Like everyone else on the Internet, we are trying not to accumulate too much stuff. However, we do like to show the dad in our house a little appreciation on Father’s Day. There’s nothing I can do about the kids’ art projects (popsicle sticks!) he’ll be forced to keep forever and ever, but I can try to focus on clutter-free gifts for him.
As I made a list, I noticed three categories emerge: Edible, Digital, and Experiences.
Let’s do this.
Edible gifts for Dad
Candy, chocolate, and junk food. Even a mature CEO with greying hair or a wise high school chemistry teacher enjoys shoving his hand in a big bag of kettle corn or Doritos. Whatever his poison, indulging in a super-sized serving on his behalf is a good move. When it’s gone, simply crumple the garbage that remains. Hooray! (If you’re crafty or just own a printer, you can print a dad-centric label to make it more fun. My husband loves Twizzlers and Good & Plenty.
Stuff to drink. I get completely overwhelmed in front of the beer section of Whole Foods these days. There are so many specialty items. But beer, wine, or fancy soda water are all consumables that can be bundled up as a gift. Or the really nice coffee beans you never splurge on.
Favorite meals. Bacon is a good way to start Father’s Day. Just a thought.
Digital gifts for Father’s Day
DVD players and CD players are banned from my house. We have gone completely digital, cloud-based, whatever you want to call it. So even a gift of a favorite movie, tv series or “album” is going to be weightless. Amazon and iTunes both make it possible for you to gift these things. I just print out a piece of paper with the cover image on it to create a gift card.
Content my husband might like:
- Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Strengths Finder 2.0, a career/leadership self-help book
- A Belle Brigade album
- A YouTube playlist custom curated by my son to show his dad things he might like.
Experiences for Father’s Day
Touristy activities are at the top of my list for a family outing to mark the day. Think museums, state parks, local boat ride tours. Crowd-averse partner? Pack up the backpacks for a hike.
Clutter-free gifts of experience can be tickets to an upcoming concert or live sports event; a food tour for the hungry man or a walking tour for the history geek; or, a bundle of hours from a handy-man or gardener to take over some responsibilities from which he’d enjoy relief.
Sources to check:
- GoldStar.com for discounted tickets to events in certain metro areas
- Living Social for discounts on activities in select cities
- TaskRabbit to book hours with a handyman
- Pinterest for printable Father’s Day labels for grocery store items.
