Because dads are
– well, dads – there’s a good chance that when the kids present
him with the standard ugly tie or hand-made ceramic ashtray (even
though he doesn’t smoke), he’s going to admire it, praise it and
keep it forever.
Because dads are – well, dads – there’s a good chance that when the kids present him with the standard ugly tie or hand-made ceramic ashtray (even though he doesn’t smoke), he’s going to admire it, praise it and keep it forever.
But instead of adding yet another bright yellow, paisley print poly-blend tie to dad’s collection, think outside the box this year. To help, we put together a list of 10 creative gift ideas with the help of local fathers. Whether you keep it simple or go extravagant, these presents are sure to make dad feel special this year.
No. 1.
Homemade picture frame. There are tons of kids’ crafts Web sites, and we found this project at www.kidsdomain.com. Use one of dad’s interests as a theme, such as baseball, golf, fishing or cars. Buy a plain, wide picture frame. Then go to a craft store and use miniature wooden shape decorations, stickers and other materials to glue onto the frame, personalizing it for dad. Or, find permanent markers and let the kids decorate the frame with their own art. Finish it off with a great picture of dad with the kids.
No. 2.
“I can’t really remember ever getting any bad gifts. Probably the thing that was nearest and dearest to me was a picture collage my daughter, Sierra, put together for me one Father’s Day. There were pictures of her and I, of my parents – it was a whole family history. That was several years ago. She’s 23 now and we’ve done a camping trip together as a family for the past few years, which is pretty special, too.”
– Chris Yacenda, Gilroy resident
No. 3.
The un-ugly tie. Get dad something he’ll be proud to wear by having pictures of the kids put onto a tie. The gift Web site www.gifts.com has links to help you create a special photo tie for dad. Upload a picture to the site, provide billing and shipping information, and give dad wearable art and an easy way to show off pictures of the kids.
No. 4.
“I have two little girls – Sara Nicole is 6 and Isabelle is 9 – and the best gifts are always the ones they make for you. They make me cards and bookmarks and all kinds of stuff that’s really special. The girls like to watch NASCAR with me, so this year they entered me in a Father’s Day radio contest and the prize is a trip to Southern California to watch a NASCAR race, which I thought was pretty cool. Another year they bought me this Snoopy T-shirt that says something like ‘Cool Daddy’ on it, which isn’t something I’d have ever picked out for myself, but the girls always get a kick out of it when I wear it and I like it.”
– David Swing, Morgan Hill police officer
No. 5.
A bottle of bubbly. It doesn’t actually have to be bubbly, but a nice bottle of wine for the dinner table or the wine cellar is sure to put a smile on dad’s face. Make it a bottle of his favorite local wine or broaden his horizons by getting him something international.
No. 6.
“Well my first child, Dylan, was born on Father’s Day nine years ago, so that was the first thing I ever got for Father’s Day, which was a pretty good gift. But I’d say the other really good presents were the homemade things the kids make, especially when they’re younger. My daughter, Kaitlyn, is 5 and she’ll make me cards and we hang them on the fridge. We typically do a barbecue with my in-laws on Father’s Day, so we all get to spend time together, which is a good gift, too.”
– Roy Iler, lieutenant for San Benito County Sheriff’s Department
No. 7.
Top Gun in SoCal. Plenty of dads have felt the need for speed, but most have never set foot in a plane designed for air combat. For those who want to give a deluxe Father’s Day gift, Air Combat USA in Fullerton will teach dad basic air combat maneuvers and let him engage in six dog fights for about $1,200. Check it out at www.aircombat.com.
No. 8.
NASCAR in NorCal. For the dads who’d rather indulge their need for speed on the ground instead of in the sky, give them the NASCAR experience by letting them learn to drive a real race car like a real race car driver at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. Prices start at $400 and go all the way up to $4,000, so this is another deluxe gift – but for NASCAR dads, it’s sure better than the ceramic ashtray. Get more info at www.racingschools.com.
No. 9.
Sporting event tickets. Air combat and race car driving out of your budget?
We’re surrounded by sports – Saber Cats, Raiders, 49ers, Sharks, Giants, Barnstormers, A’s, Warriors – so dad can have his pick of sporting event tickets. It’s not football season, you say? Try an I.O.U.
No. 10.
Professional pictures. When was the last time your dad had his picture taken with the kids by a professional? Sure, there are plenty of fun pictures around the house from family outings, but it might be good to get a pro to capture dad and the kids in their Sunday finest, with the cowlicks slicked down, dirt wiped off, ponytails neatly arranged, etc.
Got several generations of dads? Be sure to get them all in one picture, too.
