Our Ultimate Father's Day Gift Guide

Though it only became an official holiday in 1972, the annual celebration of Father's Day in the U.S.—which takes place on the third Sunday in June—was born in Spokane, Washington, long before that. In 1910, to be exact, when Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, set out to establish an official equivalent to Mother's Day for male parents.

Around the world, Father's Day festivities occur throughout the year, like the second Sunday of August in Brazil, where St. Joachim, the father of Mary, is said to be the inspiration for the holiday. In Thailand, it's celebrated on the December birthday of the widely admired King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Everyone wears yellow to commemorate the day. And in Germany, on Ascension Day, a tradition is honored celebrating fathers by organizing hikes and other gatherings—and supplying the men with a hefty stock of food and alcohol.

And though American Father's Day customs center on showering Dad with gifts, that wasn't always a welcomed tradition. In fact, pushback against the custom of gift-giving is one of the primary reasons why Father's Day wasn't declared a national holiday until the 1970s.

Times have changed—this year, that has never rung more true—but there's still no better time to butter up your favorite guy with something a little more substantial than pancakes, especially if you won't be able to gather in person. He'll flip for a shiny new copper grill, hand-crafted gin, and a cozy alpaca throw for lazy Sundays. Read on for more of our gift ideas for the father figures in your life.

Complete with eight sturdy side compartments, this canvas tote has room for his essential gardening tools, from small shovels to secateurs. 

Shop Now: Terrain Canvas Garden Utility Bag, $30, shopterrain.com.

Dad taught you everything you know about chess, but he still beats you every time. Start fresh with this modern set, which looks great on a coffee table.

Shop Now: West Elm Acrylic Chess Set, $199, westelm.com.

Clink, then drink! Raise a glass of this whiskey blend, which delivers smooth spice and smoky warmth.

Shop Now: High West Distillery Double Rye! Whiskey, $41.99 for 750 ml, wine.com.

Fishing, camping, or white-water rafting, anyone? Filson's backpack is fully submersible, and made from sturdy nylon with padded straps for comfort.

Shop Now: Filson Dry Backpack, $175, filson.com.

You won't need reservations this Father's Day. Thanks to this sampler pack of Marinara, Tomato Basil, and Arrabbiata sauces, courtesy of Carbone (one of the most popular Italian restaurants in New York City), you can treat Dad to a delicious homemade meal from the heart.

Shop Now: Carbone Fine Food Four Pack Variety of Three Sauces, $39.96, carbonefinefood.com. 

He's a grilling maestro, so he's always looking for upgraded recipes and better methods. Martha provides both in this cookbook.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart's Grilling Cookbook, $11.80, amazon.com.

The oven hits a scorching 950 degrees and delivers a perfectly charred, crisp, puffy-edged, bubbly—we could go on—pie in minutes.

Shop Now: Ooni Koda 12 Gas-Powered Outdoor Oven, $349, ooni.com.

Head to his favorite local brewery with this pressurized growler, which keeps craft beer fresh for up to two weeks.

Shop Now: GrowlerWerks "uKeg" Silver Beer Growler, $159, bloomingdales.com.

He'll deftly man the pit with this fire tool set: The poker, shovel, and tongs have long, bamboo-covered handles that won't overheat.

Shop Now: Snow Peak Fire-Tool Set, $100, snowpeak.com.

Martha Stewart's roomy embossed croco-leather tote gets better with age, just like a certain someone.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Croco Embossed Leather Tote in Dark Chocolate, $122.950, qvc.com.

The salts, soy sauce, tamari, and chili crunch in the Momofuku Pantry Starter Pack will bring heat or umami to any dish.

Shop Now: Momofuku Pantry Starter Pack, $55, shop.momofuku.com.

Group-gift the glowy copper Weber Genesis II E-315, which has tapered burners to nix hot spots and smart grates that stop flare-ups.

Shop Now: Weber Genesis II E-315 Gas Grill, $799, homedepot.com.

Make like Manet and dine sur l'herbe. This tartan picnic blanket has a plush twill weave and waterproof backing.

Shop Now: Tartan Blanket Co. Recycled Wool Picnic Blanket in Jacob Tartan, $120, us.tartanblanketco.com.

Pruning is easy on the hands with Martha Stewart secateurs, which stow safely in a leather holster.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Easy Grip Secateurs with Protective Sheath in Slate, $39.99, amazon.com.

Lightweight, crazy-soft shorts effortlessly transition from working out to hanging out.

Shop Now: Vuori Kore Shorts in Terra-Cotta, $68, vuoriclothing.com.

He'll take this cooler everywhere, whether he's on the road or on the water.

Shop Now: Yeti "Tundra 35" Hard Cooler, $249.99, yeti.com.

Inspire a great adventure with the first two Wildsam National Park Field Guides, filled with fascinating ranger stories, historical tidbits, and expert planning tips.

Shop Now: Wildsam National Park Field Guides, $20 each, wildsam.com.

This deck of cards features nature images by illustrator Travis Pietsch and comes in a travel-friendly wooden case.

Shop Now: Chronicle Books Great Outdoors Playing Cards, $15.95, barnesandnoble.com.

Just the pour for dinner on the back deck: a bold red or crisp rosé from this grilling-centric pack from Martha Stewart Wine Co.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Wine Co. Grilling Pack, $65 for 4 bottles, marthastewartwine.com.

These wool socks have a medium thickness level, which means they're suitable for year-round wear; reinforced nylon heels will help him go the distance.

Shop Now: Red Wing Shoes Deep Toe Capped Wool Socks, $18.99, redwingshoes.com.

Help him prepare for that future trip abroad with this suitcase-friendly fedora, which comes in all kinds of colorways (we're partial to Coffee!). 

Shop Now: Brixton "Wesley" Packable Fedora, $69, brixton.com.

If he's an avid birdwatcher, he'll appreciate this Art Deco-inspired bird feeder made from teak and powder-coated aluminum. He can hang it from the porch or stake it into the ground (it comes with a pole). 

Shop Now: AuthenTEAK Gloster Deco Bird Feeder, $672, authenteak.com.

Now here's a toolbox he won't want to hide under the sink: Made from Japanese stainless steel and coated with olive green varnish, this streamlined, no-nonsense case is best for a curated set of tools he uses regularly.

Shop Now: Toyo Olive Green Toolbox, $28, shop.coolmaterial.com.

He'll use this wardrobe classic in every way imaginable—as an accessory, on the campground, and in the garden.

Shop Now: Filson Horseshoe Bandana, $55, filson.com.

A smooth army-green cover, linen spine, and contrast stitching give this notebook—which he'll use to list his favorite plants' watering schedules or track the stats of his fantasy baseball team—a vintage vibe.

Shop Now: Denik Record Keeping Book, $9.99, denik.com.

If he's ready to level up his vegetable patch's irrigation game, gift him this drip tape kit; it gives budding veggies a regular, but controlled water source.

Shop Now: Hoss Tools Drip Tape Irrigation Kit, $189, hosstools.com.

His catch of the day has never tasted so good thanks to this seasoning set which works across different fish varieties.

Shop Now: The Spice House Fisherman's Collection Four Jar Spice Box, $35, thespicehouse.com.

If he's a mountain man, rain or shine, he'll appreciate these waterproof hiking boots, which will get him from base camp to his destination sans wet socks.

Shop Now: On Cloudrock Waterproof Speed Hiking Boots, $229.99, on-running.com.

Upgrade his picnic game with this cooler backpack. It holds 12 cans of beer, which is likely something he'd appreciate. 

Shop Now: Corkcicle Eola Cooler Bag, $150, corkcicle.com.

If Dad is the one who makes your family's morning brew, set him up with this cast iron coffee scoop for good measure.

Shop Now: HMM Cast Iron Coffee Scoop, $29.98, huckberry.com.

Bonfire, meet your match. This kindling crate will have his blazes—a must in this time of outdoor gatherings—up and roaring in no time.

Shop Now: Fatwood Fire Starter Kindling Crate, $54.95, llbean.com.

His first day back in the office calls for a wardrobe upgrade. We like this tie's vibrant hues for spring and summer.

Shop Now: Phineas Cole Printed Deco Square Medallion Tie, $245, paulstuart.com.

His 8 a.m. cup of coffee will never go cold again, thanks to this smart mug. He can set the controlling temperature down to 

Shop Now: Ember Mug 2, $130, ember.com.

Distilled with juniper, lavender, and lingonberries, Monkey 47 gin makes a crisp botanical cocktail.

Shop Now: Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin, $52, reservebar.com.

Sure, he has a bottle opener, but we bet it doesn't look like this. The sleek ripple design is easy on the eyes, but light enough to slip into a pocket for an afternoon on the go.

Shop Now: Craighill Ripple Bottle Opener, $48, craighill.co.

Crafted from soft Vachetta leather, this oxblood-toned case will (stylishly) keep eyewear protected.

Shop Now: Borsheims Graphic Image Eyeglass Case, $49.50, borsheims.com.

Lakrids by Bülow calls these salted caramel-covered licorice bites "feisty and gentle at the same time," just like dad.

Shop Now: Lakrids by Bülow D Salt and Caramel Coated Licorice, from $9.90, lakridsbybulow.com.

The raw brass finish on this pen will develop a unique patina over time. Until then, use it to write upside down, under water, and in extreme temperatures from -30 to +250 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to its patented pressurized ink chamber.

Shop Now: Fisher Raw Brass Bullet Space Pen, $26, spacepen.com.

Lazy days are made of these: A blend of cotton and bamboo, and a spa-like waffle weave design.

Shop Now: Matouk "Kiran" Robe in Anthracite, $99, matouk.com.

Spark some joy and ignite his inner Eagle Scout. The two-pound, stainless steel Firebox G2 stove is wood-and Sterno-friendly and folds up to the size of a book.

Shop Now: Firebox G2 Stainless-Steel Stove, $60, fireboxstove.com.

Consider this cozy, never scratchy throw his new family movie night essential.

Shop Now: The Citizenry "Cascada" Apaca Throw, $175, the-citizenry.com.

The Talented Mr. Fix-It needs a tool carrier as dashing as he is. Mi Cocina's strapping denim waist apron has compartments for all his DIY essentials.

Shop Now: Mi Cocina Denim Waist Apron, $80, micocinaus.com.

Outfit your cannonball king in these fast-drying board shorts, made from recycled plastic bottles and recycled fabric.

Shop Now: Greenlines Eco Stretch Glide Board Shorts, $72, greenlines.com.

This diaper bag was designed for guys on the go. It converts to a backpack and has a washable liner, removable changing mat, and laptop sleeve.

Shop Now: E.C. Knox "Ellison" Diaper Bag in Windsor, $150, ecknox.com.

Handmade every step of the way, Shoes Like Pottery low-tops sport kiln-fired rubber soles that look great while going the distance.

Shop Now: Shoes Like Pottery Low-Top Sneakers, $155, shoeslikepottery.com.