Father’s Day is June 16, 2013, so it’s time to start thinking about how you want to show appreciation for the favorite dads in your life.
If your dad has specific hobbies that make gifting easy, consider yourself lucky and go with something you’ll know he’ll use. My own father is one of those notoriously hard-to-buy-for dads. He’s retired and doesn’t have many hobbies other than rebuilding classic cars. My dad also has six daughters, so imagine the difficulty of each of us trying to come up with something unique. I’m stumped every year.
Most dads would appreciate some family time and a good meal, but if you need help finding a gift, these ideas would be useful to a lot of dads and are all under $45.
If your dad travels or is into gadgets, buy him a Grid-it Organizer to manage the stuff in his carry-on or suitcase. It keeps gadgets, cords, chargers or other small personal items organized in one place. They come in different sizes to keep just a few, or many, things together. Another good idea for traveling dads would be a new toiletry bag filled with a few of his favorite travel-size items. You can pick up toiletry bags as discount stores like TJ Maxx or splurge for an embossed leather bag.
Shaving brushes and shaving soaps are back in style as the best way to get a close, comfortable shave. Pair them with a few of his favorite razors, aftershave or an inexpensive subscription for monthly razor deliveries with the Dollar Shave Club, and he’ll get a smooth shave every time.
There are many options for dads who enjoy a drink now and then. He can make his own batches of beer with a Mr. Beer Premium Beer Kit or keep his favorite beer cold from start to finish with a Chilsner Beer Chiller. If he prefers a stiffer drink, these whiskey stones will keep his drink cool without diluting it like ice does.
For an adventure-seeking dad, this Bear Grylls Survival Bracelet is made up of 12 feet of paracord that can be used in a pinch for camping, boating, hunting, hiking and more. This article explains ways that the bracelets can be used. Whether he’s out in the wilderness or just the backyard, a Bear Grylls Compact Multi-Tool features 10 tools in 1 that will give him the essentials to handle many tasks. If you’re looking for something smaller, a keychain multi-tool is the size of a standard key and clips onto your keyring for 6 tools in 1. I’ve purchased this one for all of my male relatives.
If he’d rather relax in a hammock with some good reads, order him a subscription to his favorite magazine or two.
A flashlight is one of those things of which you can never have too many. They never seem to be where you need them, when you need them. Or the bulb or battery is dead. Grab a new one for your dad (including batteries) at any store, or get him this waterproof, floatable flashlight if he’s likely to be around water. If he’s more likely to be in the garage than near a river, a SquidBrite Work Light features a unique design that allows him to attach it to any area in which he needs direct light.
Toolboxes can be heavy and almost impossible to carry around the house easily. The Bucket Boss Tool Organizer fits into a standard five-gallon bucket (buy separately) and will help keep his favorite tools together and make them easy to transport.
If your dad’s as comfortable with tools as he in the kitchen, these tool-inspired gadgets are quirky and useful in the kitchen. He can cut his pizza with a Circular Saw Pizza Cutter, slice a cake with a Table Saw Knife, enjoy some appetizers with these nail-shaped cocktail toothpicks, or use this Beer Hammer for a project and then flip it over to use the bottle opener to enjoy a cold one after his hard work.
Every kitchen needs a cast-iron skillet. If your dad’s into cooking, a pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron skillet will become his new favorite pan (just make sure he doesn’t use it on a glass cooktop). These skillets are nonstick (if cared for properly), can go from stovetop to oven and even campfire or grill, and will last for decades. If he’s set on using nonstick pans, get him a new one. Nonstick pans need replaced every few years as the coating starts to flake off, which can add toxins to your food. This inexpensive non-stick skillet was rated the best by Cook’s Illustrated because it stayed exceptionally slick with a durable nonstick coating that provides top performance and even heat in cooking. Other options are grilling gear such as grill pans, meat branding irons, new grill tools or even a gift basket of BBQ rubs and sauces.
If your dad is as concerned about the weather as my dad, he may enjoy a Wireless Advanced Weather Station with Temperature, Dew Point, Barometer and Humidity. The sensor can be installed indoors or outdoors to give up-to-the-minute readings on exactly what’s going on outside, along with the forecast.
Finally, if your dad is as hard to buy for as mine, gifts of a favorite food may be the best option. Consumable gifts are great because won’t sit around and collect dust. In a basket for my dad, I would include homemade cookies or brownies, cheeses (nothing fancy for him), black jelly beans, nuts, drink mixes (he hates plain water), a few soft drinks, chips and a can of Spam. While they may not be the healthiest choices, he enjoys them, and it won’t hurt him to have them on occasion.
Father’s Day is about showing the dads in your life how much you love and appreciate them. If you can, spend some time with them and put a little thought into gifts you know they’ll appreciate without breaking the bank.
