We all know that dads can sometimes get a bad rap, especially when it comes to being thoughtful in the gift giving department. Dads may mean well, but tired, cliché, or just plain nonexistent gifts can lead to major Mother's Day disappointment. But not this year, not on our watch!
We reached out to 20 dads who totally nailed it on past Mother's Day gifts and asked them to share what they gave and, more importantly, why it was the perfect gift for their wife or partner. Not only do their answers make us feel all sorts of mushy, there are some sincerely great gift ideas in here! No shame in forwarding this article on to a dad who might need some Mother's Day inspiration! Fair warning — some of these may cause some tears!
A Tree
"I think my best gift was the first Mother's Day gift I ever did. Our first baby died of SIDS a few months before Mother's Day, so I knew that would be a really hard day for her. I took some of her ashes and used them in planting a tree the blooms in the spring. I planted it on Mother's Day so we'd always be able to remember our first baby and that you are still a mother no matter what. Now we have a picnic there with our two kids every year." — Brian D., Abilene, Kansas
Gear & Time
"My wife is like Super Mom. She does so much but she sucks at taking time for herself. Last year I got her a really fancy snorkling set because I know how much she loves the water but I also blocked off three hours on every Saturday for the summer so she could go swimming by herself. She loved it!" — Brenden R., San Diego, California
Home Gym
"My wife was basically pregnant or nursing for 10 years straight, so after our fourth (and last!) baby was done, she said she wanted to pursue her dream of becoming a personal trainer. I got her a hotel room for Mother's Day and while she gone, I converted our garage into a home gym. She loved it and uses it almost every day." — Ryan W., St. Paul, Minnesota
Tinted Windows
"It doesn't sound very romantic, but my wife's favorite Mother's Day gift was the year I put really good tint on her car windows. She is really into skin care stuff and knowing that she was getting more sun protection on her long commute made her happy." — Dan K., Phoenix, Arizona
Beach Time
"Listen, as a guy, I can confidently say that no woman will ever be disappointed being sent on a weekend trip to the beach with her friends for Mother's Day! I've been trying to top that one for seven years now." — Michael H., Denver, Colorado
Bike for Two
"My wife had always wanted to do this tandem biking trip. I think tandem bikes are the dorkiest thing ever. So one year I sucked it up and we went on an all day tandem biking tour … with her parents. It was a lot." — Paul S., Providence, Rhode Island
Coffee Mug Collection
"Every year for Mother's Day I get my wife a new coffee mug that somehow relates to something we did that year. I've done mugs related to trips, to movies we liked, and even one with a picture of the author of her favorite book. I think she likes knowing I'm paying attention." — Marcus W., Kansas City, Missouri
Cooking Class
"My wife gets annoyed that she is always the one who has to plan date nights and stuff. So two years ago I signed us up for six weeks of cooking classes and she was so excited to have six weeks of dates with no planning." — Jason F., Ames, Iowa
Spa Day
"I'm not the most creative of people. So I just get my wife a spa day thing every year. I think she really likes it, because she was super bummed last year when COVID meant she had to skip it." — Erik B., Santa Fe, New Mexico
DVD Box Set
"When we were first together, we had a regular standing date to watch Friday Night Lights. Last year, I got her the box set of the whole series for Mother's Day. It was a good reminder of the time we had together before kids." — Jack B., Saint Louis Park, Minnesota
Weekend Away
"We had three kids in five years, so there was not very much down time for her (or me, but mostly her). When our youngest was 2, I got my mom to come for the weekend and rent a cabin on the lake for us. It was our first night without kids in seven years!" — Chris A., Lansing, Michigan
Training for Two
"I booked us some couples sessions with a personal trainer. It was fun to spend time together and she's super competitive, so it was fun to push each other to work harder." — Aaron S., Jacksonville, Florida
Fancy Gear
"The best gifts for my wife are always something a little bit better than she'd get for herself. She's frugral so she sometimes doesn't get stuff she really wants, like fancy gear for when she goes trail running." — Will S., Tucson, Arizona
Kid Craft
"My wife really likes homemade, thoughtful gifts so I always have the kids do a craft or make a memory book. This year we're all making a video of funny moments from this year. She'll love it." — Luke J., Dallas, Texas
Trampoline
"My wife always talked about how much she wanted a trampoline when she was a kid but her parents thought they were too dangerous. I'm a lot less responsible than her parents, so I got her one for Mother's Day!" — Nate W., Omaha, Nebraska
DNA Test
"I got my wife, whose adopted, one of those home DNA kits and she actually found her birth mom through it! Now we have another mom to celebrate on Mother's Day." — Clark E., Oakland, California
Sloth Time
"My wife loves sloths. Her favorite animal by far. For Mother's Day, I surprised her by telling her we were going on a trip to a sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. She lost her damn mind. Tears and everything. It was the best." — Quincy S., Boston, Massachusetts
Relaxation Time
"I got my wife subscriptions to three magazines and a whole bunch of bath stuff. She works way too hard, so I wanted to make sure she has a reason to relax (she loves to read in the tub). I think she liked that I was trying to make sure she gets downtime." — Alex T., Edison, New Jersey
Sleep In
"Look, it isn't a gift, exactly but if you aren't making sure that your wife gets to sleep in on Mother's Day, you are straight up doing it wrong. Sleeping in plus coffee is the right start to every Mother's Day." — Oliver H., Colorado Springs, Colorado
Tulip Time
"My wife is from the Netherlands and misses it there a lot. Last year I planted 200 tulip bulbs as a Mother's Day gift and she said it made her feel a little more connected to home and her own mom." — Henry V., Des Moines, Iowa
