It is Father’s Day, my folks. And although there is no public holiday involved, this year June 21 falls on a Sunday, which feels like the universe quietly approving a family reunion. If you are spending summer in Dubai, an outdoor barbecue mightn't sound like a charming opportunity so much as a group sauna experiment. But you can always opt for somewhere more chill: a restaurant, a cosy café, or your own living room with the air conditioning doing God’s work. Who cares where you gather when it is all about family?

However, the present does matter. Not because it is some kind of test, but because choosing a gift for your father is one of life’s great universal problems. My own dad has recently discovered the concept of a wishlist, which sounds promising until you realise it is still extremely limited. Most of the time, all I hear is: “I don't need anything”, “I have it all”, or, at best, “I don't know”. And so the gift hunt becomes a quest.

So this year, we decided to pick 30 options. Who knows, maybe something will ring a bell, and your old pal will be genuinely pleased. Imagine that. A successful Father’s Day gift. Miracles do happen.

They say mothers love kitchenware, but I truly believe the biggest fans are dads who have discovered their inner chefs. Give them a fancy apron and suddenly they aren't just making dinner, they are “working on the flavour profile”. Add a portable pizza oven into the picture and you may lose them entirely to the world of dough hydration percentages.

If your dad isn't particularly eager to cook, go for something more low-effort but still deeply useful, like a thermal carafe. It will keep his coffee or tea hot and fresh for hours, which is exactly the kind of practical luxury dads pretend not to care about and then use every single day.

Yes, it is 2026, the world is facing a deep crisis, and food has somehow become a great gift once again. But jokes aside, men are often very practical creatures, and your dad is quite likely to enjoy the most useful gift of all: something delicious that arrives at his door.

Fresh sourdough, farm-grown vegetables, high-quality meat, excellent coffee, cheese, fruit, pastries — choose your genre. The best part is that you can cook something from it together, which definitely counts as quality time. And unlike another motivational mug, it will actually be consumed.

Our inner children go nowhere. They simply get older, develop back pain, and start calling toys “collectibles”. Once your dad begins picking up the pieces, you may soon witness the transformation: one minute he is a respectable adult, the next he is a 10-year-old boy deeply concerned about missing a tiny grey brick.

The Edition series from LEGO feels perfect for the occasion. Just make sure you pick a set that reflects his actual interests. Football? Formula 1? Cycling? Architecture? Space? You know the LEGO world. It has something for every taste, including the taste of a man who says he is “just helping” and then spends four hours at the table.

If your dad is a true tech bro, congratulations, you are saved. He has probably already mentioned the new generation Oura Ring, which looks sleek and monitors health even better. Or maybe he has been circling some futuristic earphones which, sadly, still won't stop him from watching reels at full volume in the kitchen.

If your father tends to forget to charge his phone, this might be the perfect time to gift him a power bank. It is practical, portable, and far more useful than listening to him say his battery is on 3% while standing next to a charger.

Again, we are all about functionality here. If your dad doesn't do a full skincare routine, don't try to push him into it with an expensive serum. It probably won't do any good, and the poor serum may end up being used once, suspiciously, and then abandoned forever.

But a good shampoo, shaving cream, body wash, aftershave, mouth wash, or sunscreen might be very welcome. Simple? Yes. Surprisingly satisfying? Also yes. Sometimes the best beauty gift is the one that doesn't require a 12-step explanation.

Men, especially from older generations, often neglect their own comfort and wellbeing, and we are totally against it. So gifting something that helps them properly relax might be a very good idea.

Consider a foot massager, a heated pad, or one of those slightly strange devices designed to stimulate stiff areas of the back. The heated pad, by the way, may be occupied by your cat within minutes, but that is simply the circle of life. As for the back device, it looks like something I may also be adding to my cart. For research purposes, obviously.

Tools are sacred. A tool bag may be completely unnecessary if your dad has never shown interest in changing so much as a light bulb. Or it may be extremely useful if he spends half his weekends fixing everything in sight, including things that weren't broken until he noticed them.

Either way, there is something deeply satisfying about a well-organised set of tools. Even dads who don't technically need them may still admire them with the quiet respect usually reserved for vintage cars and perfectly grilled meat.

A good pair of clogs is practical, comfortable, and comes with just enough fashion credibility to make the gift feel intentional. It is useful, but not boring. Stylish, but not terrifying.

Your mum may also thank you, as this could finally grant her permission to throw away the 10-year-old flip-flops your dad once bought on holiday and has emotionally bonded with ever since. No guarantees, of course. Some men are more loyal to old sandals than to football clubs.

Buying a new bathrobe is probably not very high on your dad’s to-do list. In fact, it may not be on the list at all, somewhere between “replace old T-shirts” and “stop using the same wallet from 2008”.

That is where you come in. A soft robe, good pyjamas, quality slippers, or a proper lounge set can bring a little more cosiness into his life. And honestly, I am sure he deserves it.

This is a gift with perspective. You should definitely plan a trip when the weather cools down a bit, because nobody needs to test their survival skills in peak summer unless they are being paid by a documentary crew.

In three months’ time, when proper camping season finally arrives, you will realise what a great idea it was to buy a cooler, a multitool, a good flashlight, a portable chair, or a proper thermos. Practical, outdoorsy, and just adventurous enough to make your dad start saying things like “we should do this more often”.