I’ve recently gotten a couple of questions from readers about presents for dads-to-be that aren’t necessarily about…well…the baby. Moms get celebrated plenty, what with the shower and all (click here for baby shower gift ideas), but Dad’s life will be undergoing a dramatic shift, too, and that should be honored and acknowledged. And yes yes, we all know that dad-friendly diaper bags are a nice present for a guy who’s about to become a father, but sometimes you want to give a present that’s about celebrating him.
Below, a few of my favorite ideas (a couple of which I’ve been tossing around for Kendrick’s upcoming 30th birthday…so he’s been instructed not to read this post):
An old-school straight-razor shave at a fancy salon. It should only run about $40, and is a great way to pamper a guy in a way that still feels “manly.” For those of you in NYC, Kiehl’s just opened their very first spa, Spa 1851 (pictured above), with a great for-guys-only area that offers shaves for $35 (a cut is $40).
Pillows. (Really.) He’ll be getting limited amounts of sleep in the months to come, so make the hours he does manage to shut his eyes spectacular ones (I love those Isotonic memory-foam things).
Masculine-ish toiletries, like Kyoku Sake-Infused Shave Cream, Simpatico bath gel (as un-frou-frou as a bubble bath gets, the suds are scented with things like arugula, cardamom, and clove), or The Art of Shaving products (shaving set pictured above).
Custom Vans (pictured above) or Converse (which will definitely be found under our Christmas tree in a few months). You can even add writing (maybe the baby’s name…?) to the strip down the heel of the Converse ones.
And if you really want to go the diaper bag route, this is the one I bought Kendrick for Father’s Day.
Click here for the RG Father’s Day Gift Guide.
