Isn't that how the old saying goes? 
Father's Day is coming up: June 21! From the looks of the greeting cards I've seen in the last few weeks, dads are interested in the following things:
- napping
- golfing
- fishing
- watching sports on TV
- cooking on the grill
- drinking beer
- fixing things
- mowing the lawn
- ugly ties
There's got to be more to dads than that, but nobody's told that to the greeting-card industry.
I think Father's Day is the toughest gift-giving occasion of the year. Moms are easy. Most moms are happy to tell you exactly what they want. Dads say they don't "need" anything, which is true, because if they do need something, they don't wait for a holiday to get it. They just go and get it--usually the week before the holiday.
And dads get ripped off every year in the "homemade gift from children in school" category. When I was in school, summer vacation began in the last week of June. I vividly remember making my dad a tin-can pencil holder in third grade. We covered a can with wood-grain Contact paper and added some stickers. I think he still has it, minus a few stickers (third grade was a long time ago.) But now, the kids finish school well before Father's Day. There won't be any clumsily-wrapped art projects coming home, to be hidden away until Dad's special day.
That means I'll have to spearhead an art project for my first-grader, so he has something to give Daddy. The big kids are on their own. I have the feeling that if they did their chores without being reminded, it would be gift enough for my husband!
COUPON TIME
It's a good thing that Ultimate Coupons has a great Father's Day coupon page to help us find some great gift ideas for dads. Here are some of the best from that page. Act fast on the first three, though, because they expire soon!
$10 off online orders over $100 at HomeDepot.com 
Use promotion code DEPOTDAD69 at checkout.
Valid through: June 10, 2009
Free shipping on orders of $50 or more at Hickory Farms 
Enter source code FATHER09 in your shopping cart.
Valid through: June 14, 2009
Free Shipping on orders over $99 at NorthernTool.com 
Enter promotional keycode 121360 in your shopping cart.
Valid through: June 15, 2009
Available only on UPS Ground-Shipped orders in the lower 48 states. Excludes Express, Priority, and Yellow Truck shipping.
15% off orders of $100 or more at Sierra Trading Post 
Use this link to activate the keycode. Discount will be reflected in your shopping cart. (You should see a note saying "Your 15% discount has been applied to your order!")
Valid through: June 23, 2009
Valid online only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Some exclusions apply.
20% off Create-Your-Own Father's Day Gifts at Zazzle 
Use promo code FATHERSDAY20 at checkout.
Valid through: June 21, 2009
10% off any order at FragranceNet.com 
Use coupon code SAVETEN in your shopping bag.
Valid through: December 31, 2009
