Choosing gifts for your father-in-law is often harder than it looks: you don’t have the closeness you have with your own dad, but you don’t want to fall back on the usual tie or socks either. The good news is that getting it right depends less on the price and more on paying attention to what he does day to day. With Christmas just around the corner, here’s a simple method and 12 ideas sorted by type.
How to choose gifts for your father-in-law without getting it wrong
- Look at his routines. What does he do at the weekend? Vegetable patch, football, walks, grandchildren, cooking… The right gift is usually linked to something he already does, not to a new hobby.
- Ask the people who know. Your partner and your mother-in-law know what he needs and what he already has two of at home. A discreet message will spare you an exchange in January.
- Useful and good quality is best. Something he uses every day, but better than the one he already has, goes down better than an ornament.
- Agree on the budget as a couple. If the gift is from both of you, settle on the amount beforehand, so you don’t end up above or below what the family usually gives.
Gift ideas for your father-in-law, by type
For the homebody father-in-law
- A good pair of slippers with non-slip soles: in winter they get worn every day.
- A warm throw for the sofa, in a soft fabric and a neutral colour.
- A good book or a magazine subscription on a subject he loves: history, football, hunting and fishing, motoring.
- A printed family photo album, with the best photos of the grandchildren or of your trips together.
For the father-in-law who loves good food
- A tailor-made Christmas hamper: instead of a ready-made hamper, put one together with the things he really likes (a mature cheese, cured meats from his home region, olive oil, a wine you know he enjoys).
- A wooden serving board with a cheese knife, for family nibbles.
- A meal at that restaurant he’s always talking about, so you can all go together.
For the active father-in-law
- Tough gardening gloves and a good pair of secateurs, if he has a vegetable patch or a garden.
- A light rucksack or an insulated bottle if he goes out walking.
- A head torch, handy for the vegetable patch as the light fades, for fishing or for fetching firewood.
For the father-in-law with a dog or cat
- A reusable pet hair remover for the sofa, the bed and clothes. The Velia Select self-cleaning pet hair remover works without batteries or refills: you roll it back and forth and the hair stays in its chamber.
- A bed or a blanket for his pet in its favourite corner of the house. For many people, spoiling the pet means spoiling the owner.
What to avoid when buying for your father-in-law
- Gifts that are too personal, such as a fragrance or close-fitting clothes, unless you know his size and taste well.
- Decorative items chosen to suit your taste rather than his home.
- Jokes about his age or about the relationship between a father-in-law and his son- or daughter-in-law: they work with some people and not with others.
- Alcohol if you’re not sure he likes it.
How much to spend on a gift for your father-in-law
There’s no right amount. In many families, the father-in-law’s gift is similar to the one you give your own parents, so that no one feels left out. If your budget is tight, a simple gesture with a handwritten card means more than an expensive gift chosen in a rush. And if your family does Secret Santa at Christmas, stick to the agreed limit.
The finishing touch that makes the difference
Wrap it carefully and add a couple of lines explaining why you chose it: ‘for afternoons on the vegetable patch’, ‘for the sofa after Sunday lunch’. That detail turns something useful into a gift he’ll remember. If you’re also looking for something for her, take a look at our ideas for gifts for your mother-in-law; and if he already has everything, you’ll find more ideas in gifts for parents who have everything.