“Zip it, Flip it, Love it!”

When it comes to celebrating Father’s Day – I can be a bit lax and tend to pick up things I know that my husband, dad and father in law would enjoy.  It’s not necessarily about planning – because those three men in my life are simple bodies who just want to spend Father’s Day with their children and grand children.  But this year, I thought it would be fun to showcase different ways to show Fathers love on this day that happens once a year to celebrate dads.  Today I share with you 5 ways to show dad some Father’s Day love and a small gift guide in case you are still on the hunt for that perfect gift.

Say it with love!  

Sometimes gestures like helping around the house are worth more than its weight in gold.  Mowing the lawn, cutting the grass or washing dad’s car can be very important tasks that your father does that we tend to take for granted.  You may not think that this is gift worthy, but taking the initiative to do something for your father could mean more to him than anything materialistic.

Treat the “Dad on the Go” with a special gift!

My husband, Dad and Father in Law all work in different locations spread across the island and because of this, each of them spend a lot of time in the car driving to and from their destination.  Sometimes we don’t think about how much time they spend in their vehicles and how it really is a secondary home for them.  There are a few things I like to make or buy for those fathers in my life to help make their drive a little less hectic.

• Make a CD or mix of digital songs with their favorite tunes to help make the time in the car enjoyable.  My dad and father in law are big oldies fans and a mix of songs from the era of the 60s – 70s will make for great listening pleasure.  My husband is very eclectic when it comes to music, so any hip hop or mix from the 80s and 90s works well.
• A travel mug or insulated coffee cup.  My husband, dad and father in law are coffee and tea drinkers and because of this, if they can – they will take their coffee with them.  A good travel mug that will allow them to keep their drinks warm while on the go is perfect for anyone.  A good stainless steel mug will travel well but will also take a beating if it gets dropped or falls.

• Convertible Car Seat and Booster with accessories – Remember how I said that dads can live in their cars just as much as their homes.  Well, it’s not necessarily traditional gifts, but getting accessories to protect the children and the car can be great assets for any dad that spends a lot of time in their cars.  My husband, dad and father in law can transport my children easily with an extra car seat for them to use at a moments notice and brands like Diono offer so many accessories for dad to keep his car in tip top shape while also running errands.  The Diono Radian RXT convertible car seat ($359.99) is designed for your child’s security and is made with premium materials and safety features like a steel alloy frame, aluminum reinforced side walls, energy absorbing EPS foam and a five point harness system.  It’s also convertible so it grows with your child allowing you to change from car seat to booster and accommodating children up to 120 lbs.  Instead of taking the seats out of my car to put into theirs, they will have a seat that they can use for one of my children at any given time.  Diono also offers the Stuff ‘n Scuff which is a washable and waterproof fabric that helps to keep mud and dirt off the back of your vehicle’s seat.  It has a large cargo pocket and provides full seat protection.  This is a lifesaver for us, because my children kick the back of the seat as they are getting in and out of the car.  Don’t forget the Pop Up Trash Bin – a collapsible storage bin that pops open for extra storage or for trash.  These companions are perfect for the car and for the Dad in your life that has littles that he transports in his vehicle.

• Sunglasses – any cool dad that is on the road needs a great pair of sunglasses to help keep the glare from disturbing his driving and help to protect his eyes.  We are a family that swears by Maui Jim and absolutely loves Polarized glasses to help with driving visibility.  While you can purchase Maui Jim sunglasses online, they can carry a hefty price tag so I’d also like to suggest Westwood Everett Verawood Polarized Sunglasses.  They retail for $80 and are truly well made.  They are light weight and comfortable and protect the eyes for daily use or while driving.  They also come in classic looks that will fit most head shapes.

Let that special dad know how much you value his time.

It may seem corny, but the fact of the matter is – time stops for no one.  As many who know me know, a watch or clock is such an important part of who I am as a person and I got that from my mom and my dad.  I will buy a watch each year for my husband and love picking up special designs that are cool and classic for my dad.  Watches mean more than just telling time and a special watch for that special guy can be a great gift.

• The Invicta Pro Diver Watch ($675 USD) is a great choice for any father.  I’m an Invicta collector so naturally I would gravitate to an Invicta watch for my loved ones.  This gorgeous watch is made of Stainless Steel with Swiss watch components.  It’s Water Resistant to 200 meters and offers beautiful detailing that any man would absolutely love and enjoy.  If you have a father in your life that is a watch collector or just loves a great time piece, this will surely be one that he will enjoy.

Cook Dad a special meal or dessert because food is always the best way to the heart.

I love to cook – so cooking a special meal and dropping it off to my parents’ house always shows love and my dad is always grateful.  My dad loves seafood so any type of dish with his favorite foods would make a great gift.  My father in law, well – he enjoys my cooking, so I know that if I cook something, he’ll surely love it… and my husband – he’s easy to please too.  Cooking a meal or dessert is so much fun for everyone to get involved in.  The boys love to help me in the kitchen so getting children to take part in preparing this special dish will be a breeze.  When food is made with love and from the heart, it’s a great treat.

Give Dad a little time to relax and unwind.

Did I mention that time is precious?  Sometimes we forget that all we need is a few minutes to ourselves to really gather our thoughts and just unwind and relax.  My husband and dad like to have a little gentlemen’s drink now and then to unwind and just sit and talk story about their day and where they are in life at the moment.  A bottle of their favorite spirit, cocktail or liqueur is a great gift for any dad and even your father in law.  My FIL loves to unwind with a Cigar, so a good cigar and a bottle of Liqueur would make a great gift this Father’s Day.

• Crystal Head Vodka retails for about $40 – $60 for the .750 mL depending on where you buy it and you can find it at most liquor retail stores and establishments.  It’s a great gift for any dad and comes in beautiful packaging.  The Vodka is made with pure Newfoundland water and filtered through 500-million year-old crystals, also known as Herkimer diamonds.  The bottle is made of beautiful Bruni Glass in Italy and it’s just a showstopper for any collector or liqueur connoisseur.
• Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey is charcoal mellowed before going into the barrel giving it the smooth taste you know, but with an extra blessing again of charcoal after reaching maturity to give it the ultimate smoothness drinking.  It’s full-bodied with fruit and spices with a silky, warm & pleasant finish.  The Gentlemen Jack is a whiskey made for the gentleman order.  The .750mL size retails for about $40 and goes great with a cigar.
• If you are not looking to buy alcohol, you can always buy a really cool flask, engrave it and give that as a gift too – they make awesome gifts for dads.

Please make sure that if you are buying alcohol or cigars for your loved ones that anyone who receives it drinks responsibly.  This is just a suggestion.

I know I didn’t include any skin care or beauty type items this time around as I have in the past and I left out traditional dad gifts like grilling products, but if you’re interested in those you can click here for some ideas on manly skin care stuff and here to read about great grilling accessories.

At the end of the day, celebrating dad doesn’t require spending money but it’s always great to find a gift that Dad will love.  Like I mentioned previously, my husband, father and father in law just love that they can spend time with family on Father’s Day and those are some of the most cherished times for them.  A phone call or a card that is handmade make great little treats for anyone and they will be well received on Father’s Day.

To all the fathers out there, today and always… Happy Father’s Day.  Thank you for being great inspirations and for loving us all.

Disclaimer:  Some of the products mentioned and discussed in this post were sent to me for review and feature consideration.  All opinions are my own, 100% honest and unbiased.  Affiliate links are posted through out.  While there is a mention of alcohol and cigars, this is merely used as a suggestion and as with anything on this site, my own opinion.  Please drink responsibly and please do not drink or drive.  I do not condone underage drinking.  Thank you!