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[side_show]

Why are dads so damn hard to shop for?

Every year, it's "what do you want for Father's Day?"  And he's all "Oh, I don't know, I don't need anything..." So I give up and get him a gift certificate that he never uses, or a DVD of a movie he sort of likes, and he tries to act pleased... but he's just not.  He's not.  And then every few years, I spend hours looking for something, and he opens it, and he's never all that enthusiastic about whatever it is, even if I did put a lot of though into it.  I could be all "Hey dad, for Father's day, I got you a heart for that heart transplant you need," and he'd be all, " Well, thanks, I guess."

He's retired.  He doesn't much like sports.  He's not a big fan of any specific musician or actor or artist.  He has health problems and shouldn't eat junk food. 

What the hell do I get this guy?  What I ask you?

And why are dads so hard to shop for?

[pmcd9]

I'm not going to see my Dad on Fathers day this year.  I'm sure it's not the first time that's happened, but I miss everybody back home.

~Paul

[Ben-San]

Oh, man. I don't have that problem; my father's a big science-fiction buff and always goes on about what author he's really enjoying at the moment, so when his birthday or Father's Day comes up it's time to compare the set A of his bookshelf with the set B of new releases from that author and gift him with any object meeting the criteria B not A.

[AlohaDawg]

I'm easy to shop for.

My Dad's a pain to shop for. Old ethnic guys don't want anything and he came from a non-gift-giving culture so he doesn't really understand how to receive a gift. It's frustrating.

I'll take a day out with the family over most gifts anyway. The real problem comes when people feel obligated on Father's day but really wouldn't otherwise bother.

[pmcd9]

I've never bought a Fathers Day gift.  We just go out for food.

~Paul

[Carlos del Vaca]

Get him a gift card for Borders or B&N.  Books, magazines, CDs, hell, coffee... there's gotta be some damn thing there he likes, and if he doesn't use it, that's his freakin' problem.

Amazon wish lists are teh awesome; for this very reason I berate anyone who claims I'm tough to shop for.  I've also instructed the missus that a gift card from Barbecues Galore will probably always be a good Fathers' Day gift.

[AlohaDawg]

I kind of like the Victorinox Swiss Army MP3 player but I doubt I'll get one.

[side_show]

See I would take him out to eat, but, my mom (who has a serious anxiety disorder) was freaking out on the phone just before my original post that my dad has stopped taking his heart medication and has continued to refuse to eat vegetables... gah!

Ah, Pedro, don't gift certificates smack of no effort and not caring though?  Also, my sister got him a subscription to a magazine, and the local equivalent of Barnes and Noble here is a store called McNally Robinson, which is a place he refuses to shop at...  Fuckin' hell.

He used to teach autobody repair when I was little, and just redid his garage, so I think I'm going to buy him a clock shaped like a hub cap, or a tin sign, or some other auto-related memorabilia.

[Ben-San]

Ah, Pedro, don't gift certificates smack of no effort and not caring though?

Depends on the gift certificate and the context. Giving a comics fan a gift certificate to the local comics shop is a better-considered gift than buying him comics, for example, because knowing what comic a fan will want and what he will hate is a matter of arcane perplexities most people have no reason to know or care about, and comics fans know this and would rather get a gift certificate than something they will be unable to explain why they hate. The same is true for people with other specialized and esoteric hobbies.

Anyway, the auto-repair memorabilia sounds like a good idea from my underinformed view.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Pedro?  

Depends on your point of view, I guess.  I dig receiving gift cards.  I will generally write a thank you note saying "I got these awesome things!  Thanks!"  I am much more enthusiastic about being able to pick out exactly what I want, rather than getting something kind of lame that my in-laws cluelessly thought was a good gift, and having to feign appreciation.

[theinevitable]

see, that sounds like a nice and thoughtful gift.

what will I get my dad? I do not know. Hm.

[AugustWest]

Why are we hard to shop for?  To give you damn kids back a little of the constant torment we get the other 364 days of the year!

YOU'LL PUT YOUR EYE OUT! 

BECAUSE I SAID SO!

IF LITTLE JOHNNY NEXT DOOR JUMPED OFF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING, WOULD YOU DO IT TOO?

[AlohaDawg]

See I would take him out to eat, but, my mom (who has a serious anxiety disorder) was freaking out on the phone just before my original post that my dad has stopped taking his heart medication and has continued to refuse to eat vegetables... gah!

Take him out to eat. And since it's his day, leave Mom at home. And don't nag him about the heart meds, either. And if he wants to order a 1 lb serving of medium rare fat and a 9 oz baked potato with 6 oz of butter and 6 oz of sour cream, let him. It's his day.

[theinevitable]

but...
but..
doesn't father's day include caring for your dad, and not wanting him to hurt his health?

maybe you can cook him a delicious healthier-than-what-'dawg-said meal!

[jough]

I got my dad a gift of a dvd boxed set, and we may go out see a movie, have dinner or something.

We ain't fancy.