What men really don't want for Fathers Day

June 20, 4:25 PMRelationship ExaminerKristen Houghton

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Here's hoping men get what they want for Fathers Day. I know better than to get my husband clothes for any holiday. This is especially true for this day in June. The commercials showing a smiling man who is absolutely thrilled to pieces with some non-descript sport shirt is definitely not the scenario I’ll see with the man I know. He’d get that slight smile on his face, say, “hey, this is nice,” and then hide it away in the Land of Lost Clothes along with those sandals I made him buy on vacation two years ago.
Ties, shirts, shorts, and God forbid, underwear, are not exactly wonderful gifts to receive. They’re boring practical. I know this. But what do the dad, husband, brother, and uncle in your life really and truly want?
I don’t know. If I did, I’d be out there shopping.
My own husband, while acknowledging that it is nice to have days that remember parents, still calls these days, “Hallmark Created Pseudo-Holidays.” Good for the card companies and restaurants, but a royal pain for gift buyers. He’s right.
Outside of the expensive items like tickets for sporting events, theatre, concerts, cameras, techno-equipment, watches, plasma TVs, and a vacation to baseball fantasy camp, the choices for Dads Day are not all that great. Do we have to be left with underwear, car wax, and grilling utensils? Is there nothing else?
C’mon guys! Give us a hint!
I like the feeling I get when people open a gift from me and there is a smile of genuine happiness on their faces. We all do and so the quest for a perfect gift for the men in our lives poses a major problem. And, no offense gentlemen, but you don’t help us any when you say,
“Just get me anything. I’ll like it.” You won’t like it, we’ll know it, and we’ll both feel awful.
Gift giving is an art form. It has to be a “not too expensive and just what I wanted” type of gift. Very few of us are that artsy. Still I keep trying to find, if not the perfect gift, then at least something that he will enjoy. Something that will bring that genuine smile to his face and will let me know that I’ve gotten it right. I’ll keep searching for this almost perfect gift; I’ve still got time. I only wish that he’d give me a good hint about what he really wants.
Maybe I’ll go with something a little practical and techno like the new iPod Nano.. Nothing too expensive. Nothing elaborate that he never really uses; just a music device with easy instructions. I think he’ll like it. At the very least it’s better than buying boring underwear. He should appreciate that fact.

© 2009 all rights reserved Kristen Houghton 

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