There’s more than enough gift guides on the internet for Father’s Day, which in Mexico falls on the third Sunday of June. But this one’s a little different, as we’ve curated a list of items that celebrate heritage, craftsmanship and flavor to show dad how much you care for him with Mexican gifts for Father’s Day.
Whether he’s into food, fashion or music or simply proud of his heritage, this list will give you original ideas to give your papá something special and very Mexican.
A bottle of Baja California wine
Mexico’s reputation as a wine producer has grown in the last few years, thanks in part to Baja California’s Valle de Guadalupe, which produces more than 70% of Mexican wine. With Mediterranean-type weather that favors grape growing, this valleywas ranked as the third best wine-growing region in the world by USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice 2022 ranking.
Some of the most recognized and award-winning wines from the Guadalupe Valley include Monte Xanic Ricardo, Monte Xanic Cabernet Sauvignon, , Adobe Guadalupe Gabriel, Emevé los Nietos and Santos Brujos Tempranillo, produced by Mexico’s first certified bodega of organic and biodynamic wines.
Now, if your dad is a wine lover and also a football aficionado, you might want to consider Casillero del Diablo’s special edition bottle. Dubbed Selección Red, these bottles honor the vibrant culture of Mexico and passionate support behind the Mexican national team. The bottles are the result of a collaboration with the Federación Mexicana de Futbol and Soccer United Marketing.
A traditional handcrafted belt
If you’re looking for something unique and authentically Mexican, look no further than a fajo piteado. These traditional handcrafted belts are typically made of leather and adorned with intricate embroidery using fibers from the ixtle or pita plant, a type of agave. Hence the technique’s name, piteado.
Fajos piteados are often used by charros — Mexico’s answer to the cowboy — and members of mariachi groups. They’re also popular among farmers, ranchers and people living in the countryside in the states of Jalisco, Hidalgo, Guerrero, Estado de México, Zacatecas and Michoacán. The town of Colotlán, Jalisco, is known as the capital of the fajos piteados.
You can find fajos piteados in Bodega Tienda Charra, an online store shipping to all of Mexico.
A guayabera from Yucatán
For these hot summer months, a guayabera from Yucatán might be the perfect gift for dad.
While these white button-down shirts originally came from Cuba, they arrived in Yucatán in the 19th century, quickly becoming a cultural icon. The guayabera was adapted to the local climate, incorporating regional details and improving its production with materials such as linen and cotton.
From Yucatán, guayaberas spread to other states in southern Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. They’re now widely worn at both formal and casual events, even favored by politicians.
You can find stylish guayaberas in retail stores like Liverpool or Palacio de Hierro. But if you live in Mérida, Yucatán, there ‘s no better place to buy a guayabera than the boutiques along Paseo Montejo.
A personalized tequila or mezcal bottle
Have you thought of gifting your father a personalized tequila bottle? If you haven’t, you might want to consider it now.
Consider engraving a bottle with your dad’s name, a family picture a loving quote or one of the unique designs offered by Tequila Dsgn. Bottles come in 350 and 750 ml, and you have the option of buying personalized caballitos, the glasses traditionally used to drink tequila.
Desgn’s tequila is white with silver highlights on the middle body with sweet and citrusy notes, produced from agaves in the highlands of Jalisco. Meanwhile, the company’s mezcal is artisanal and produced from the espadín maguey, cultivated for eight years in the state of Oaxaca.
If you want a Dsgn bottle for Father’s Day, the deadline to place your order on the company’s website is this week.
A guitar from Paracho, Michoacán
Located in the heart of the western state of Michoacán, the small town of Paracho de Verduzco is world-renowned for its guitar production.
Paracho, located 100 kilometers from Morelia, has a long luthier tradition dating back to the 16th century, when evangelizing Spanish friars like Vasco de Quiroga introduced European woodworking and instrument production techniques to the Indigenous peoples of the area. Since then, guitar production is the town’s most important economic and cultural activity, producing 98 percent of all guitars made in Mexico.
Besides its guitars — which include classical, popular, flamenco and Texan guitars — the town also produces a wide range of chord instruments including violins, ukuleles and mandolins.
If you can’t go to Paracho yourself to buy a guitar, you can likely find a distributor in your city or order one online.
Happy shopping and ¡feliz Día del Padre!
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
