Creative Father's Day Gift Ideas for Students: Thoughtful Presents on a Budget
Father’s Day is celebrated at different times of the year depending on where you are in the world. In the UK, it is coming up soon, and this year it is on Sunday, 16th June. If you are struggling to come up with Father’s Day gift ideas that are creative, demonstrate your love for your old man, and want to find something on a budget, we’ve got you covered. In the past, we’ve helped you come up with Secret Santa gifts on a budget and we hope we can help you with Father’s Day gift ideas too!
Not every gift you give to your father needs to be expensive. Obviously, there will be times (big birthdays, family anniversaries etc.) when you might want to save up some money over time and give them something special, but in the vast majority of cases, love and time are what your family members want from you in the same way that you want that from them.
Cook a breakfast
If you are lucky enough to be at home or have your father visiting this Father’s Day, why not treat them to breakfast on the day? You could take them out to some of your favourite breakfast and coffee spots in your student city, or you could cook them their favourite breakfast meal.
This could be eggs and bacon, a Full English/Scottish/Welsh/Irish (depending on where you are living) French toast, pancakes, a selection of fruit, or an omelette. Whatever it is, make it with love, care, and attention, and your dad will love the thought!
Plant a tree
For a father who loves nature, wildlife and the environment, what better way to keep the conversation going about sustainability than to plant a tree in your dad’s name?
Planting a tree is just one small step in helping reforestation efforts across the globe, and there are some incredible charities and organisations doing stellar work in this field.
By planting a tree today, you are helping bring forest habitats back to life and making a connection with your father that will last for years to come, watching a tree grow from seed to sapling and beyond, in the same way your father has nurtured you from a baby through childhood and now into adulthood.
Is your dad the DIY king?
Your dad loves doing a bit of DIY, right? Did he help you put together some stuff when you first moved into your student accommodation? Is he always busying himself around the home, never resting on Sunday but instead building something?
If this is the case, a personalised toolbox will become a cherished gift from you to your dad. You can buy personalised toolboxes that are sturdy and look great from individual artists on Etsy, eBay, and other online platforms.
Your dad will always see a message of love from you whenever he reaches into his toolbox for his hammer, drill, tape measure, screwdriver, or any other type of power tool he keeps in his toolbox.
For the music-lover
Is your dad from an age where he listened to records, CDs or cassette tapes? Especially for long journeys in the car, a cassette or CD ‘mixtape’ lovingly put together by you and your siblings is the perfect way to show your dad how much you care.
You can put all of his favourites on there, or songs that remind you of your time together when you were growing up, the songs that remind you of him.
Obviously, you might have to figure out the practicality of making one, but that’s all part of the fun and really demonstrates that you care!
A Day Out in the Wild
For a day out in the wild, the UK has a lot to offer in wildlife, coastal gems, heritage houses, and some of the best designated and protected pathways to go walking along.
The National Trust has a whole host of options for a great day out in the wild across the entire country. If this is something your father enjoys, a National Trust gift card could be a fantastic option for a Father’s Day gift idea.
Pint and a quiz
For those of your dads who love the pub and love a quiz, search out the best pub quizzes in your town and treat them to a night out with pints and trivia.
We’ve all seen how competitive dads get during games night as a kid, and their trivia knowledge of pretty much everything from past FA Cup winners, Eurovision Song Contest runners-up artists, and Oscar winners is second to none.
Why not take advantage of all that ‘pointless’ knowledge and win some pride (and maybe pub vouchers) down your local boozer?
A fancy meal or a tasty takeout
For an evening meal, you have a couple of choices. You can either cook, take your father out for a meal in the evening or get a takeout in. This choice might very much depend on what you did for breakfast (see point 1)!
If you go for the takeout route, you can get comfortable, choose a movie and have your dad’s favourite fish and chips, pizza, Indian takeaway, or Thai delivered right to your door for a low-fuss, low-cost celebration.
You can combine this by giving your dad the choice of entertainment for the night, whether that’s playing some games, sticking to his favourite records, or watching one of his favourite movies.
There are loads of different holiday celebrations throughout the year, from Valentine’s Day to St Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and more. We hope we’ve provided you with some great Father’s Day gift ideas for those of you who want to give your dad (or father figure) a thoughtful present that fits within your budget this year. What have you got planned as a present for your father this year? Is there anything we’ve missed that might make a good gift idea on a budget for those reading?