Gifts for dad

 
Father's Day comes once a year, but Sandra Magsamen suggests you celebrate your dad every day and in many ways. You don't need to spend tons of money, just spend time with him. It isn't about doing more—it's about doing what you do with more meaning and more you.

There are many artful and fun ways to say how much you love and care for your dad. Just remember the best thing to spend on him is your time. Have fun expressing who you are and sharing with your dad just how wonderful and important he is to you. Here are a few gift ideas from the heart.
Treat dad to a special day

The Gift of Time
Think of all the things your father likes and create the day around him. Type up an itinerary of the day's events for him to follow and tie a big bow on it!

Here's an example:
9 a.m. Breakfast
10 a.m. Get ready for big adventure
11 a.m. Boat ride and fishing
12 p.m. Lunch on boat
4 p.m. Nap
6 p.m. Dinner (Dad's favorite meal)
Make dad breakfast in bed

Dad's Day
Pay homage to your dad by making him breakfast in bed and letting him read the paper—uninterrupted—for a few hours. Turn on his favorite movie or tune into the baseball game. Host a cookout with the family and grill up his favorite meal.
Frame a picture of you and your dad

Frame Dad
Frame a picture of you and your dad.
Go golfing with your father

Little Bits of Love
Spend a day on the golf course with your dad if he likes to golf. Paint or glue little slips of paper with the words "I Love You," "You're the Greatest" or "Best Dad" on a set of golf balls as a gift (or tennis balls if that's his game).

If he's not into sports, you can still surprise him by leaving these "little pieces of love" all over the place—in the car, the dresser drawer, on his toothbrush, in his briefcase, in his shoe and so on. He will have such a laugh discovering them throughout the day.
Plant a garden with your dad

Plant a Little Love
If your dad is a gardener, give him a gift certificate to the local gardening store so he can stock up on annuals, perennials and herbs for his garden. Better yet, go with him to the store as his assistant gardener and get your hands dirty.
Create a book about your father

Create a Book About Dad
Make a book, with the help of your siblings, titled "You Are the Best Dad in the Universe." Ask sisters and brothers, even cousins and other relatives, to give you a list of the things they most respect, love and admire about your dad. Fill the book with these thoughts and treasured photographs.
Send an instant message to your father

IM Dad
Use you computer or Palm Pilot to send dad an instant messages over the Internet. Just nice things like "You're the greatest," "I love you" and "Thank you for all you do." These little gems may take an instant, but their meaning will last a long time in his heart.
Create a CD for your dad

You Are Music to My Ears
Create a CD of your dad's favorite music. Design a cover for the CD case from a photograph you love or a special design you create. Be sure to put the year and date on the CD. Your dad will love to play it in the car or at work, and he will not only be singing to the tunes but will be singing your praises.
Make a DVD of family films for your father

Make Dad a Movie
If you are like me, you have so many video tapes of different times in your life. Take them to the camera store where they will help you transfer them onto DVDs. You can decide how to organize the various films so that, in the end, you have one DVD that has many memories of the times you and your dad spent together. You can even get fancy and have music put in the background.
Sign dad up for a book club

Dad's Club
If your dad loves to read, sign him up for a book club for a year. He will get a new book every month. He can pass the book to you after he is done, and you can meet for lunch to talk about the book (and everything else). It's a great opportunity to learn together and discuss interesting topics. Or if wine is his passion, join a wine club for your dad and enjoy a glass or two each month with him.
Try a new adventure with your dad

Something New to Do
Find out that one thing your dad has always wanted to try but has simply not done yet. It might be salsa lessons, pottery class, learning a new language or even sky diving. Now do what you can to help him fulfill this dream. Perhaps it's dance lessons, a language class at the community college or a trip to the local airport to check out the sky diving classes. Believing in your dad's dreams will be a wonderful gift to him and to yourself when you see how happy it makes him.
Wash dad's car

Get Dad an Almost New Car
Really wash and dry your dad's car so it's shiny and bright and place a big bow on it with a note that reads I love you, and I promise he will love you too for your effort.