Father’s Day Gift Giving Advice for the Old Man in Your Life
I remember when kids used to give their fathers ties for Father’s Day. Even then, I thought it was a terrible idea. It’s like saying “Hey dad! Thanks for all that you do at the office. Here’s something that looks like a noose. Love ya!”
Not many men I know, then or now, have ever been all that jacked to receive a tie on any occasion, much less Father’s Day. If you’re going to put that little thought into a gift, why not just give dad a file cabinet or a toilet?
This isn’t to say that I was great at gift-giving as a kid. One Father’s Day, my sister and I decided to give our dad a bunch of toys for his office so that kids could play with them if they were in the waiting room. Of course, we were usually the only kids in the waiting room so it was more of a gift to ourselves. Still, I like to think that we were also giving him the gift of peace and quiet while he was trying to get some work done.
Another time, we thought that we should buy the old man a leaded crystal ashtray. We thought it looked pretty classy and could double as a candy dish if he washed it out when it wasn’t holding used cigarette butts.
Kids might not give the greatest gifts for Father’s Day, but at least the ones they give don’t come with expectations. I’ve never received a socket wrench or a chainsaw for Father’s Day but there are a few reasons for that. The first is that I’m not what you’d call “handy” in the traditional sense of the word. The second is that I’ve never asked for either of those things, and the last is that I assume my wife appreciates having a spouse who has the usual number of arms and legs.
I’m sure she’d love it if I took care of the downed tree that’s been in our backyard for more than a year, or use a socket wrench to do…well, whatever it is people use a socket wrench for. Father’s Day, however, isn’t the time to bring up old grievances about who hasn’t chopped up a giant tree in the backyard or tightened up the light sockets with a socket wrench. It’s a time to celebrate the father in your life and, ideally, include a gift that doesn’t include some weird passive-aggressive message.
One of my favorite gifts for Father’s Day was a class at a local BBQ place I’ve loved for years. We made our own rubs and smoked a bunch of ribs while we learned all of the ins and outs of making really great BBQ. Much to everyone’s surprise, I enjoyed the class so much that I ended up working at the restaurant for a while.
Of course, my wife had been encouraging me to supplement my freelance income for quite a while before I took the class. She’s also pretty aware of my fondness for smoked meats and cooking in bulk. Still, I’m sure that my employment was nothing more than a happy coincidence. Nothing more at all.
About the Author
derekbremer Prior to his life as a stay at home father Derek spent more than a decade performing public relations and marketing functions for financial consulting firms and found the job to be precisely as exciting as it sounds. When not tending to his wife or daughter Derek enjoys subjecting the public to his unique take on fatherhood, travel and animal husbandry. He has been published in Scary Mommy, Sammiches and Psych Meds, The Good Men Project, HowToBeADad, Red Tricycle, RAZED, HPP and the Anthology "It's Really Ten Months Special Delivery: A Collection of Stories from Girth to Birth.
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