Gift shopping for fathers is often a real challenge. It seems they have everything they need and most of what they want. So where do you look for gift ideas?
Gift ideas are everywhere! Here are a few:
One of the best places to find gift ideas is to look at Dad’s hobbies and collections. No matter what hobby or collection you consider, there are more gadgets and collectibles issued all the time. Chances are, you can find something he’ll enjoy.
- If he enjoys fishing or outdoor activities, there are dozens of possibilities, from no-battery flashlights you shake to activate to rolling cooler-chairs. Has his tackle box seen better days? Of course there’s always the gift certificate to his favorite sporting-goods store. Package it creatively in his new (toy) boat!
- If he’s into online gaming, his favorite game may allow him to upgrade to higher levels for a fee. You could buy him that upgrade, and give him a copy of the email acknowledgement in his card.
- No “collection” is ever complete. What’s his collection missing? If you can’t find an item locally, check online stores or eBay. While the item itself might not arrive on time for Father’s Day, you can include a picture in his Father’s Day card. He’ll anticipate delivery like a kid anticipates Christmas morning!
If Dad is just getting into technology, he might appreciate a little help in that area. Download some of his favorite oldies to his mp3 player. Or help him find special apps or ringtones for his smart phone. If he’s beating on his laptop because IE keeps locking up, download a better browser and show him where to click!
Or get with friends and siblings and set up a “We Love Dad” Facebook page with shared photos and memories.
- Are there chores he’s been putting off doing? You can get a gift certificate for that oil change or tire rotation and give Dad a free Saturday. Or hire a neighbor kid to mow the lawn and pull weeds.
- Have you noticed something that aggravates Dad on a regular basis? Add a cordless light to that dark corner of the workshop; gift wrap a couple of rolls of quarters for the toll booth.
- Gift baskets are fun to create. Combine a favorite DVD with popcorn, soda, and candy for a movie night treat. You can also get a favorite picture put on a coffee mug. Add a selection of his favorite flavored coffees or teas.
- Gift cards are available for everything from restaurants to department stores. Some stores even let you design your own gift card by uploading your own photo. Again, creative packaging (tuck the card into a pair of socks, or wrap it inside the most hideous tie you can find at the thrift store!) will make the gift even more fun.
- You can even find inexpensive programs to edit fun photos. Add his face to his winning Superbowl team photo and have it made into a poster. What’s really fun with this one is if it takes him awhile to notice his face in the photo because he likes the poster so well!
- Some of these programs also have customizable magazine covers, newspaper headlines, or fun costumes and accessories to spice up photos.
Are there topics he’d like to learn more about, or fond memories of sports or other interests from the past? Whether it’s the history of baseball or the Three Stooges or the seven habits of highly effective handymen, your local or online bookstore has dozens of gift options from the fun to the functional.
Speaking of functional, clothing doesn’t have to be a ho-hum gift. Why not look at fun custom-printed t-shirts? There are hundreds of possible designs from cartoon characters to car or sports logos, as well as fun sayings or graphics.
Make Dad a Gift Certificate for…Well, ANYthing!
Another time-honored Father’s Day gift is the homemade gift certificate. But with modern computers, your gift certificate doesn’t have to be written in crayon on construction paper.
Most word processing programs have a “certificate” template you can use to create professional looking gift certificates for everything from “giving the dog his monthly flea bath” to “one hour of listening to YOUR choice of radio stations in the car.” You can also use the certificate template to create “World’s Greatest Dad” certificates, or some creative variation.
Just Wing It!
- A lot of dads are overgrown kids at heart, so sometimes a Father’s Day toy is fun. You can go online and find paper cars, planes, and motorcycles to color and assemble. Remote control cars and planes are fun too.
- Taking him to dinner at his favorite restaurant is a great last-minute Father’s Day gift. Or make a day of it, and go to a movie or miniature golf in the afternoon.
- Putting together a scrapbook or DVD of favorite memories can be a great family project to present to Dad on his special day, especially when family members share all the ways that Dad has influenced them to have a better life. He can look at it again on those days when he feels unappreciated, overworked, and taken for granted.
- Homemade treats are another way to tell Dad “I love you”. Bake his favorite cookies, or whip up a batch of homemade ice cream. This is another area where a computer gift certificate can provide a gift that keeps on giving, whether it’s for his favorite meal or a batch of homemade fudge.