Canadian Gift Guide

So…Father’s Day is about a month away at this point. And while you’ll see MANY wonderful dad-oriented gift ideas over the next few weeks, I can tell you that there will only be two Father’s Day Friday posts – this week and June 1. Instead of dividing things up into husband vs. dad vs. father-in-law vs. last-minute, over the next two FDF posts, I’m just gathering five very dude-friendly ideas per post.

Password Vault – $49.95 @ Hammacher Schlemmer
My dad’s office is littered with not-so-hidden sticky notes detailing his usernames and passwords for half a dozen different sites. Most of us are riddled with dozens of accounts – some sensitive, like banking or insurance, others not-so-much, like discussion boards – and as a result, we get lazy with our password selection and updating. This handy gadget eliminates the need to either memorize a million account logins, or to have a stack of notes in your office. Simply input the website, user name, and password for up to 400 record accounts – suddenly the only password you need to jot down (or memorize) is for your vault. Best of all, it’s roughly the size of a SmartPhone, meaning it’s easy for the Father in your life to tuck into his laptop bag or briefcase and bring traveling, to work, or to the coffee shop down the street.

Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity – $18.80 @ Amazon.ca
Hot off the presses and tailor-made for Father’s Day, this exploration of manhood from Time Editor Joel Stein was spurred on by the revelation that his pregnant wife was expecting their first son together. Suddenly feeling ill-equipped in the manly man department (save for the babymaking component), Joel designed to bone up on what makes a guy a guy’s guy by dipping his toe into all the classic guy arenas: from working a 24-hour shift with a group of firefighters to fighting with a UFC champion to hunting in the great outdoors, Joel’s book combines firsthand experiences with secondhand advice from various manly figures in his life. By the end, he recognizes (thankfully) that one’s manliness is not measured by his muscles (or his you-know-what), but the size of his metaphorical heart. It’s still a laugh to get there though – and dad’s of any age will appreciate.

Stake 3-in-1 BBQ Tool – $29.99@ Quirky
I do 97% of the meal-making in my home but the one place I rarely touch is the grill. The same is probably true of the dad-like dudes in your life (but yay to my fellow ladies that can cook a perfect steak). This 3-in-1 BBQ doodad is a pretty nifty option for your fave Father’s Day giftee – it allows the grill master to flip burgers with the spatula, grab baked potatoes with the tongs, and even pierce hot dogs with the slide-out fork. Grab a couple of premium steaks and let him cook his own Father’s Day dinner just the way he likes it – but made even easier!

Bowen Track Jacket – $90 @ Roots
This sleek track jacket may be designed to take dad to & from the gym, but it’s retro-preppy styling make it an equally apropos fit for a round of golf on a windy day or a lightweight cover-up when watching the kids play soccer. Available in black, light grey, and charcoal-brown, it’s also a pick that spans age ranges – your thirty-something hubby or your fifty-something father will look equally kitted out with one of these slung over their shoulder.

Maca Root Collection – $10 – $18 each @ The Body Shop
The one grooming area most men tend to be sticklers on is their facial hair. Thankfully The Body Shop’s collection of For Men shaving and skincare products is here to elevate their daily razor tango to an all-out spa ritual that can be completed in mere minutes. The key ingredient? Maca Root, first used by the Incas more than 2,000 years ago, with benefits for today’s modern man including skin firmness, and overall endurance. Add to that fair trade ingredients like Peruvian brazil nut oil and Guatemalan organic aloe vera and you’ve got products that’ll keep his skin looking fresh and polished no matter whether he actually shaves or simply trims his facial scruff, and needs a good line of face care to keep him looking forever young (and handsome). Check out the full line including shaving cream and oil, moisturizers, protectors, and serums.