I have racked my brain and I can't think of a single thing to get my dad for his birthday. He used to hunt and fish but doesn't do much of that anymore. He plays golf, but already has everything he needs for that. He for sure doesn't need anymore tools. I just don't want to get him another shirt, but what do you get a 52 yr. old man who already has everything? HELP!!!!
Dear Trish,
My husband lives to play golf. I have this problem every holiday and birthday. I have started getting gift cards to some of his favorite golf courses. Most courses offer golf packages at discounts several times a year. This works out great because like your dad, my husband has every tool and gadget for golfing.
Hope this helps,
Amy H
I know you said he had everything for golf but what about something monogramed or what about a gift card for time on a golf course or rental on a golf cart? How about car wash gift card or a massage. Does he like to read?
I hope some of this helps
My dad is getting a card for fathers day and nothing else for the exact same reason you are asking this question. My dad used to hunt and fish but doesn't any more. He has everything he wants already so I am clueless as to what to get for him. This is a problem I have every year for his birthday, Christmas... any gift-giving event. It is frustrating. I have resorted to getting him $50 gift cards at various places like Outback or Best Buy etc.
Trish, It stinks that we feel that pressure to fall into the commercialism of these "holidays." Now that both of my parents have passed away, I have learned that (cliche' as it is...) the best things are time spent together and meaningful cards. When my dad passed away, I found cards I had written him for father's day and his birthday in his sock drawer. It meant so much to him! I had worked hard to write in those cards heartfelt thank you's and things that made my dad special and unique. Those were the best things I ever gave my dad. Take him out to eat, just the two of you! You could also get your girls involved and make a stepping stone for him (kits at hobby shops). My three year old and I are doing that for dad and grandpa for father's day. No matter what anyone says- those are still the best gifts. You can find an old pic of you two when you were a kid (or with the family) and make a kitschy golf-towel or something too with the image on it. Just remember that buying "stuff" isn't the most important thing.
How about a gift card to somewhere nice? Every year we try to get my dad a gift card to one of his favorite places he likes to eat and we always make sure there is enough on it for him to take a special friend as well. He loves them and the fact that it allows him to treat a friend as well always brings about extra smiles. One year my brother drug out a bunch of old pictures of all of us growing up with loads of picture of dad in them and made a DVD we held a big family supper with the movie for entertainment and he loved it. Just a few ideas. Bblessed always in all things
Wow, you have a young Dad! That should be in your favor because he doesn't have Everything yet! My husband just turned 54 this week and I got him an electric pole saw. He was thrilled because for some reason, almost no one in our neighborhood has one. Being from OK and AR, we have been having so much tree damage this year that this was an appropriate gift for my husband. It was about $100 at a home improvement store.
Last year I got him an iPod which he rarely uses.
Since your Dad golfs, I wonder if you could buy his green fees at a nice golf course where he lives. Another thing we use a lot in our house is batteries- a rechargable battery kit is precious.
My parents live in a condo and no longer need any tools or anything so one year I planted about three flats of flowers for them.
Its tough but good luck.
M
Hi Trish,
A family portrait is always a good choice. Either have one taken of you and your family or you could have him join you. Maybe try a couple different poses...one serious and one with everyone having fun (making faces or goofing off while sitting). You'd be surprised how precious the latter one can be.
If he's a sports fan a ticket to his favorite teams game would be appropriate also. You could even make that one a family affair also.
Good luck on finding the perfect gift for your Dad. I can't wait to see what other ideas you get.
Win Q
There is a golf passport that you can get for your state that gives access to almost any golf course in your state. It will usually either save on green fees and golf cart or give something free or at a reduced rate. You can also find out his favorite golf course and get him a gift card there that would cover anything associated with him golfing there and he could choose what to spend it on. Or maybe a gift card to a favorite restaurant?
We don't have a lot of discretionary money so last year for Mother's Day and my birthday I asked for a letter from my children both the ones at home and the young adults. What I received I will treasure always.
If he used to like to hunt and fish, does he like to watch wildlife? If so you might get him a bird field guide and a nice pair of binoculars and then offer to go on a hike at a local nature park with him. Or if he isn't up for hiking you could get him a bird feeder and a supply of seed to go with the field guide and he could watch birds in his own backyard.
Hope this helps!
Food is always good. If you live nearby, you could make a dinner; or mail his favorite banana bread. More expensive but giving you lots of options are mail order foods: my son loves to get Memphis Barbecue Rendez-Vous ribs (btw, if Dad grills, you can usually get grilling accessories--aprons, grill-cleaning and -cooking tools, sauces, cookbooks), and there are also steak companies (Omaha Steaks is good), fruit clubs (Harry & David's), etc. . . . A gift card to Dad's favorite restaurant is also good.
If Dad likes cookies, you can help the kids layer cookie ingredients in a jar, attach a recipe, cover the lid with some pretty fabric and a ribbon, and voila, cookie mix from the kids. Other projects you could do with the kids include a silhouette or footprint or handprint in clay or paint to hang on the wall.
Magazine subscriptions may be an option (GOLF DIGEST? NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC?).
Think of services, too: Does he like a clean car? Have it washed and detailed, or do it yourself. Does he need yard work? Can you give him a "gift certificate" for that and do it later, or hire someone for him?
Travel may be a possibility. Is there some expensive golf resort he'd like to go to? Could you contribute toward a trip or stay?
I will be keeping an eye on your responses. My husband is 52 and has everything! I can not think of what to get him for Father's day from ME!
I had the same problem at Christmas. So I took my 5 year old and let him paint mugs at a paint-it-yourself ceramics place. You can also do a plate with their hand prints, or make little animals out of their finger prints. It wasn't super expensive, and it was a big hit with everyone! Hope this helps.
Heather
My folks are hard to buy for. For their birthdays, as well as Mother's and Father's Day, I invite them over for dinner, cook their favorite dishes, and after dinner, we play cards or watch a movie, or sit and chat (not that we ONLY see them then - we live close enough that we're able to visit back and forth easily).
Time and fellowship are more important than stuff.
Make a scrapbook of pictures of your kids, him, you, He will love it!! I have a friend who does creative memories let me know if you would like her email... But even wal mart sales scrapbooking stuff also you can now make scrapbooks on line. Let your girls help they will love it!!
Betsy
Trish,
You can donate money in his name to a charity that would be of interest to him. You can make a nice dinner and have the gils 'decorate' for him, cake, streamers and everything. You can take him to dinner, spending time is what most people really want. You can have the girls make him something (we do ceramics and all of the g-parents have the worlds ugliest coffee mugs with childrens handprints over what they 'painted' and they LOVE them) We also do photo mugs each year. I order them from E-bay (Spindy68 or something...look up photo mug) and put a photo on one side and some saying or date and event on the other. The Grandpa's demand these each year now for Father's day. Easy-Peasy!
Try gifts.com. If you don't find something there that you like, it will get your creative juices flowing.
Hope it helps.
HOw about a homemade music dvd of the girls singing and dancing in front of the camara. He can watch it anytime. And he will recieve pleasure from it, feeling so loved by them and you, over and over and over again! Play in the background some music they enjoy as well as music he enjoys. It is a nice treat that lasts forever!
Is your Dad sports minded. Does he watch games like football, baseball, etc. If he has a favoite team and if he is still employed, a weekend game ticket would be a delight to someone like him, that has as you say everything.
Annette Valentine
How about a gift card to a favorite restaurant, or to a movie theater?