Your father is like the best father in the world. And you should feel bad because you always gyp him with a really cheap present — dumb ties.
Make the gift count by actually putting some thought into it and get him something he really wants.
Gadget Dad
For those geek dads whose eyes light up every time you hit up the Best Buy, try Thinkgeek.com or Brookstone.com to find the gadgets you can’t get at any local store.
The hardest part will be deciding between a virtual keyboard for his iPad/iPhone, high-end bluetooth speakers, a rolling alarm clock that jumps off the night stand, and rolls around, guaranteed to get him out of bed), or an app-controlled quadricopter.
You could try to narrow it down to one or two of those, or get him a pair of wireless headphones, a gift that you’ll both love.
Artist Dad
What does he want that he won’t buy for himself? Get him a gift that encourages his hobbies. If he likes to paint, purchase him some oils or acrylics, brushes and a canvas.
If he plays guitar, whether professionally or even painfully amateur, the guitar pick punch from Uncommon Goods shapes items like expired credit cards into reusable strumming picks.
Gourmet Dad
If your husband likes the finer things in life, champagne gift baskets offer classic bubbles along with snacks like caviar, specialty cheeses and crackers.
If your husband or father enjoys cooking, you may want to consider getting him a quality chef knife approved by the celebrity chef Guy Fieri.
Or take his barbecuing proficiency to the high-tech level with Weber’s professional-grade barbecue alarm. It will keep an eye on the grill for dad and alert him when the meat has cooked to the desired temperature.
Make a Day Of It
Gifts don’t have to come wrapped. The perfect gift for the busy man who never gets to take it easy might be a day spent biking around your city, taking pictures as if you were tourists and a dinner plate of some hot wings, fries and brew at a local pub.
Spending the day together will mean more to your husband or dad if it’s something he wants to do. Just because, he’s gone antique shopping with you hundreds of times in the past, doesn’t mean it’s the perfect for daddy. AskMen.com offers a list of activities that are certain to be ones he’d enjoy.
Indulge in his favorite sport with him. Play a round of golf or a game of tennis, or take him to a baseball game. Awaken the kid inside by taking him go-kart racing or paintballing. Biking, rollerblading, even working on that classic car he’s been restoring for the past 5 years — doing something he likes should be the agenda.
