NY Fathers DayNix the necktie and skip the socks!  What dads really want for Father’s Day can’t be bought in any department store.  Instead, recent polls show that what most dads really want for Father’s Day is to spend quality time with their families.  They want to feel like they matter as much on Father’s Day as Mom matters on Mother’s Day – and polls show that most dads have family members who agree with them.

How can you make Dad feel like a million bucks on Father’s Day without wasting your cash?  Try these Father’s Day celebrations:

Go out to Dinner with the Family

Gather the family and take Dad out to dinner.  Make him feel like the guest of honor by taking care of all the details beforehand, from making the reservations to appointing a driver to packing along the credit card.  For an extra touch, ask the restaurant if you can have your father’s favorite drink or appetizer waiting at the table when he arrives – or if you can drop off a small gift beforehand for the wait staff to surprise him with.

Bring Dinner to Dad

Many fathers like to cook, whether that means whipping up a gourmet meal in the kitchen or grilling some fantastic steaks on the back deck.  If your dad would rather eat in than eat out, make his favorite activity easy by springing for high-quality ingredients, cleaning and preparing his workspace, setting the table, and handling all the cleanup.  This is a great time to pick up his favorite foods, or to buy something he’s always wanted to try cooking but doesn’t often indulge in himself – like king crab legs or gourmet mushrooms.

Think Carefully about Gifts

While few fathers will turn down a Father’s Day gift, the “traditional” options aren’t always the best ones.  According to a poll by the Web site InteractiveDad.com, neckties ranked dead last as favored Father’s Day gifts, along with cologne, underwear, socks, and – yes – even power tools.

There’s nothing wrong with getting Dad a gift that says you love him.  But buying Dad something he’ll happily buy himself isn’t the way to go.  Instead, get him a gift that represents something you enjoy doing together or that will help him advance a particular hobby.  And don’t forget to add a card that expresses your love for Dad and all he does.

Posted in: Holiday Events