Although dad will appreciate the thought behind any gift, with just a little advanced planning, you can give dad a gift that he's sure to appreciate and not hide in the back of his closet. They're classy and fashionable without burning a hole in your pocket.
1. For the Watch Dad -
Under $25 - Try a Casio F91W Digital stop watch. It's only $10 on Amazon. It's great for the gym Dad (especially when they hit the gym post-New Year's). It tells the time and has a stop watch to measure rests in between sets.
Under $50 - Try the Swatch Men's GN230 Up-Wind Blue Watch. It's $37 on Amazon. It looks spiffy and cool (perfect for Winter!). It's nice blue color should work well with a suit - understated but classy.
Over $200 - We highly suggest trying out a Chronograph watch. These watches look great and work well with the Fashionista Dad. Check out our advice on German Chronograph wristwatches.
2. For the Golfer -
Under $25 - Here are some great gift suggestions for the young kids. They can go together on a small gift basket for dad, and/or purchase one or two of the following: golf tees, balls, golf towel, ball markers and/or score counter. If dad loves golf and baseball, you can purchase dad some baseball golf balls. Basketball and football golfballs are also available. These run about $10 for a pack of three.
Under $50 - Consider a nice gift such as a digital golf scorer (this will hopefully keep dad from cheating and they run from $20 - $50), or a set of golf club headcovers (run about $30-$40).
Over $200 - Give your dad a great treat with a gift certificate for a day of golfing at a really posh golf course, or send him to golf school. You can also buy him a nice golf bag or one of the coolest gifts you can buy a golfer - a radar golf system (helps golfers locate their balls, which saves lots of time and can even improve dads score, runs about $230).
3. For the Fisherman -
Under $25 - Fisherman can't get enough lures. Other gift ideas in the price range include a tacklebox, fishing hat, hook sharpener and/or fishing line.
Under $50 - At this price you can buy dad a fishing jacket or vest, tiny portable heater to keep him warm on cold mornings or evenings, a portable cooler/warmer to keep food cool or warm, and/or a fishing rod.
Over $200 - A dream gift for any dad would be a fishing excursion with his buddies. Get together with the children and/or wife of your father's buddies to plan a fishing tour/charter. They'll always remember this great Christmas.
4. For the Gadget Lover -
Under $25 - Buy dad one of the new crank flashlights, or a wi-fi finder to help dad find "hot spots" when he's on the road.
Under $50 - Consider a portable jumper (charges a car battery through a cigarette lighter) or a solar cell phone or ipod charger (runs around $30-$50).
Over $200 - The ultimate in new gadgets would be a portable satellite radio (from $80-$200), GPS system (about $300) or a robotic lawn mower (about $2,000).
5. For the Ultimate Sports Fan -
Under $25 - How about an assortment of dad's favorite sports magazines? Bundle them together and tie with a ribbon and a lovely card.
Under $50 - You can't go wrong with a hat, t-shirt or sweatshirt sporting the name/logo of dad's favorite team, but if you want to do something different for dad, buy him the ESPN Trivia Sports Challenge game.
Over $200 - In this price range you can really wow dad with sports memorabilia, a team jacket or game tickets.
6. For the Couch Potato -
Under $25 - Put together a gift basket with some of dad's favorite treats. You might also consider a video or dvd of one of dad's favorite movies.
Under $50 - A voice activated remote control, tv tray set (about $40) or a "manly" throw or pillow for those late nights on the couch.
Over $200 - The ultimate couch potato gift would be a massage recliner ($550 - $3,000), or home theater projector (cost about $1,000).
If you're shopping at Wal Mart this holiday season, check out my tips on Wal Mart shopping. Happy Holidays!
