The short answer: when a dad says he doesn't want anything, he usually means it: no more stuff to find room for. What he rarely gets is a job taken off his hands, time with you, and someone who asks about his life and keeps the answers. Below are ideas grouped by the kind of dad he is. One is ours: we make personalized comic books, so it is marked. The rest we don't sell.
If he means it: no more stuff
He has the tools, the jacket and the mug that says he's the best dad in the world. Give him less to look after, not more.
- Take a job off his list. The car detailed and serviced, the gutters cleared, the shed sorted, done or booked and paid for.
- Something he will use up. His coffee, the hot sauce he swears by, the good razor blades, the snacks he thinks nobody knows about. It gets used and leaves nothing behind.
- Keep his favorite things working. The watch serviced, the knives sharpened, the old record player repaired, the boots resoled.
If he'd rather do something than get something
- A day out on his terms. The game, a fishing trip, the car show, the hardware store and a long lunch. You book it, you drive, you pay.
- Ask him to teach you. The thing he's proud of knowing: the brisket, the oil change, the card trick. Book a Saturday for the lesson. For many dads, being asked is the gift.
- A standing breakfast. Once a month, the same diner, in the calendar for the year.
If he's the one with the stories
- Interview him. Sit down with a list of questions (his first job, the house he grew up in, the day you were born) and record the answers. The recording is worth more every year.
- His old photos, saved. Scan the shoebox, label the pictures with him over an afternoon, and give everyone in the family a copy.
- A map of his life: the towns he lived in and the places he worked, marked and framed.
If the budget is small (under $20)
- His childhood favorite: the candy, the soda or the snack from where he grew up, found and wrapped.
- A letter. One page about something he did for you that he has probably forgotten.
- A printed photo of the two of you, in a plain frame, for his desk or his workbench.
- A promise he can cash in: "I'll mow the lawn all spring", signed and dated.
His life as a comic (ours)
We make a 26-page comic book about him, written from what you tell us: the job he did for years, the garage, the sayings everyone repeats, the jokes he has told a hundred times. His face, drawn from your photos, is on the cover and through the story, and up to three more of the family can join him in it (pets count too), from a photo of each. A person checks every page before it is sent. For a dad who wants no clutter, the PDF takes no room at all.
- The PDF: $49 USD, typically the same day.
- The printed comic: $89 USD, with the PDF first, shipped to the US, the UK and Canada (except Quebec), shipping included.
One photo is enough for a free preview of him as a comic hero before you pay. Start with a free preview
For Christmas
- Order now and it's expected well before Christmas: your PDF typically arrives the same day, there's time for your free revision, and the printed book arrives in about 3 weeks after you approve. Last day to order for expected delivery before December 25: 4 December (US, UK and Canada).
- After that, choose the PDF. It arrives typically the same day, ready to print at home or give on a screen.
- For print, approve the PDF or ask for changes within 3 days of delivery. For orders placed December 1 to 4, the window is 24 hours. If we do not hear from you, we print it as delivered.
- A booked job, a day out or a standing breakfast can be arranged on Christmas Eve: write it on a card and put it under the tree.
Quick picks
| If you have | Try |
|---|---|
| A day | A letter, his childhood favorite, a comic about him (the PDF arrives typically the same day) |
| A week or two | A job taken off his list, a repair, a day out booked |
| A month or more | His photos scanned and labeled, his stories recorded, a map of his life |
Questions people ask
What do you get a dad who says he doesn't want anything? Take him at his word: no more stuff. Give a job done for him, something he will use up, his favorite things kept working, or time together, like a day out or a standing breakfast.
What is a meaningful gift for a dad from a daughter or son? One that shows you were listening: a letter about something he did for you, his stories recorded, his old photos saved, or his life told back to him as a book.
What can I get my dad for under $20? A letter, his childhood favorite snack, a printed photo of the two of you, or a signed promise to take a job off his hands.
More ideas: our gift page for dad, our Father's Day gift page, and a personalized comic book for Christmas.
