Why Socks are Great Gifts for Father's Day!
We know how difficult finding gifts for Dads can be because Dads usually tend to buy whatever they need throughout the year.
But once upon a time, there was a dad who owned a swanky Italian espresso machine that drizzled out silky smooth americanos. He wore the same haircut from the same hairdressers for 40 years and his outfits consisted of two colours: black and grey.
When birthdays, Christmas and Father’s Day came around, he said there isn’t anything he wanted. But if you ask if there’s anything he needed. “Socks,” he’ll say.
As most of us will do, we’ll simply ignore this request because it sounds silly! Socks?! Year after year his kids put their funds together for new golf clubs, new blazers, box sets with his favourite action films, fancy headphones and basically anything you’d normally find in a gift guide for Dads. He was always grateful and appreciative, of course, but in a slightly perfunctory way.
Finally, this dad got the socks he’d been asking for for years and when he unwrapped them his eyes lit up and he started to chuckle. “Finally, his laugh seemed to say. Finally, you idiots actually listened to me. What we’d always assumed was a nothingburger response was actually a genuine, heartfelt request. He’d really wanted socks, because they are simple and utilitarian and the kind of thing you often forget to buy for yourself. He folded all those pairs into a meticulous, Marie-Kondo-approved drawer, and for the next few days would legitimately hike his pants up and show them off to people like, “My son bought me these.”
So, give a Dad what he really wants but always forgets to buy. Socks are the simplest but greatest gift you can get a dad for Father's Day.
You are also guaranteed to make him smile when he finds out that his new socks have also helped someone in need!
Story inspired by GQ, This Father’s Day, Just Give Your Dad Socks, Yang-Yi Goh: https://www.gq.com/story/fathers-day-gift-ideas-get-him-socks