How to Find the Right Father's Day Gifts
(NewsUSA) - It doesn't matter how you celebrate Father's Day, what matters is reminding Dads that they're appreciated, even admired.
Families spend $12 billion a year in honor of Father's Day. That's an abundance of love pouring out to some 70 million Dads in the U.S. But the flood of appreciation doesn't have to consist solely of ties or gift cards. Whether the men in question like to grill out, watch sports or play with new tech gadgets, they deserve to be recognized in a way that's as unique as they are -- same as Mom.
"Shopping for Dads can be a challenge, which is why gift cards are enticing," says Kevin Rooney, resident gift expert and vice president of merchandising at RedEnvelope (www.redenvelope.com). "Your best bet is to find something special that he can truly use."
Give your brain a push with the following Dad-friendly ideas:
When it hits, you feel no pain.
On the off chance Dad doesn't enjoy live music, he probably has a soft spot for a few nostalgic bands. Give him a reason to pull out his vinyls with a portable turntable. Fashioned as a classic suitcase, the turntable has an audio system that plays mp3s and converts vinyls to digital files. If Dad got rid of his vinyls with his long hair, a high-quality portable Bluetooth speaker from House of Marley might suit him better. The wireless speaker can connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device.
May the tech be with you.
Some Dads provide in-house tech support for the whole family, from changing the ink cartridges to offering advice about hard drives. Make him and his wardrobe smile with USB flash drive cufflinks sporting his initials. Not only are they stylish, the cufflinks double as a functional 2GB flash drive. If your Dad truly swims with the nerds, Star Wars cufflinks may be more appropriate -- R2D2 is also a USB stick while the Yoda, Darth Vader and Millennium Falcon cufflinks are purely decorative.
From the grandstands.
Be it love for golf, baseball or football, turn that devotion into something practical for him or the house. For instance, a California-based company takes old, authentic materials and creates unique gifts, like bar stools made from bases used in actual MLB games. For something smaller, Dad can charge his iPhone 5 on a sleek, dock shaped like a golf club.
Dapper Dads unite.
Some men believe in flannel while others look like they walked straight off the set of "Mad Men" with Don Draper. If you know someone from the latter group, think vintage bowties, a homemade gin kit or a Men's Soap Shop Grooming set from RedEnvelope -- it includes a double-blade razor and a humidor for cigars. Or, bring the barbershop experience home with a classic straight razor.