Dad cufflinks are what happens when a homemade gift grows up. The drawing that would once have gone on the fridge ends up on his cuffs instead, where it goes with him to meetings, weddings and every event where he's expected to look smart. Whether he wears a shirt and tie every day or only for special occasions, personalised cufflinks for dad remind him of home without saying a word.
Birthdays, Father's Day and everything between
Father's Day is the obvious moment, but personalised dad cufflinks suit a surprising number of occasions:
- His birthday, particularly a milestone like 40, 50 or 60.
- A wedding where he's father of the bride or groom, with a photo of his child as a little one.
- Christmas, as a stocking present from the children.
- Retirement, when his working life gives way to more family time.
- Just because, from grown-up children who want to say thank you for everything.
The key is matching the design to the dad. A man who lives in suits will appreciate something he can wear on a Tuesday; a dad who only dresses up for weddings might prefer a bolder picture that becomes a talking point at the reception. Adult children often choose a photo from years ago – Dad at the beach with them as toddlers – while younger families lean towards drawings and handwriting.
Children's artwork, photos and the words they use for him
The joy of these cufflinks is that the design can come straight from the family:
- A child's drawing of Dad, the family, the house or the dog. Bold felt-tip drawings reproduce brilliantly.
- "Best Dad" or "I love you Daddy", written by the children themselves.
- A family photo – everyone squashed together on a sofa, or on a favourite holiday.
- Then and now. A photo of him holding a newborn beside a recent picture of the same child, combined into one image.
- What the kids call him. "Pops", "Papa", "Da" – whatever the family word is.
Grown-up children might prefer something more understated: a photo of the family's first home, the date he became a dad, or his own initials in a smart monogram.
Getting a drawing or photo to look its best
For artwork, ask the children to draw with thick felt-tips or crayons on plain white paper, and to keep the picture big and simple. Photograph or scan it in daylight, flat and straight on, with no shadows, then crop close before uploading. Pencil is often too faint to show up well. For photos, choose a sharp image where faces are close to the camera; two to four people is ideal on a small square. Use the original file from the camera roll, as we print from your full-resolution upload.
What makes dad cufflinks different from any other gift
Most presents for dads are consumed, used up or put away: socks, aftershave, a bottle of something. Personalised dad cufflinks last and get used. Every wedding, christening, work dinner or funeral he attends for years to come, the children come too. And because the design is yours, no other dad will turn up wearing the same pair.
A pair from each of the children
In families with several children, a lovely idea is a pair from each: one design per child, perhaps their drawing or their photo. Five pairs or more are £15 each plus £5 shipping per order, so five designs come to £80 all in, and they can all go in one basket. A single pair is £40 with shipping included – ideal when it's one gift from the whole family.
How to make them
- Upload the drawing, photo or handwriting.
- Look at the live preview on both cufflinks, dragging and zooming until everything fits.
- Pay at the secure checkout once you're happy with how he'll look.
We make each pair in our Cornwall workshop and send it out gift boxed, so it's ready to wrap or to hand over with a card that has been signed by everyone, including the dog.