Seven Meaningful Gifts for Father’s Day

Did you forget that Father's Day is right around the corner? Don't make your dad unwrap another new tie. Instead, choose one of these great gift ideas for that special dad.

Put together a manly version of the gift basket using a new tackle box or toolbox as the base. Use crumpled newspaper or shredded colored paper to fill in the bottom three or four inches of the box so that the gifts you put in the box are easy to see. Place a new mug and a bag of gourmet coffee or a box of green tea bags in the middle of the box. Fill in the sides of the box with some of his favorite snacks, new golf balls or fishing lures, and some toys from his childhood. Some fun toy choices are matchbox cars, a slinky, or retro action figures. Don't forget to add a framed photo of you and your dad to the box.
Do you want to tell your dad how wonderful he is? Make a list of words that describe him and create a personalized word search using those words. To make your job easier, you can use the free puzzle making software at www.puzzlemaker.com.
Tell that special dad how much he means to you. Write him a letter listing his attributes or just pick one wonderful memory to write about. If you aren't the letter writing type, write your pop an acrostic name poem, instead. Write his name vertically using capital letters. Then, on each line, write a word that starts with that letter and describes something great about your dad.
Do you have a lot of pictures of events in your life that your dad has shared? Make a scrapbook full of all of those wonderful memories to give to him. Dads who are overseas or away from home will really appreciate this gift with a bit of a twist. Make sure to add pictures of all the events your dad has missed so that he can share them with you.
Create a video of your dad's life. Interview friends and families, tell stories, and shoot footage of his old schools and neighborhoods. This gift is another great present for dads who are far away.
Give new dads a lasting memory with framed footprints and handprints. You will need a nontoxic washable inkpad, nice cardstock in a light color, and a picture frame big enough to hold the cardstock. Carefully ink the baby's hands or feet and press them to the cardstock. Immediately wash the ink from your baby's skin. After the prints dry, you can frame the prints.
Make your dad some of his favorite foods, pack them up in a picnic basket, and take him fishing, golfing, or hiking to make some great new memories.

Still looking for a great gift? You can always let your dad pick his own present. Just give him a gift card to his favorite tool supply or building supply store and let him pick out exactly what he's always wanted.