Christmas Gifts for Father-in-Law: Ideas for the Holiday Visit
By the Giftruly editorsUpdated 18 hand-picked ideas
Christmas with your father-in-law tends to follow a pattern. There's the arrival, the handshake that's slowly turning into a hug, the tour of whatever he has fixed since your last visit, and then long stretches of the day when the two of you are somehow the only ones left in the living room. A good Christmas gift helps with all of it. It gives him something to open in front of the family that clearly wasn't an afterthought, and with luck it gives the two of you something to do.
This page follows the holiday itself: the man who carves the roast, the slow afternoon between lunch and pie, the years you spend Christmas with the other side of the family and have to ship his present, the cold-weather chores he takes on the morning after, and a handful of stocking stuffers that come from you rather than from his own kids.
For birthdays and the rest of the year, see our main gifts for father-in-law guide. Buying for both of your partner's parents? Pair this with Christmas gifts for mother-in-law, and if he's a grandfather several times over, Christmas gifts for grandpa has more along these lines.
Know exactly who it's for?
Tell Truly about them in a sentence. You'll get ideas picked for them, each with a reason why.
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Short on time?
For the man in charge of the holiday roast
In plenty of families, the Christmas roast belongs to him. He chooses it, he decides when it comes out of the oven and he stands at the head of the table with a knife while everyone waits. Gifts that support that role are a quiet compliment: they say you've noticed he's good at this.
Mind the tone. A gadget that implies last year's turkey was dry will be remembered for a long time.
- 1
Electric Carving Knife
~$35
Two serrated blades slide back and forth so he can slice a ham, a turkey breast or a prime rib into even pieces without sawing at it. It makes the big moment at the head of the table look effortless, and it comes back out for Easter and every large family dinner after that. A corded model costs less and never runs out of charge halfway through the bird.
- 2
Personalized Engraved Cutting Board
~$50
A large hardwood board engraved with the family name or a short line from the two of you, for carving at the table. It works well as a joint gift because it ties him to the role he already plays every Christmas, and it gets used year after year. Look for one with a juice groove around the edge; roasts leak more than anyone remembers.
- 3
ThermoPro Instant-Read Meat Thermometer
~$25
A quick-reading digital thermometer he can use to check the roast in a couple of seconds, without leaving the oven door hanging open while the whole kitchen weighs in. It's an inexpensive add-on to a bigger gift and just as handy on the grill in July. Present it as backup for his judgment, never as a replacement for it.
Something to do between lunch and pie
Every Christmas has a slow stretch in the afternoon, after the meal and before anyone has room for dessert. Some fathers-in-law nap through it. Plenty of others would happily spend it at a card table with whoever's willing, and a game is the easiest way for a son- or daughter-in-law to spend an hour with him without hunting for a topic.
- 4~$30
Wooden Cribbage Board Set
Cribbage tends to run in families, so ask your partner whether he grew up playing. If he did, he'll want to teach you; if not, it's quick to learn together.
Board Game Fansfun - 5~$30
Poker Chip Set with Case
A cased set of chips for a family card game after dinner, played for nickels or for nothing at all. It turns a casual hand into an event the grandkids want in on.
Board Game Fansfun - 6~$55
Wooden Chess Set with Folding Board
A wooden set that folds into its own box. Best for a patient, quiet father-in-law who prefers one long game to a noisy table. Leave it at his house for your next visit.
Board Game FansHomebodiesluxe - 7~$30
Classic Western Movies DVD Collection
A box of the westerns he grew up on, for the part of the afternoon when everyone is too full to move. Make sure he still owns a working DVD player first.
Movie Loverssentimental
The year you're with the other side of the family
Most couples alternate, so every other December you'll be with your own parents, or at home, and your father-in-law will open his gift without you in the room. That's fine, but it changes what works. Pick something that ships well and needs no explanation; a gadget that has to be set up is a poor choice when you're three states away. Food is ideal, because it arrives ready to enjoy and gets shared with whoever is at his table.
Order early. Ground shipping gets slow and unpredictable in the last two weeks before Christmas, and perishable boxes often ship only early in the week so they don't sit in a warehouse over a weekend. Aim for delivery by the 20th, let your partner's family know it's coming so nobody opens it as a mystery package, and set up a video call for Christmas Day so you can watch him unwrap it. He may act as though the call is a fuss. He'll be on it anyway.
Gifts that ship well when you can't be there
These all travel by mail without drama, arrive ready to enjoy and suit a man who'd rather have something good to eat than another object to find room for. They're also handy if you're flying in and don't want to fight the overhead bin with a heavy box.
- Our favorite8
Smoked Salmon Gift Box
~$50
Our pick for the years you're apart. Shelf-stable smoked salmon comes in sealed packs that don't need ice on the way, so it can wait on his porch for an afternoon, and it turns into an appetizer for the whole family on Christmas Eve. It suits the father-in-law who fishes or simply prefers savory to sweet. Read the listing carefully; a few boxes include items that do need refrigeration.
- 9
English Butter Toffee Gift Tin
~$28
Crunchy butter toffee coated in chocolate and chopped nuts, the kind of old-fashioned holiday candy that disappears from the kitchen counter faster than anyone admits. The tin keeps it fresh in the mail and for weeks afterward. Skip it if he has a nut allergy or has been grumbling about his dental work, since toffee is hard on fillings.
- 10
Beef Jerky Gift Box
~$30
An assortment of jerky flavors in a gift crate, sturdy enough for any delivery truck. It's a savory alternative to the cookies and chocolate everyone else will send, and it keeps him going through the bowl games in the week between Christmas and New Year. A good one to add on if the main gift feels small.
By the fire and out in the cold
In a lot of houses, the December chores belong to him: hauling wood, scraping the windshield before church, shoveling the walk before anyone else is awake. These gifts make the cold parts of his Christmas a little easier and the warm parts a little better.
The bigger ones here are good candidates for splitting with your partner's siblings.
- 11
Waxed Canvas Firewood Log Carrier
~$35
A heavy waxed canvas sling for carrying split logs from the woodpile to the hearth in one trip. It ends the trail of bark and wood chips across the floor that someone in the house has probably been mentioning for years. Only for a man with a working fireplace or wood stove, of course; ask your partner whether he still lights his.
- 12
Wooden Nut Bowl with Nutcracker
~$35
A turned wooden bowl with a nutcracker and picks in the middle, made for walnuts and pecans in the shell. Cracking nuts by the fire is an old holiday habit that keeps restless hands busy during the parade or the game, and the bowl comes out every December after. Buy a bag of mixed nuts to go with it so he can start on Christmas afternoon.
- 13
Heated Fleece Vest
~$70
A fleece vest with heating panels powered by a rechargeable battery, worn under his coat for shoveling, splitting wood or standing at an outdoor game. It's the biggest gift in this section and an easy one to share with siblings. Check whether the battery is included before you order; some listings sell it separately, and he'll need his size.
- 14
Electric Boot and Glove Dryer
~$50
A plug-in dryer that warms wet boots and gloves overnight so they're dry by morning. Practical rather than thrilling, but a father-in-law who spends winter weekends outside will use it every time it snows. It suits work boots and winter gloves; check the fit if he wears tall rubber boots.
Stocking stuffers from the son- or daughter-in-law
Small, useful extras that show you pay attention to how he actually spends his days. Each costs about $30 or less, and any of them can be tucked into a joint gift.
15.Car Ice Scraper with Mitt ~$14
An ice scraper with a fleece-lined mitt attached, for the man who clears everyone's windshield before the drive to church.
16.Leather Work Gloves for Men ~$25
Cowhide gloves for the woodpile and for wrestling the Christmas tree into its stand. His current pair probably has a hole in one fingertip.
17.Classic Folding Pocket Knife ~$30
A simple folding knife for opening boxes, cutting twine and peeling an apple. Check with your partner that he doesn't already carry one he's attached to.
18.Whiskey Water Dropper Set ~$15
A small glass bottle and pipette for adding water to whiskey a few drops at a time. Only for a father-in-law who keeps a good bottle and takes it seriously.
Shop this guide by price
Under $25
$25–$50
Before the drive to his house
Work out who he is on Christmas Day. The man who carves, the man who naps and the man who heads outside to split wood all want different gifts.
Ask your partner which past presents he actually used. That answer is usually shorter, and far more useful, than any wish list.
Ship anything heavy or perishable straight to his house by the 20th, and keep the small things for your carry-on.
If the family splits a big gift, add something small from the two of you, so there's still a box with your names on it.
Still drawing a blank? Describe him to our gift finder: how he spends the holidays, what he does outdoors and what he never seems to buy himself.
Father-in-law Christmas FAQ
What's a good Christmas gift for a father-in-law I don't know well?
Something to eat or something to do together. A food gift like smoked salmon or toffee is generous without being personal, and a card game such as cribbage gives the two of you an easy way to spend an hour together over the holidays.
How much should I spend on my father-in-law for Christmas?
Follow your partner's lead and the family's habits. For most couples, $30 to $80 for a joint gift is comfortable. For something larger, like a heated vest, consider splitting the cost with your partner's siblings rather than outspending them.
What can I send my father-in-law if we're not visiting for Christmas?
Choose food or something that needs no setup: a smoked salmon box, a toffee tin, a jerky crate or a deck of cards with a cribbage board. Order early in December, aim for delivery by the 20th and plan a video call so you can see him open it.
Is it OK to give my father-in-law alcohol for Christmas?
Only if your partner confirms he drinks and enjoys it, and that it won't cause tension at a family gathering. A whiskey accessory, like a water dropper, is a lighter way to nod to the hobby if he already has a favorite bottle.