Tailored Tales Collective notes that Father’s Day orders for personalized storybooks outsell Mother’s Day orders, despite higher overall spending on Mother’s Day. The pattern is driven largely by wives buying for husbands, using custom books to capture family memories and show appreciation for dads.
The post contrasts this with more traditional Mother’s Day gifting, such as flowers or brunch. It argues that bespoke storybooks are personal, lasting gifts that make fathers feel seen as both partners and parents.
Why Father’s Day Orders Outshine Mother’s Day
A funny, heartfelt look at why personalised Father’s Day gifts steal the show – and why wives are the secret gift planners.
A funny thing happened on the way to Father’s Day
Running Tailored Tales Collective has taught me many things: how to illustrate a baby riding a dragon, why toddlers cannot resist chewing book corners, and what people really buy for their parents. But here’s one pattern I never expected: our Father’s Day orders consistently outperform Mother’s Day orders. Last year and this year, the story was the same – our books for dads flew off the shelves while Mother’s Day barely caused a ripple.
Nearly half of consumers buy gifts for fathers or stepfathers, but 25 % buy for their husbands
That means a quarter of all Father’s Day shoppers are wives shopping for their husbands. It turns out that the emotional project managers of Father’s Day aren’t the kids – they’re the partners.
The real pattern: wives order for husbands
I expected daughters to surprise their mums with a personalised storybook. Yet very few orders came in from daughters for their mothers. For Father’s Day, the opposite happened. Out of around 22 orders, two were from daughters gifting their dads and one from a boy honouring his mentor. The rest – nearly 18 books – were wives ordering for their husbands.
Why are wives doing the shopping? Because they notice the little things. They remember that story about Dad teaching the toddler to ride a bike or the silly inside joke about the family cat. They want the father–child bond captured and to make their husbands feel seen as dads. In many families, wives are the unofficial gift planners. A personalised storybook lets them turn everyday moments into something sentimental without being cheesy.
Retail surveys back up what I’m seeing. Shoppers look for gifts that are unique (46 %) or create a special memory (37 %). A custom storybook ticks both boxes, especially when it includes real photos, family details and inside jokes. While most Father’s Day shoppers still buy greeting cards or clothes, more wives are searching for something that feels more meaningful.
Why Mother’s Day differs
Here’s where it gets interesting: Mother’s Day spending is actually higher overall. Americans spent $35.7 billion on Mother’s Day in 2023 compared with $22.9 billion on Father’s Day. So why don’t those numbers translate into more orders for personalised books? Because Mother’s Day gifting tends to be more traditional. Daughters and sons often default to flowers, cake or a brunch. The thought of putting Mum’s life story in a book can feel emotionally loaded or over‑thought. And many mums are, frankly, harder to shop for.
There’s also a cultural expectation that Mother’s Day should pamper mums. Ads focus on nurturing and indulgence, while Father’s Day marketing is often about humour. That means there’s more space for an unexpected, heartfelt gift on Father’s Day than on Mother’s Day.
Why a custom storybook is the perfect Father’s Day gift
- It’s truly personal. Tailored Tales Collective creates fully bespoke storybooks – no templates, no stock characters. Each page is written and illustrated from scratch using your memories, photos and inside jokes.
- It captures memories. Wives often tell me they want to bottle up moments: the way Dad reads bedtime stories, the family holidays, the pet that insists on sitting on his lap. Our books transform these memories into a beautiful narrative.
- It lasts forever. Flowers wilt and gadgets become outdated. A storybook becomes a family heirloom. 37 % of shoppers want a gift that creates a special memory you can’t get more memorable than a book about your own family.
- It makes Dad feel seen. Wives use our books to show their husbands that they’re appreciated not just as partners but as fathers. A Father’s Day gift from a wife carries a different kind of appreciation – it honours the shared parenting journey and the countless unseen moments.
A gentle comparison
Mother’s Day will always be big. There’s a reason the average spend is jewellery, spa days and lavish brunches add up. But because these gifts are often expensive rather than personal, there’s more appetite for a unique Father’s Day gift that tells a story. Daughters may overthink or delay ordering a storybook for Mum, but wives know exactly what their husbands will love.
Both parents deserve to be celebrated. Yet the little insight from my business is that Father’s Day has room for creativity, and wives are leading the charge. They’re the behind‑the‑scenes emotional project managers who make sure Dad feels special.
Ready to create a book Dad will never forget?
If you’d like to turn your favourite family moments into a custom storybook, Tailored Tales Collective can help. We write and design each book from scratch, using your memories, photos, relationships and inside jokes. Whether it’s a Father’s Day gift from wife or a personalised gift for Dad from the children, we’ll craft something he’ll treasure forever.