo, the light aircraft carrier that could. Intelligence officer Nathan Canestaro went in search of his grandfather's service history during the war. In the process, he uncovered the story of the USS Cowpens, on which his relative served. The result is a book of history, “The Mighty Moo.” The Cowpens and her crew earned 12 Battle Stars. At the war's end, she was the only US aircraft carrier in Tokyo Bay to witness Japan's surrender. (Grand Central, $35.) Releases June 11. Widely available.
SOME CRAZY BAD DADS
Darth Vader. Walter White. The Godfather. Comedy writer Glenn Boozan has followed up his cute illustrated bestseller “There are Moms Way Worse Than You” with a version for dad. The idea? To let him know he’s nowhere near the top of the bad parent pyramid: “On days when you feel `Dad guilt’ about the things you did, at least you’ve never had to say, `Honey, I shrunk the kids.’” (Workman, $10.48). ”There are Dads Way Worse Than You” is illustrated by Priscilla Witte. Widely available.
A HIKING BABY CARRIER
A gift for both moms and dads since it's easily adjustable, the Osprey Poco LT Child Carrier has earned top reviews for short hikes and everyday outings. It comes in black, blue and green with an SPF sunshade for baby. The frame is lightweight with a stable platform to set the carrier down. The best part: It weighs a smidge over 5 pounds. $179.99 at Rei.com. Widely available elsewhere.
AN INSTA-CAMERA WITH PIZZAZZ
Mini Polaroid cameras and their instant photo lookalikes have been having a moment in the last few years. The Instax Mini 99 by Fujifilm is great for a dad who just wants to have fun with instant photography. It has a color effect dial with six looks. It also has five brightness levels, shooting modes that include double exposures, a self-timer, a way to add a frame around the image and landscape, portrait and macros focus options. Photos are 62 mm × 46 mm. $199. Widely available.
A BIT OF RAINBOW PRIDE
June is Pride Month. Gift dad a buy-in with a piece from Levi’s Rainbow Rodeo collection. There’s a trucker cap and jacket in studded cream. There’s a muscle tank, cowboy bandana and a shiny gold vest and pants. Lots of other Pride gear is out there if nothing at Levi’s does it for you. Trucker cap, $35. Trucker jacket, $148. Bandana, $30. Gold jeans, $128. Available at Levi.com.
FOR DADS WHO WEAR SOCKS
Novelty socks. They’re everywhere. Uncommon Goods sells a pair all about the banning of books. One sock has book titles blacked out. The other doesn’t. $12. If those don’t appeal, the site also has zodiac socks and a whole bunch more. Head to Amazon for pizza socks that come in, yes, a pizza box.