What about just making the day extra special? You could have the kids greet him with homemade cards and pictures and decorate his dinner chair with streamers and balloons. Make his absolute favorite dinner that night and/or his favorite breakfast that morning. Then, let him relax on the couch while you do all the bedtime work and get the kids to bed a bit early (maybe 30 minutes). Then, spend the evening together doing something together. Like playing a game, watching a movie he wants to watch, sitting outside in the beautiful evening and enjoying each other's company. You could give him a coupon book that you make that is good for whatever you want - like mowing the lawn for him one day, cleaning his car once, a couple coupons of making his favorite dinner, maybe taking the trash out for him once, giving him a backrub, breakfast in bed on a Saturday - whatever the chores are he doesn't like doing or something he'd like to do that you would be willing to do for him when he gives you the coupon. You hear of men doing that kind of thing for women, but personally, I think even men like to be pampered every now and then! Plus, maybe he'll reciprocate for you around your birthday. You wouldn't have to spend any money on any of that. You could even get your kids involved in making the coupons. I had my birthday yesterday and my oldest son made me some that were good for a hug or a kiss. (He's 7, so a hug and kiss from him are much more rare now.)
If you really want to give him a gift, maybe a $20 gift card to a movie theater that he can use on a date with you or a family movie. If you go to the Cinemark in Grapevine, $20 can go a long way. The daytime matinees are $4 a piece for everyone and evening movies are only $6 for adults, $4 for kids. Once we stumbled on that, we don't go to any other theater. For $20, we can get in with the kids and buy a popcorn, or if it's a date night, we both get in and get popcorn and an icee for only $20.
