Gift Baskets Ideas for My Dad?

Molly Wagner

December 2, 20040 found this helpful

One idea is to put some items together for his car. I love keeping the Armor- All (Sp?) containers with wipes for either seats and dashboards or the window cleaner wipes in my car for quick cleaning when I am stuck in traffic. If he likes to golf you could put in a set of golf balls, golf tees and a golf glove. If he likes to read, put in a new book, a coffe mug and some speacialty coffee. Good Luck

Another good car-related thing is Rain-X. You wipe it on your windshield, and it makes it easy to see in pouring-down rain.

Another good book-related thing is a bookmark. Make one cheaply from any stiff paper (like from a file folder or post card). Or tie a ribbon of his favorite color to a paper clip--put the paper clip on the back cover of a paperback or last page of a hardcover book and drape the ribbon between the pages you want to save.

Other ideas: Gift certificates for a movie theatre. Gift certificates from a movie rental place plus a package of microwave popcorn. A favorite candy bar. Home-made cookies in a couple of baggies. Sunglasses. A candle-holder, ashtray or papier-machet piece to hold change and keys. A cup or mug or decorated can full of pencils or pens and scissors. (Decorate a can by gluing paper or fabric to it.) A puzzle toy. A deck of cards. A plant. A tape measure. A certificate to get out of doing one of his chores (pick a chore you wouldn't mind doing that much on short notice!). A box of mints. Chapstick and a mini-pack of tissues. Free channel-changing (batteries for the remote control). Warm socks (black if he has to dress up for work).

Whenever you give something weird, pack it in a box first, and put a label on the box that says what it is. This would be good for the above suggestions "Change and Key Holder," "Hours of Channel Flipping," and, if it's weird enough, "Bookmark."

Get more (and better) ideas by paying attention when he says things like "I wish I had ...," "if only this thing I have could do this other thing," "it's so frustrating when this happens (and you know a way to make it less frustrating)," etc.

Think of what your dad enjoys to do, either job-related, hobbies, etc. Some examples:

Fisherman - bobbers, sinkers, lures, hooks, etc.

Handyman - duct tape, assortment of screws/hardware in a little travel case to keep handy, tape measure, etc.

For creative ways to package a gift, try decoupage. A few years ago I got a cheap box from the craft store and a jar of modge podge. For my hubby (a computer guy), I clipped all kinds of goofy pictures and phrases from his old computer magazines and covered the box. He loved keeping it on his desk to hold little stuff.

Have fun!

Better than any products you could put in a basket, would be to put coupons for the chores he hates to do. Is it his job to take out the trash? Shovel snow? Rake leaves? Wash the car? Run errands? As a parent, these would mean much more to me than products I could buy myself. The advantage to this is the money factor. It doesn't cost you money, it only costs you time.

Workshop Box
Steel box with 10-18 drawers for Dad's workshop as it's ultimate
destination.
Right now can be filled with candy and nuts.

A Professional Letter Tray
Will prove useful on Dad's desk.
Can be filled with pecan rolls or Christmas Cookies.

Tex-Mex
Fill the basket with the makings for a great Mexican meal. Add salsa,

Coffee-Lovers
Fill a basket with a mug or two, some flavored spoons and flavored creamers.
Add some biscotti or shortbread cookies. Line with holiday colored paper
napkins, and finish with a coffee-filter bow.

Computer-Lover
Stuff a basket with new floppy discs, a picture mouse pad, fancy printer
paper and a book of best web sites on the net." Don't forget a gift jar of
flavored coffee creamer and a mug.

a personalized gift basket is always appreciated, try a theme or interest of your dad's. Does he like to read, car buff, old movies or westerns? For a car buff, a car cleaning basket (car wash, polish, tire cleaner, travel mug, car magazine) movie buff (popcorn, snacks, new movie or dvd, gift cert.

Tawnda

December 2, 20040 found this helpful

A few years ago, I bought those little lure boxes that fit into larger fishing tackle boxes and filled each slot with candy that my husband and son like. Last year they were sellig those at Wal-Mart with gummy fish in them and chocolates with foil covers on them to look like weights and lures.

You could do gummy worms or gummy fish, but I would wrap them in cling wrap or a snack size baggy to avoid having them dry out, unless you wait until the day before you give the gift to wrap it all up.

Other ideas are shaving cream, cologne, ties, new socks, gloves, etc.

Good luck on this one :) The only thing I can offer is I know men like gifts that "do something." And of course they like things to eat! Maybe some of the men out there could offer us some suggestions on what guys like? Because I know from experience it isn't cologne and socks. :)