There are many ways to appreciate your stepfather’s role in your life. If you are thinking of heartwarming gift ideas for stepdads for Father’s day or to celebrate an unofficial “stepfather’s day” with your bonus dad, a thoughtful gift can show them that you care.
Some bonus dads become healthy mentors while others become father figures for their stepchildren. Here are a few thoughtful and budget-friendly gift ideas for every kind of stepdad.
The Benefits of Gift-Giving
1. Better Health
Giving away gifts comes with many benefits, even better health! For one thing, gift-giving reduces stress by releasing oxytocin, the chemical that lowers your blood pressure.
As a comparison, higher cortisol levels are linked to more feelings of low self-esteem. Thus, higher oxytocin levels lead to decreased anxiety and better mental health overall. In other words, gift-giving leads to more self-esteem and better stress management.
2. Positive Connections
Before giving someone a gift, you have to be with them in person or through another means of communication. Whether you’re attending someone’s birthday party or on a Zoom call watching someone open up a gift you shipped to them, gift-giving builds connection.
Generally speaking, the more thought you put into someone’s gift, the more they trust you. Simply put, gift-giving strengthens bonds with loved ones and gives us essential social opportunities.
3. Happiness and Confidence
If you’ve ever felt a little giddy after giving someone the perfect gift, there’s scientific evidence to explain why that happens. This is sometimes known as the “Helper’s High,” a phenomenon that occurs when your brain releases oxytocin.
After this happens, your brain releases other “feel-good” chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. In other words, gift-giving makes you feel happier. Other researchers have discovered that people who give randomly without prompt from others are more likely to have high levels of self-esteem.
4. Increases Gratitude
Increased happiness is also associated with gratitude. Although many people who receive gifts are more likely to express gratitude overtly, the giver can also feel similar emotions.
This is because watching someone receive a gift you put a lot of thought into makes them feel appreciated. In summary, the power of gratitude can increase happiness, relationships with loved ones, and overall health.
5. Expressing Love
Gift-giving is a profound expression of love. When one person shows generosity to another, it inspires others to do the same. It should also be mentioned that gift-giving doesn’t have to be extravagant and can cover many ideas.
Do you know someone who likes to cook? Make them their favorite dish! Interested in giving back to your community? Volunteer for a charity of your choice. Even random acts of kindness can encourage others to follow your leadership.
Budget-Friendly Gifts for Stepdads
Coffee Sampler
Got a bonus dad that loves their morning cup of coffee? Order a coffee sampler with a wide variety of blends and flavors! This handy coffee sampler introduces you to single origins coffee and expertly created blends.
It comes with whole-bean coffee, detailed profiles about each roaster, how to brew the coffee, and even tasting tips! Your bonus dad will love the thoughtfulness and experimentation surrounding this caffeinated, delicious gift!
Travel Laptop Backpack
Whether your stepdad works from home or simply enjoys a change of scenery while on the job, there’s no better way to protect their laptop than with a backpack! This laptop backpack is specifically designed to keep your stepdad’s electronics safe, and the reviews are raving!
This travel laptop backpack has convenient compartments, a USB port, anti-theft pockets, and a luggage strap. Better yet, it’s only $30! Give your working bonus dad a practical and long-lasting gift with this laptop backpack!
Movie Night Popcorn and Seasoning Packet
Is your bonus dad a film buff? Do you have an upcoming movie night planned together? Bring along this scrumptious popcorn and seasoning packet for the two of you to enjoy while watching your favorite movie. This fun packet of popcorn comes with a wide selection of flavors and seasonings.
Choose from a selection of fluffy white gold, crunchy ruby red, and a sweet tricolor blend of popcorn! This packet includes seasonings such as buttery caramel, white cheddar, sweet and salty kettle corn, and chili lime.
Bonus Dad Stainless Steel Travel Mug
What better way to express your love for your stepdad than by giving them a special “Bonus Dad” travel mug? They’ll be delighted to see their role in your life whenever they take a sip of their favorite drink.
If you notice your stepdad rushing out the door without ever getting a chance to bring a drink for the road, this stainless steel travel mug is perfect! This travel mug is vacuum insulated for any occasion to keep warm drink hots and cold drinks cool.
Stepped Up Dad Picture Frame
Give them this thoughtful picture frame to honor your stepdad for going the extra mile and becoming an amazing father figure. This beautiful picture frame comes with a poignant poem featuring one crucial line: “You may not have given me life, but life gave me you.” How sweet is that?
As a bonus, you can sign off this picture frame with your first name for a one-of-a-kind gift! In some cases, the person that truly “stepped up” and became a positive parental role in your life was your bonus dad.
Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Is your stepdad always tuning into the latest game? Does your bonus dad love to blast music while performing everyday tasks? Does their idea of free time look like a day spent on the patio with their favorite music in the background?
Give them this high-quality Bluetooth speaker that they can take with them wherever they go! If you’re immediately skeptical about the price point, you might be surprised to know that this speaker only costs $27!
Slippers
If your bonus dad’s expressing pain in their feet, they may need a little cushioning while hanging around the house. To help relieve their feet of pain or irritation!
These handy slippers contour around your bonus dad’s feet to give them all-day comfort, no matter what they’re doing! They’re also made of moisture-resistant materials to keep their feet warm without uncomfortable sweat build-up.
Utility Bracelet
This functional, practical, and convenient utility bracelet is excellent for bonus dads who always seem to be fixing things or engaging in outdoor activities! Sold at a reasonable price of $40, this utility bracelet comes with a multi-functional knife and flat head screwdriver.
Made from high-quality materials, your bonus dad can handle any minor obstacle that comes their way! Stylish and useful, this utility bracelet is a fantastic gift for stepdads!
Charging Station
Is your bonus always asking where they put his phone, earbuds, or Apple Watch? If you answered yes to any or all of these, they might need a singular designated location for their electronics.
This charging station can be placed at any convenient location to help your stepdad locate lost belongings. Can’t find their phone? It might be on their charging station. Plus, as the name suggests, their electronics can be charged in an organized spot!
Make Your Hot Sauce Kit
Have a bonus dad that loves to cook or use as many spices in their food as possible? This hot sauce kit allows them to experiment with several different ingredients to create their own condiment! With this DIY hot sauce kit, they can go as mild or spicy as they’d like.
Plus, this can be an excellent opportunity to spend time with your stepdad if they’d like some help creating their hot sauce! This sauce kit includes instructions, ingredients, and all the supplies they’ll need. Plus, once they finish making the sauce, they get to name it themselves!
Thoughtful and Personalized Gifts
Personalized Dad Book
This one might make your stepdad cry! Nothing says “thoughtfulness” more than a personalized book filled with sentimental notes from their stepchildren. There are many routes you can take with dad books. Some sites like Amazon or Etsy have pre-printed writing prompts that you can fill in with personalized thoughts.
Otherwise, consider taking some time to create a dad book from scratch! There’s no right or wrong answer, but we can guarantee that there won’t be a dry eye in the room!
Personalized Mug
Personalized mugs are great since you can be as funny or as serious as you’d like! Mugs can range from simple, sweet statements like “World’s Best Bonus Dad” or complete paragraphs of sentimental poems.
The best way to figure out what kind of mug they’d like is to consider their personality traits and what you think they’d appreciate in a mug. Funny mugs may be great for one bonus dad, while another may appreciate a more thoughtful, sweet approach. Search on sites like Etsy or Amazon and see if anything sticks out to you!
Personalized Wallet
A classic gift that’s always useful takes the extra step to make it thoughtful by purchasing a high-quality personalized wallet. This durable leather wallet allows you to personalize the outside and inside of your stepdad’s new gift.
They allow you to include up to 40 words inside the wallet. Have their name monogrammed on the front with a special message to your bonus dad on the inside. Your stepdad will treasure this thoughtful gift for years to come!
Personalized Grill Set
Generally speaking, dads are famous for their top-notch grilling skills. If you have a stepdad who loves to grill out and cook in the great outdoors, this personalized grill set will set them apart from the rest!
Personalized with an engraving of their name on the carrying case, this grill set comes with 11 pieces, including tongs, a spatula, a brush, and a heat glove. Your bonus dad will love this thoughtful and valuable gift that enhances their grilling skills!
Personalized Keychain
A keychain is a classic gift that can be as simple or thoughtful as you want it to be. If you’d like to honor a bonus dad who positively impacted your life, get them this incredibly beautiful and thoughtful personalized keychain.
This keychain includes details like engraved handcrafted leather and stainless steel. Personalize your stepdad’s gift by adding your name, their favorite quote, or another special message of your choice!
Personalized Duffle Bag
Does your bonus dad travel for work? Do they love to explore the world and embark on exciting adventures? Maybe they’re involved with a certain activity that requires a lot of supplies.
If you said yes to any of these, they might make great use of a high-quality duffel bag. Plus, adding a personalization of their name can help them identify their duffle bag immediately. With a personalized duffle bag, your bonus dad can embark on their travels without stress!
If your stepdad’s birthday is coming up and you don’t know what to get him, here are creative gifts every stepdad will love.
