40th birthday gifts for him
Forty tends to show up as a quiet Tuesday. The kids have practice, the car needs inspecting, and his own gear sits in the garage. The big 4-0 is a good excuse to dust it off, or to give him a day that's only his.
Eleven kinds of gift below, from the backyard to the ballpark. Pick one, or add a few to a wish list and let him choose.
The thing he used to do
Everyone drops something when life gets busy. Pick the gear up again.
Hobbies
Beginner guitar and a lesson gift certificate
Typical price $100 and up
He was in a band once. Ask him about it.
Sport
Batting cage pass and a new fielder's glove
Typical price $50 to $100
Thirty swings, and he'll feel it tomorrow.
Sport
A season of rec league softball or basketball, paid for
Typical price $50 to $100
A game on the calendar that isn't a meeting.
Time that's just his
A few hours when nobody needs a ride or a snack.
Experiences
Weekend road trip in a rented convertible
Typical price $100 and up
Two days, no schedule, his pick on the radio.
Outdoors
Tailgate kit with a folding table and portable grill
Typical price $50 to $100
Turns any parking lot into his spot.
Experiences
Lower-level seats at a big-league game
Typical price $100 and up
The game he's watched on TV all season.
The year he was born
Forty years of his own story, in a box or on a shelf.
Personalised
Reprint of a newspaper from the day he was born
Typical price $25 to $50
He'll read all of it, box scores included.
Games and books
Almanac or yearbook of his birth year
Typical price $25 to $50
Who won, what it cost, what was number one.
Personalised
Box of forty handwritten notes from friends and family
Typical price under $25
He'll read them alone first, then show you one.
For the yard and the years ahead
A nudge, not a comment on his fitness.
Sport
Running sneakers fitted in a specialty shop
Typical price $100 and up
Gets him out on the road without the sore knees.
Sport
Cornhole set with carrying bags
Typical price $50 to $100
Gets the whole cookout competing.
More gift guides
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Gifts for him
Sorted by what he carries, what he's into and what you can do together.
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50th birthday gifts for dad
Fifty years of stories, a ballpark road trip and a group gift.
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Gifts for him under $50
Between $25 and $50, from snacks and car gear to a night out.