My top five quick-and-easy Father’s Day gift ideas

I give good presents. I have my children make cards and artwork. But what really makes me an expert on Father’s Day gifts?

I was born on Father’s Day.

And with that, here are my top five picks in different price ranges for the special Dad on your list…feel free to chime in with your ideas, too!

Custom artwork, $5 to $10. Dads love the sentimental stuff: hit up your local dollar store and get a canvas (they come already stretched onto a wooden frame) and buy paint colours that represents each of your children. Roll or brush the paint onto your kids’ hands and/or feet, and either let them go all Picasso or simply do them one by one for a little more control. You’re creating a gift that captures these fleeting moments of childhood. This will cost you more time than money, so remember to give yourself a few days to pull it all together.

Havana Club Añejo 3 Años (3 year old) rum, $26.95 for 750 mL (at LCBO). My guy loves Havana Club and Coca-Cola on the rocks. Loves. This three-year-old rum just landed in Ontario and, having enjoyed it in a mojito (or three…or more) already, it gets two thumbs up from both Big B and me. Pick out some nice glassware to make it feel gifty.

Photojack.ca framed photo, $44.99 for an 8″x12″ photo in a 14″x18″ frame. Take a photo of your kids with a decent camera, and upload it to Posterjack. You choose the size, pick from four frames and you can even crop your photo and add filters during the process. It was one of the fastest and easiest online purchases I’ve ever made, and the shipping prices are very reasonable. Ideal for the ultra-busy mom. (Don’t tell him, but this is what Big B’s getting for Father’s Day this year!)

ZCLIP Le Mans money clip, $149.99. Certifiably Dad-approved, this is the kind of gift that’s great for the Dad who likes utilitarian prezzies. If he’s a money clip kind of guy, this’ll be the last one he’ll ever need. Clean, simple style and serious function with a small footprint. Big B’s loving his.

Dimples fingerprint cuff links, $349. I bought a pair of these for Big B for Christmas the year The K Man was born. Four-and-a-half years later, these cuff links are still amazing in every way. Sometimes I’ll take them out to just look at my firstborn’s tiny fingerprints imprinted in sterling silver. He was only four months old when I had these made. This was a very special gift worthy of its investment. The customer service was unforgettably excellent, the presentation is beautiful and it’s a set of cuff links your guy will be excited to show off. Give with tissues.

And, hey. You don’t need to spend a dime if you don’t want to.  Just let Daddy sleep in and he’ll be grateful.

DISCLAIMERS: Havana Club is distributed by Corby Distilleries, which is a client of my firm’s. I’ve included this product of my own volition because it’s fantastic. And dudes love it. Posterjack.ca provided me with a gift card to test out the purchase process for the framed photo.