Finding the right gift for Father’s Day is doable
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man is hard to shop for. Father’s Day is looming, and many people are scrambling to find the right gift for their father, stepfather, husband or friend. You want to honor the father figure in your life, so don’t settle for grabbing a generic gift card at the grocery store check- out line. With a little thought and preparation, you can find a nice gift for the dad in your life.
“Father’s Day traditions vary widely between families — from a phone call to making a whole day of it — but the essence isn’t the card or the gift,” we read at EmilyPost.com. “It’s about telling the important men in our lives ... how much we love and appreciate them.”
Draw on the past for inspiration
Finding the right gift starts with taking stock of the recipient. Take time to remember what you know about your dad, and consider his job, hobbies, personal style and response to gifts over the years. Did you see the item in use or on display afterwards? In other words, keep giving Dad the golf balls he loves if he regularly hits the golf course, but consider stepping away from the tie rack if he rarely wears business attire.
Find a gift that honors your history together. Select a picture of you and dad holding up that special fish you caught together or one where you were dressed up in trendy styles of days gone by. Lots of websites and photo stores can turn that photo into a gift, from mousepads and mugs to puzzles and (yes) a custom-printed tie. You can also resize and reprint the photo and put it in a nice frame. Whatever you choose, make sure to include a personal note with the gift, highlighting your special memories of that time and what it means to you
My friend Nita believes sharing that memory is a gift in itself. You “give the fathers a gift by their knowing their kid remembered and that it had meant so much,” she explained, adding, “My father did an amazing one when I was a kid and really wanted a stuffed puppy that I saw on a carnival game board because it looked like my beloved beagle. He tried and tried to win the blessed thing but could not. Finally, he told me I had to go home to bed. I was sad, but thankful he had tried. The next morning when I awakened, that stuffed dog was sitting there on the rug beside my bed. While I slept, he had gone back up to the carnival and bought it for me. Nearly 40 years later, I still have it.”
Look to the future for ideas
Almost everyone has given a gift card on Father’s Day, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A gift card can be a thoughtful gift, if you put some thought into which one you choose. There are two good directions your thoughts can take. The obvious one Need a great Father’s Day gift? Don’t be afraid to tie in the old (a nostalgic photo from your childhood) with the new (world wide web). The internet offers lots of ways to turn your photo into a gift that suits your father’s taste and meets your gift-giving budget. Many local stores offer similar options when you don’t have time to wait for an order.
is to buy a card or gift that matches his current interests. Think: hobbies like golf or gardening, cards for an electronics store for a techie or to a bookstore for the academic or something more gourmet for the foodie dad.
Gift cards are also a great way to build common ground with your dad in the here and now. If you’ve recently found a new restaurant you personally en-
joy, give him a certificate along with the promise to use it together. If you’ve heard about a movie you think you’d both enjoy, offer to pick up the tab for the both of you. Even if the meal is a flop or the movie is a dud, you can laugh about it together and build more memories for the years ahead.
Get personal
Nothing says I love you
KOLLEEN LONG — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA
more than a gift that involves personal time and effort. As a daughter, I find it hard to find my father a gift he will love at a store. As my mother often says, “He’s hard to shop for, but easy to please.” The gifts that seem to please him the most are a homemade treat (chocolate chip cookies are the standout favorite) or a time-honored choice in my family of origin, the coupon book.
The beauty of a handcrafted coupon book is that it can be created by a person of any age and with any budget constraints. Coupons can be fancily decorated or simply written and should include things touched on above: a promise to go out fishing together, an offer to take time to wash his car or organize the trunk and yes — a batch of those favorite chocolate-chip cookies.