Father’s Day is just around the corner (Sunday June 18th, to save you having to Google!) and this year Boots are celebrating all the different types of dads and father figures with their Love for All Dads campaign.

They have a huge selection of Father’s Day Gifts available online at boots.com and to show you some of the wide range (and provide you with a bit of gifting inspo) I thought that I’d pick out presents for some of the most famous fathers the world has ever known:

Father Time, The Godfather and… Father Christmas.

Don’t say I never give you anything. Here goes.

Father Time

I’ll admit I knew very little about Father Time; I had to do some in-depth research on him before deciding on an appropriate gift. I read that he was often depicted as an elderly bearded man and so that did throw up a bit of a quandary: who would appreciate a beard-trimmer more? Christmas or Time? Then I found out that Father Time sometimes had wings and I thought that perhaps something to smooth his feathers might be a good shout; he also carries a scythe – bit antisocial – and so I wondered whether a bit of colourful hair dye, maybe pink, might make him look less menacing and a bit more approachable.

But no. I didn’t want to get too carried away with his Father’s Day present and choose something he’d then have to return. Even if he does have all of the time in the world, he doesn’t want to waste it traipsing back and forth to the post office with all of the unwanted things I’ve gifted him. The packets of pink hair dye or – and this was my other idea – the cross-body bag in which to safely carry the hourglass and clock he has to cart about with him – would have to be relegated to the rejects pile.

In the end I picked out something I knew he’d appreciate – anyone who’s been alive for more than twenty years would welcome this onto their bathroom shelf and he’s been alive for, well, forever. It’s No7 Men Protect and Perfect Advanced Serum, designed to target deep lines and wrinkles. No7 serums are renowned for delivering anti-ageing results and this one is no different. Slides on quickly and easily beneath any moisturiser or sunscreen, it’s the ultimate no-fuss big-results addition to any skincare routine. If you can persuade him to have one… it’s £24.95 at Boots.

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The Godfather

Did you know that Boots have a whole selection of activities and experiences to buy as gifts? Everything from supercar driving to aeroplane lessons, helicopter rides to clay pigeon shooting. Nobody in their right mind would trust Don Corleone with an actual gun, so Clay Pigeon shooting was out, but I thought that perhaps Paintballing would be a suitable (and safe) alternative. The Godfather and three of his friends can choose a convenient paintballing location and then fire at each other to their hearts’ content, knowing that they’re not going to start a New York mob war.

I think that there’s an experience gift for virtually every type of dad, on the Boots website. It’s an absolute superstore of activities. So you could be nice, and get something that the recipient will actually like (a relaxing afternoon tea, perhaps, if that’s their jam), or you could really stitch them up and buy them an experience fit for only the most extreme adrenaline junkie. The choice is yours.

Paintballing for four is £20 at Boots.com

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Father Christmas

I don’t think anyone would have bought Father Christmas a beard trimmer before. It’s a bit presumptuous, isn’t it? We all know he likes to keep it long and fluffy over the holiday period. But – aha! What about the times in-between? Do you really think he wants to cart around that monstrosity 365 days a year?

Step forward the Philips Series 9000 Prestige Beard Trimmer with Steel Precision Technology and BeardAdapt Sensor. Now look: this is no ordinary beard trimmer. It’s like the Rolls Royce of beard trimmers. Sleek, steel-bodied, expensively weighty in the hand. Just sliding it from its carry case is a sensorial experience, really enjoyable, even for me and I don’t have a beard. Much.

This is what Santa needs from December 26th until the Autumn. To trim it all off. He’ll find that his beard, come the following Christmas, will be far more shapely and fluffy thanks to his annual shearing.

But this isn’t a trimmer reserved exclusively for Father Christmas: mere mortals may also witness the stylish prowess of the 9000 Prestige. It’s £109.99 at Boots – one for all of the boys who’ve been very, very good.

(And if you’re looking for something other than a shaver, this Gifts for Him page has all the options in one place, from skincare to aftershaves and more.)

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So that’s the three most famous fathers catered for. But what about all of the other dads? Where to start?

Well honestly, I’ve exhausted myself with all of this thinking but I’ll give you a bonus recommendation for all of the stylish fathers out there: Gucci Guilty Pour Homme. Specifically the Eau de Parfum.

The Parfum is so sleek and sexy. The bottle is a bit of a showstopper – it has a definite “if Batman wore scent” vibe – and the fragrance itself is warm, woody and manageably exotic. It’s a crowd-pleaser but in a massively sophisticated way – and who doesn’t want something a bit luxurious and stylish from the House of Gucci? Daddy, Daddy Cool.

Gucci Guilty Pour Homme Parfum is £83.30 at Boots.

And if you’re still stuck for ideas then check out this Gifts for Dad guide for more inspiration.

Prices are correct at time of writing and while stocks last.

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Right, I’m going to stop there. There’s a real risk that some of my gift ideas might backfire on me. I want to state this right now: I can’t be held totally responsible if Santa turns up clean-shaven for Christmas 2023…

Image credits Boots and Unsplash