What to buy a baby boomer dad for Father’s Day
June 20, 2009
About 17 million baby boomers are fathers.
I e-mailed six boomer dads and asked what they’d like to receive for a Father’s Day present.
Computer gadgets and a Sirius satellite radio were two of the requests.
Another boomer dad wants Bill O'Reilly’s newest book, a stainless steel sauté pan, a new putter, and a barbecue with his two daughters.
One dad said it would be great if his two sons volunteered to work for three days on clean up activities for the family’s vacation cabin.
A boomer dad with young children wistfully envisions a nice quiet day with a tasty steak and cold beer at the end of the day.
Similarly, another boomer dad wants a day at the beach on his Hobie Cat 17 sailboat, good winds, a great lunch, lots of sun, and no work.
More gift ideas
Amazon.com suggests giving your dad t-shirts and coffee cups with compliments or jokes. Its Web page Great Gifts for Your Baby Boomer Dad also recommends pocket knives and key chains. Books include "399 Games, Puzzles & Trivia Challenges Specially Designed to Keep Your Brain Young" and "Baby Boomer Survival Guide: Live, Prosper, and Thrive in Your Retirement."
You can also check out AARP's books for grownups. Some recommendations include: "It's Not All Downhill From Here" and "The Last Trial."
If you want to give your dad electronic gadgets, see the article "23 Father's Day Gifts Under $50 That He'll Love."
A different kind of gift
Probably the most unusual gift suggestion I came across in my consumer research is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The department recommends giving your dad a food thermometer to make sure food is safe.
Other Father’s Day suggestions the department offers are: visit a local farmers’ market, explore a local forest or park, plant your own garden, and cook a healthy meal with dad.
Father's Day spending
Americans are expected to spend an average of $91 on gifts for dad, down slightly from $95 last year. Total spending is expected to reach $9.4 billion, the Nation Retail Federation reports.
Other highlights from the federation’s annual survey include:
- Consumers will spend the most – $1.9 billion – on a special outing such as a dinner or a sporting event.
- Clothing still ranks high among gift givers who are expected to spend $1.3 billion on new socks, slacks, and ties.
- Others will treat dad to a gift card – $1.2 billion; electronics – $1 billion; books or CDs – $548 million; home improvement items – $522 million; and sporting goods – $502 million.
Best wishes with your search for a present for your dad and your Father's Day activities. I hope you'll be able to visit with or talk with your dad on Father's Day.
My next post will be "A Tribute to My Dad on Father's Day."
Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist
I usually give my dad a book, I guess I could get on the cheapskates list of gifts! But it is always something I have read and liked that we can talk about.
Posted by: Lisa | June 23, 2009 at 04:06 PM
Books are great presents. I give them for all occasions. I especially like AARP and Publishers Weekly listings of Books for Grownups. I also like Nancy Pearl's, author of the book lust books, recommendations.
I love to read.
Rita
Posted by: Rita | June 24, 2009 at 12:49 AM