June 19th is the big day and you don't want to get it wrong. 

Father's Day is coming in hot just in time to kick off the summer. Whether your gifting for your dear old dad or a newcomer to the world of New Balances and Home Depot runs, I've compiled some advice on how to nail this years holiday. 

I Give Cool Gifts is the ultimate destination for gift-giving advice and inspiration, and after 5 years consulting thousands on the perfect gift, here are my five do's and don'ts of Father's Day gifting.

#1 DO: PLAN AHEAD

If you're reading this on June 18th, you are SOL. 

Otherwise, the easiest thing you can do to set yourself up for gifting success is to start planning well ahead of the big day. There are a ton of advantages to planning ahead that will elevate your gift and take it to the next level. 

One of the hallmarks (pun intended) of Father's Day and Mother's Day gifting is the card. If you plan ahead, you can expand your options and stay away from the generic Snoopy Father's Day card. My recommendation is to explore Etsy and search by some of dad's interests to find the perfect card. Formula 1 dad's thing? Toto Wolff here to wish him the best. Dad have a specific temperature he keeps the air conditioning at? Get him this card, stat!

The other benefit of planning ahead allows you to customize a gift for dad. A gift can become much more sentimental and impactful when personalized for the recipient. For dapper dog dads, pocket a set of Custom Pet Portrait Cufflinks. Turn a prep station into a prep inspiration with a Personalized Ultimate Home Cook Cutting Board. 

Bottom line: plan head.

#1 DON'T OVERSPEND

A common myth around gift-giving is you have to spend a lot in order to appease the recipient. I see so many people get tricked into thinking that price is indicative of a quality gift. Don't get me wrong, there is no denying the correlation between price and quality, but that philosophy doesn't ALWAYS translate to gifting. 

I guarantee you can find a cool gift, either on I Give Cool Gifts, or elsewhere under $150. While there are some gifts in my Father's Day section above that buck fifty price, there's plenty of gems in the sub-Ben Franklin category available including the Hatch Restore Smart Sleep Assistant, Logitech Lift Ergonomic Mouse, and the Authentic TPC Sawgrass Golf Ball Bottle Opener. 

Keep your wallet happy.

#2 DO COMBINE POWERS

"You can make it, but it's easier if you don't have to do it alone" - Betty Ford (who I imagine was talking about gift-giving.)

If you have multiple siblings, it's best to combine powers to unite for one super cool gift Captain Planet style. You don't need to be the hero and often times the nail the sticks out (goes rogue and buys their own gift) gets hammered. Pooling funds and ideas with siblings, cousins or parents will enable you to make the most out of the gifting experience and feel like the family came together as one for dad.

Gifts where everyone can chip in can extend to personalized gifts like the Custom Create-Your-Own Reel Viewer. Have everyone pick their favorite memory and commemorate it as a slide in this iconic 90s photo carousel. 

#2 DON'T OVERTHINK IT

Overthinking it can be one of the most common mistakes people make when gifting. If your dad is anything like mine, sometimes the simple things that show you care are more than enough. Maybe it was a conversation you had about a trip or one of those things that they use every day, sometimes the simplest gift is the best.

For years I typically slip in a box of Whoopers in with whatever gift I give my dad—knowing full well he can't pass up on the sweet indulgence of those chocolate malt balls year after year. 

If you can't think of a home run gift, consider putting more effort into the Father's Day card. A conundrum I ran into a few years back for my dad's birthday, I decided to capture the 59 (age he was turning) reasons I love him. While the list caused my hand to suffer more than the soreness felt after an AP Lang exam, the card did the trick and some tears were shed. 

Like I said, don't overthink it. Go for the heart (or the tastebuds).

#3 DO SOME RECOGNIZANCE

One of the best assets to your advantage is an agent behind enemy lines: Mom

Doing some recon with mom can help narrow down your search for the perfect gift. Here's some ideas for probing questions:

• What show has he been watching lately? 
• What is something that has frustrated him?
• What does he love to snack on? 
• When he tells someone a story about his kids, which does he choose? 
• What does he have too much of? Not enough?

After some detective work, my step-mom mentioned that my dad was having trouble finding the right fitting earbuds which led me to Ultimate Ears' UE FITS Custom Fit Earbuds. They were a smash hit. 

Doing some recon is guaranteed to increase the likelihood of that "how did you know??" moment. 

#3 DON'T GO FULL DAD JOKE

While I am a staunch supporter of dad jokes as a whole, I'd caution prospective father's day gift-givers to not be allured by certain dad jokes when it comes to presents.

The opportunities to weave in tongue-in-cheek jokes on old dad are endless, but more often than not, dad will end up with some gimmicky thing he'll set down when he gets home and ultimately thrown away in the next purge. 

There are ways to take advantage of a little humor, or even a prank, but still give dad something cool he can use and appreciate. Take, for instance, a faux box including the Crib Dribbler for new dads or the Hide-a-Poo Rock for lazy dog dads. Each box will typically run you less than $10 but still add a little flare to your gift. 

A few years back I pranked my dad with fake tickets I printed him before ultimately giving him his real gift. He still talks about it to this day. The real gift was tickets to see Chris Rock live...which he also talks about often. 

Save the joke for the wind-up and keep the cool stuff for the delivery.

#4 DO MAKE IT AN EXPERIENCE

The gift-giving experience is both incredibly complex and yet shockingly simple. If you follow my tips from above, you'll remember to give from the heart, not overthink it and do your research to create a memorable experience for you and your dad. 

One of the most overlooked aspects of the gift-giving experience is in fact the experience. In some cultures, like Japan, gift-giving is a sacred ritual where recipients open gifts in private so their reactions don't offend one another. In my house, the reaction is everything—which is why often times I'll focus on the actual experience as opposed to the gift itself. 

Back in 2015 I was fresh out of college and fresh out of cash. I wanted to create something unique for my family without breaking the bank. Knowing their love for travel, I decided to get creative with a Sharper Image VR Headset and some savvy photoshopping. 

When the moment arrived, I handed each recipient an envelope. Inside they found a plane ticket to a different destination that complimented their interests. Passes to a Hawaiian beach for my step-mom, tickets to an Clemson Football Game for my brother, and an invitation aboard an Alaskan ocean line cruiser prime for whale-spotting for my dad. Confused looks flooded the room faster than the rising Hawaiian tide, at which point I whipped out the headset and allowed each family member to take turns visiting their destination du jour. 

The lesson here is think about how to create an experience that can enjoyed in that moment or in the future in lieu of the latest gadget. Explore experience based gifts like this Adventure Challenge Scrapbook or the TikTok Challenge Game if you want to really push dad out of his comfort zone.

#4 DON'T FORGET

This may feel like a redundant tip to end on but there's nothing more impactful when it comes to gift-giving than admitting you forgot. 

We're all very busy in our own worlds and it's impossible to cross off every task on your to-do list. After five years of gift consulting and two decades of gift-giving, even the smallest gesture outweighs the crushing admission of forgetfulness.

Gift-giving is a form of love, and although it might not be everyone's cup of tea, it has the power to enhance and transform relationships. If you find yourself consistently in situations where you fail to anticipate life's big moments, here's a few tips to CYA. 

• Set Reminders: The best thing about birthdays is that they're the same day every year. Take 10-20 minutes out of your day once a year and set reminders one month in advance of milestones for all of the important people in your life. Facebook makes it easy enough to find a full list of occasions, so there's no excuse to helping your future self by setting a few reminders. 
• Keep a Running List: One tip I always share with people when they ask how to improve their gift-giving is to keep a running list of ideas for each recipient. I have a list in my Notes App titled "2022 Gift Tracker" so that throughout the year I can jot down different gifts or ideas that pop into mind for each person. This is incredibly useful has you approach the holidays and are overwhelmed with the amount of people you need to shop for. 
• Keep a Few Gifts Handy: Having a few bottles of wine or whiskey handy along with some nice gift bags can come incredibly handy in a pinch. You may not win over someone's heart with a last minute bottle of Glenlivet, but you'll definitely be able to check the box when a big day creeps up on you and you're out of other ideas. 

Cue the Simple Minds and don't you..forget to get a gift.

I hope you enjoyed these tips on Father's Day gift-giving. For a full list of my recommendations for Father's Day 2022, check out this blog and explore I Give Cool Gifts for more ideas. 

May your gifts be cool, and the time spent with friends and family even cooler.