To continue with our search for the ultimate Father's Day gift, I will begin by saying that it is okay to go with some of the old standards, so long as you attempt to present them with a twist.
The Tie: I cannot think of a more conventional gift for a father, but if you are the parents of small children do not rule this hackneyed choice out all together. Last year my daughter and I started a tradition of Father's Day tie giving, but the tie would only be something she (a then 2 year old picked out). We went to a reasonable store (no way am I letting my little Fashionista loose at Boyd's) and I let her run free through all the ties. As she flipped the ties, spun the circular tie stands, and shouted out the myriad colors, I secretly hoped she'd select the most heinous, egregious, repugnant excuse for men's fashion ever to be conceived just to see her father head into the office with his "gift".
Of course, she picked a conservative navy and gold tie, with a diagonal stripe that was far from horrible.
With hope, this year she's find something that integrates fiberoptic lights.
Cologne/ Soap on a Rope: Again, standard and predictable but not if you incorporate one of those unbelievabel shower heads that mimic falling rain or a car wash. Not only will it upgrade their shower experience, many dads I know would get excited over the challenge of installation.
DVDs: Trust me, no one would love the History Channel's special DVD set that spends 12 days following Hitler's invasion of Poland more than my Dad. But again, DVDs are predicatable. I actually did get my own father the DVD series of Man vs. Wild because it is the most amazing thing I have ever watched on TV in a long time, and I knew he would love all the wacky survival strategies this crazy guy has to offer. But, how can you make it even more creative? Look into his cable programming and see if there are any bonus channels that he may love but would never pay for himself. From sports packages to special science and history channels, you could systematically change his television entertainment for an entire year.
Look For Inspiration:
The following are a list of websites that offer unique gift ideas, along with shipping guaranteed to get it there on time.
Red Envelope: From cuff links and pens made from materials from his favorite ballpark, to a digital brag book that mimics the size of a business card holder, this is one of my favorite resources for gift giving.
The Discovery Channel Store: For that little McGuyver (sp?) in every man, this site has everything from awesome DVD sets and a portable hammock, to personal ATMs and possibly the most awesome gift ever: actual, personally scheduled helicopter and biplane rides through Discovery Channel experiences (really!). Other experiences include shark feeding and swimming, first flight lessons, and "be a paleontologist for a day" (shout out to Ross Gellar).
The potential to be creative is really out there...just try to think outside the tie box.
I'm sorry, that last line was almost as awful as the tie I hope my daughter finds.
***Stay tuned for the epic Father's Day gift (which is really only directed towards the wives of the celebrated fathers).
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