How to Get the Best Father’s Day Gift

Being a father means getting some unusual gifts for Father’s Day when your kids are young. But as they grow up, you can probably expect something more thoughtful than another tie with a big smiley face on it. And since you are a father yourself, you can start giving your dad some really good gifts since you have some experience as a parent. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you get the perfect Father’s Day gift for your dad.  (oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to leave this article lying around your house when Father’s Day is approaching so your wife and kids can get a better idea of what to get for you.)

1. What does my dad like to do?  Okay, let's get this easy one out of the way first.  All dads have a hobby (or at least they did once before having kids). With the pressures of work, providing for a family and other stressors that they experience on a daily basis, they crave some time to relax and get away from things. Do you know what your father’s hobby is? Does he like to play golf? Or does he enjoy collecting things? A new golf club can go along way or that extra special mint baseball card can put a big smile on his face.
2. Is there a gift that we can enjoy together?  Many dads (myself included) aren't as concerned about the actual gift.  They might make jokes about the outlandish ties that you used to give him when you were young or the homemade gifts that they were embarrassed to show off. What they really enjoy is spending time with their kids. Keep this in mind when searching for the perfect Father’s Day gift. The simplest thing you can do is take him to dinner, but you can be more creative than that. Why not get a couple tickets to watch his favorite sports team in action and go with him to the game. Or buy a day of golf for the both of you and have some friendly competition on the green.  Or what about biting the bullet and trying to learn/enjoy whatever off-the-wall hobby dad has and go on an outing?
3. How creative can I be?  Creative gifts are always a great choice for dad. For the most part, they have much more meaning behind them than going out and just buying something. Do you have any special skills or talents that you can put to use to make something for your dad? Did you make something for him when you were younger that turned out completely awful? Why not use your increased knowledge and skills to remake that thing for him for Father’s Day? Or make something even more creative that he can use at work or at home. Either way, your dad is going to love it.
4. What are the latest gadgets on the market?  As a father, you probably enjoy the latest gadgets that are on the market. Your dad is probably no exception. Men always enjoy trying out the latest can opener, wristwatch, tablet and other technological things. Would your dad enjoy a Swiss army knife with a USB flash drive built in? Would he put the latest T-Mobile 7" Tablet to good use? Or how would he like the latest digital camera can automatically take pictures when people smile wide enough? If your dad is technologically savvy, you simply can’t go wrong by getting him one of the latest gadgets.  And of course, don't forget the gift receipt.
5. Does my dad have a favorite TV show or movie?  Many dads enjoy certain TV shows and movies which makes it a little easier to find the ideal Father’s Day gift for them. Is your dad a fan of the Three Stooges? Or is he always quoting lines from Star Wars or some other movie? If this is the case, why not get him a boxed set of his favorite show or movie? Then you can spend the day watching those movies or TV episodes together. If he already has all of his favorite TV shows and movies on DVD, get him a t-shirt or collector’s item from the show.
6. How can I make it fun for him?  One of the main ingredients for a successful Father’s Day gift is the presentation. When my wife wraps a gift, she uses the prettiest paper she can find and she puts bows and other decorations on it. People are often more impressed by the presentation than they are the actual gift! You can do this with your Father’s Day gifts, too. Make the gift-giving process fun by making it a treasure hunt and hiding his gift in the refrigerator under his favorite food. Or think of some other fun way to give him his gift. This way he will have a great gift for Father’s Day and he will have a great story to tell his buddies the next day at work.  It won't even matter what the gift is!

It can be difficult choosing the perfect Father’s Day gift for your dad. Most dads have everything they need and they just want to spend time with their children when Father’s Day rolls around. But with some extra thought, you can make his day extra special by getting him something or sharing an experience that he may have never even thought about before.