Gifts for Pop – Pop’s Shed Mug

If Pop is not answering his phone, everybody knows where he is, and the best gifts for pop know it too. He is out the back in the shed, sorting screws into jars, fixing something that was not broken, and enjoying the peace and quiet.

This mug celebrates the shed, the pop and the grandkid who has been appointed his official assistant, which makes it one of the best gifts for pop around. It is one of those gifts for pop that feels like it was made just for him.

Supervision is provided, of course. Whether Pop is supervising the grandkid or the other way around is up for debate.

Gifts for pop that live in the shed

The Aussie backyard shed is a sacred place. It holds every tool he has ever owned, half a lawnmower, a radio tuned to the cricket and at least one thing nobody can identify.

It is also where the best lessons happen. How to hammer a nail, how to fix a bike chain, and how to look busy when Nan calls out about lunch. A lot of grandkids remember the shed fondly for the rest of their lives.

This mug captures all of that with a warm, detailed illustration that rewards a second look.

The storybook shed design

The artwork is drawn in a detailed storybook style. A weathered corrugated tin shed, a little rusty around the edges, has a rustic wooden sign on the roof that reads POP’S SHED.

Pop stands out front with his arms folded and a proud grin. He has a white beard, a bucket hat, glasses, a checked shirt and denim overalls. Beside him is a pegboard full of spanners, a lawnmower, garden tools and pots, plus a tiny blonde grandkid holding a hammer.

SUPERVISION PROVIDED is written underneath in bold capitals, like a sign at a worksite.

Tool kit for the mug

• Glossy white ceramic, with plenty of room for the detail to shine
• Holds 11oz, about 325mL, so it lasts a full job
• Hand-printed in Australia with sublimation printing
• Survives the dishwasher and the microwave, unlike most things in the shed

When to give it

• Father’s Day: For the pop who taught everyone how to use a drill
• His birthday: Wrap it in an old rag for authenticity
• Grandparents Day: From his favourite little helper
• Retirement: Now he can spend all day in the shed
• Just because: He fixed your bike, your shelf and your fence

Lessons from Pop’s shed

A lot of grown-ups learned their most useful skills standing next to Pop at a workbench. How to measure twice and cut once. How to tell a Phillips head from a flat head. How to clean up afterwards, or at least how to look like you meant to.

Those afternoons are worth remembering. A mug that shows Pop and his little helper is a sweet way to say thank you for the patience, the lessons and the occasional sawdust in the hair.

It looks right at home on a workbench, too, though we recommend keeping it away from the paint thinners.

Looking for more? Browse the full range of grandpa mugs for grandads, pops and pas of every kind.