Father's Day Gift Ideas (Great Stuff They Gave Me!)

Boy, did I have a GREAT Father's Day yesterday! I had the right mixture of relaxation, thoughtful gifts, and family time. Wifey and the girls all worked together to make a terrific breakfast. The table was adorned with numerous goodies. I post this not only as a memoir but to help others who might be looking for ideas. I'll start with what was on the table.

Recognition Buttons: All six daughters wore hand printed buttons on their shirts that displayed different phrases. Lily's says "I have one fabulous Dad!" The girls wore them the entire time we were at church. Each was cut out of card stock and taped to an existing button.

Personalized Rootbeer: I was given some IBC Rootbeer and Cream Soda in glass bottles. The bottles AND the six pack holder were custom decorated with homemade labels. This bottle pictured below says "Pops, you are one suh-weet dude!"


Custom Chocolate Bar: There was a Hershey's chocolate candy bar covered with a custom printed candy bar wrapper. The front says Happy Father's Day with a picture of a necktie. The backside listed the ingredients such as "Caring, Loving, Dependable..." and other characteristics which were, of course, 100% accurate.

Candy Bar Bouquet: A bouquet sat off on the corner of the table. Four Nerds candy boxes (large, movie theater size) were taped together in a square. Some green foam was placed down in the center and several candy bars, glued to skewer sticks, were stuck down into the green foam block. The candy bars were arranged to look like a flower bouquet.

Lots of love for Daddy this Father's Day

Daddyland Coupon Book: Font that looks just like Disneyland had been changed to say Daddyland. This little coupon booklet featured goodies such as "One day of controlling the tv remote" and "A one hour nap." There were about six coupons in all. They could be redeemed at any time and the last one was a fill-in-the-blank coupon! Woo hoo!

Key Chain Memoir: Dads keep good track of their key chains. There's many an important key on there. I was given a miniature "iron rod."  I put it on my key chain and think of the daughter that gave it to me every time I see it. I like the idea of a key chain keepsake. I can easily carry it around with me everywhere I go.

Daddy Info Sheets: These just may have been the best part of all the gifts. Each daughter filled out a questionnaire about Dad. Favorite sports, best memory with my Dad, what Dad does for work, favorite food, etc. One section had a physical description of Dad. My toddlers claimed I weighed 100 pounds!

Pops soda label

Front of candy bar wrapper.

Backside of custom candy bar wrapper.

Daddyland coupon book and keychain rod.



Candy bar bouquet



This certainly has raised the bar for next Mother's Day. I better get planning now...

Don't forget:  and 

Happy Father's Day from Orange Jeep Dad

Image courtesy of Google, Inc.

I just did a quick Google search and their daily image is a crooked Father's Day sign. There's a neck tie used to symbolize the "L" in the word Google. Wifey is herding the girls down the hall to add the finishing touches on some lucky Dad's Father's Day gifts (just a hunch.) :-)

So, I'm posting a quick HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all you Dads out there! If you're here searching for some last minute gift ideas, see my post earlier this month on my Top 10 Father's Day Wish List or inspirational Father's Day quotes.

Happy Father's Day!

My Top Ten Dad Gifts for Father's Day

I have six daughers, ranging from age 13 (almost 14) down to 2 years of age. This list is meant, in one way or another, to include all of them.

10. For one day, as hard as it may seem, can you please put things back where you got it...for me?

9.  A tie is always welcome. How about having one made with photos of you and your sisters on it?

8.  Play me a beautiful song on the piano using the skills you learned from all those piano lessons.

7.  Help me wash the cars in the driveway and don't storm off if I accidentally spray you.

6.  Work with your sisters to cook a wonderful dinner that we can all sit down together and enjoy.

5.  A big, heaping plate of warm, gooey, super-dee-dooper chocolate chip cookies.

4.  Take a pencil and paper, a book, anything...that helps you be completely quiet one Sunday in church.

3.  Before Father's Day, without any stomping, grunting, or whining...do ALL of your normal, daily chores.

2.  Hug me randomly, talk with me quietly, and offer to hold my hand or sit in my lap.

1.  Just spend Father's Day with me and casually mention "Happy Father's Day"...about 80 times.

Dad Quotes for Father's Day

Father's Day is coming and I'll soon be getting the annual question: "What do you want for Father's Day Dad?" Its not an easy question because I'm not used to thinking about what I want. I'm usually thinking about who needs school lunch money, is the back gate secure so the dog doesn't get out, where is my darn shoe?

So, during my late night google searching, I came across some great quotes. Some by famous people, some anonymous, some just about dads in general. They made me smile so I'm sharing them here.

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.
~Author Unknown

There are three stages of a man’s life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus.
~Author Unknown


Never raise your hand to your kids.  It leaves your groin unprotected.
-Red Buttons

It is a wise father that knows his own child.
– William Shakespeare (I put this on the back of our Dads Club t-shirts at my kids elementary school several years ago)

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
– Mark Twain, Old Times on the Mississippi, 1874

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.
– Sigmund Freud

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.
-- John Gregory Brown ( I really like this one)

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
~Author Unknown (very, very true)

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich.
-Colonel Potter, M*A*S*H 4077 (the show I watched with my daddy every night as a young boy)

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher's mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.
-Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.
-Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I have never been a material girl. My father always told me never to love anything that cannot love you back.
-Imelda Marcos

A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
-Knights of Pythagoras

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more
-Anonymous

Happy Father's Day!

What are YOUR favorite Father's Day quotables?