A dad is one of the hardest people to get gifts for. Why? Because if a dad needs something small and relatively inconsequential, he'll never mention it. The family is more likely to hear about the grander toys a dad desires - such as a boat, car, stereo equipment, golf clubs, etc., all of which are usually out of the price range of most devoted offspring.
So what gifts do offspring give a dad on Father's Day? Reflecting on this question, I realize that Father's Day gifts go through life stages. Whether or not fathers go through life stages, I haven't a clue. But their Father's Day gifts definitely show a progression.
New fathers often get apparel sporting cute slogans, such as 'World's Best Dad", "Super Dad", "You can't scare me, I have a daughter", or "I'm (insert child's name)'s Daddy". The particular slogan and clothing item selected thus reflects the new mom more accurately than the new dad. But most dads don't mind, and will wear it anyway. Many even like it.
When the child has grown sufficiently old enough to receive an allowance from dad, Father's Day gifts take a marked turn south in quality, but leap upwards in sentiment. The scribbled, stick-figure pictures on construction-paper cards are attached to overly-wrapped, drug store purchases. For years, my dad got English Leather soap and aftershave. Originally, he may have mentioned to my mom that he liked the brand. Little did he know that he would be awash in English Leather for the next 10 years. My friends gave their dads dime-store ties, and hardware store work gloves and grill brushes.
Meanwhile, my 30-something mother was giving her dad a better-quality tie, book, or shirt. And by the time I was 30-something, my dad was getting those too. "What a GREAT shirt!" he'd declare. And we were all pleased that he liked this shirt's subtle stripe which distinguished itself from last year's subtle stripe.
But as years pass, offspring slowly give up the ruse that one more shirt really makes Dad's day. That's when gift certificates become a popular Father's Day gift. After I gave my dad his first Father's Day gift certificate to a book store, my mom said he really had a fun time with it. "He so rarely goes shopping for himself," she told me, "He enjoyed slowly browsing through books and picking out ones he wouldn't otherwise have purchased." Great. The next few years of Father's Days were covered. Dad got gift certificates.
But then more years pass. The family home is chocked so full of stuff that no one can even account for all that is there. Yes, it's a lifestyle, - the American lifestyle. And I think Father's Day is an American invention. At this stage, my mom urged me to give consumables, - gifts like food, plants, and golf balls. I consider books on current politics in this category too. So now Dad gets these (well, maybe not the plants.)
What's the next stage? - I can't answer that yet. But the range of possible Father's Day gifts in the current stage is enormously broad. In our world of Internet shopping, I can send Dad books and food he's never even heard of. I'm good to go for lots more years, and I hope Dad is too!
Wisconsin artists make Father's Day gifts for all of life's stages. Here are some popular favorites:
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Father's Day Tie Decorated Sugar Cookies
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University of Wisconsin BBQ Grilling Set
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Backyard All Beef Barbeque Combo
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The Bucks Camp Log - An American Deer Camp Diary
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Blood, Sweat and Cheers: Great Football Rivalries of the Big Ten
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Milwaukee Brewers Button Down Shirt
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Wisconsinmade.com Gift Certificate
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Receive $5.00 off any purchase from Wisconsinmade.com by entering this offer code with your order: FBLOG608. Offer expires June 30, 2008.
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