Buying for Fathers: A Few Ideas Here & There

Jun 16, 2010 by Shophaven

I don’t enjoy shopping for Father’s Day. There. I said it.

I find that group of people (men who are fathers) the hardest to buy for- especially my own father.  He has everything he needs, and when he sees something  to his liking – he will just buy it himself. So I always need to be inventive, creative and on my toes to deliver the goods.

I thought I’d share some of my findings on Father’s Day in an effort to perhaps help the shoppers roaming the malls right now thinking, “what would my dad/husband want?”

• Most of the men in my life are huge sports fans so whenever I go shopping for them it is always sports-oriented.  My Father loves to golf, so in addition to his round of golf I usually purchase for him, I add a new golf glove or a box of golf balls.

• If your beloved is not into playing sports, consider getting him tickets to a sporting event. Couch athletes tend to be the most passionate about their favourite sports, and likely enjoy cheering more than playing.

• My father in-law loves to cook.  One year, I gave him a brand new set of BBQ utensils along with a grilling cookbook.  He absolutely loved it, and of course the side perk of that is we get to enjoy the fruits of his labour (well, the grills of his labour).  Find out where your beloved’s hobby or passion lays, and try to get related accessories and gadgets.

• My men also love electronics, though this year they won’t be getting any. I know everyone and their father is drooling over the new iPad, so for those that can afford the product – go ahead and make your beloved’s day.  For the more budget-oriented, try the Kindle from Amazon, which has been getting rave reviews well before the iPad launched itself. Both are au-courant and give him the option of reading on the bus, at the cottage, in the place, and so on.

• If your beloved is into playing music, pick him up a score book or a helpful DVD. For the listener in your family, a gift certificate to a music store would help him get the tune he wants and absolved you from hours-on-end searching for clues in his old CD case. Another idea would be to get him a pass to Bluesfest, especially if he likes live performances.

• And finally, for the adventurous sorts that loves the great outdoors, Mountain Equipment Co-op is a perfect place to either get them related accessories, packs, or just a gift certificate along with a small flash-light on a key chain to say you’re thinking of them and their safety all the time.

If none of these ideas work for you, you can always stick with a traditional gift like a fruit basket or a bottle of nice wine/scotch.  No matter what you choose to get, I’m certain the father-person in your life will appreciate the thought, effort and time you took to make them feel extra special.

Happy Shopping!