Father's Day Gift Ideas - What to Buy for Good Old Dad

Father's Day seems to be a little harder to buy for than Mother's Day. If you can't come up with anything else, you can always buy a nice planter for Mom. But, what can you fall back on for Dad? Even though neckties are considered the standard gift for Father's Day, how many men wear neckties these days? Many jobs allow the employees to dress down or wear uniforms, and men don't even seem to be wearing neckties to church anymore. Well, scratch the necktie off the list of things to buy. Hmm, what on earth should you get for Dad then?

If you browse articles for gift ideas for Father's Day, many of them will suggest some of the other gift ideas that we frequently fall back on. Besides neckties, shirts, socks, handkerchiefs, and cologne are popular gifts for Dad. A new trend seems to be buying gift cards. If you really want to buy a gift card for Dad, make sure it's something that he'll really like. Some ideas would be his favorite hardware store, a video rental, or a local coffee shop. Older parents often like to go out for lunch, but can't really afford to, so a gift certificate for a restaurant might be nice. Even though I suggest some places to buy gift cards, I don't really endorse them. My personal opinion is that giving gift cards is the easy way out. Dad is such an important guy, that you should try to find something a little more personal for Father's Day.

Now, it's time to put on our thinking caps, and come up with a cool gift that Dad would really be impressed with. You can always think about his hobbies and interests, and try to come up with something suitable. If you have time, why not take Dad to a baseball game? Spending the day with you would probably be the highlight of the year. If Dad is a handy man, he probably already has every tool imaginable. Check out some of the new, fancy things they've come up with in the last few years. How about a laser leveler or a new cordless tool? For the gardener, you could buy a fruit tree or berry bush. And the birdwatcher would love a new feeder and a bag of food. My father loves the weather. An interesting book on clouds, or weather phenomenon would work for him. Sometimes, I just wander down the aisle at the hardware store and look for fancy weather gauges. There are countless electronic gizmos these days that tell you the current humidity, barometric pressure, and temperature. Check out the remote rain gauges, too, but don't forget to buy the batteries to go along with an electronic gift. No matter what hobby or interest Dad has, there's a magazine for him. A magazine subscription would remind him how much you love him every month of the year. The bonus to that is that you can renew the subscription every year, and never have to worry about a Father's Day gift idea again!

Speaking of gifts that keep reminding him of you, here's a really cool idea. Before I tell you about it, let me tell you that it does require a little more creativity and work on your part, but I guarantee it will be a hit with Dad. Are you ready? It's the "Gift of the Month" Club. I'm not implying that you sign up for some fancy, expensive gift club. I'm telling you to come up with something special from you to your father, and send him a little something every month of the year. Let's say your father is an avid bird watcher. You can type up a certificate enrolling him in the "Bird Watching of the Month Club". Every month, you give Dad a little gift to attract various birds to his yard. If you live far apart, you pop a little package in the mail every month. For example, in July, you could give Dad a small hummingbird feeder and a package of nectar. Various months might include suet blocks, or a variety of sunflower seeds. See how easy it is? If your father is not a bird watcher, think about what he likes, and make the Gift of the Month Club just for him. Even a Candy of the Month Club would be appreciated.

Another gift idea would be a gift basket. You can put together some creative things. For the father who loves to fish, you could buy a fishing basket or small cooler, and fill it up with all the essentials. A big plastic bucket filled with car wash solution, wax, and chamois would be a hit for most men. Any theme you can think of would work, but make sure you're creative about it. Instead of using a basket, use something to go along with the theme, and fill it up. Don't fret about the price. Check out the dollar stores, and you should be able to get away with a nice gift for about ten dollars. Remember, Dad will surely appreciate a gift that shows some real thought behind it.

A spin off on the gift basket idea is to buy a lot of small gifts, wrap them separately, and tell Dad that he can open one a day. When I do this, I like to have a whole month's worth of gifts, and put a little note on each one. Again, think about your dad and try to come up with some things that are suitable for him. It's rather hard to come up with thirty little things, but once you start thinking, it's really not that bad. These gifts don't have to be expensive. You could wrap up a package of gum for one day, a keychain for another. Wander up and down a couple aisles in search of small, inexpensive gifts, and you'll be shocked at how quickly you come up with enough gifts. Be sure to check out the sample section at the store, and the "impulse" section near the check out counters.

There you go! With all these ideas, I bet your mind is spinning, and you can hardly wait to get started. When was the last time you actually had fun giving a gift to Dad for Father's Day?

Enjoy your shopping, but most of all ...enjoy your time with your father.