Recipes Food Cooking

Year after year, you may feel your Fathers Day gift ideas are extremely uninspired. How many more ties can dad possibly own? You also noticed that his unused Old Spice cologne bottles are beginning to stack up. You’re too old to get away with the homemade change holder and you have no idea what tools he might need.

Luckily, you can piece together a Fathers Day 2010 guide based on recent survey data, which asked thousands of consumers what they wanted the most for this holiday or what they’re planning to buy for others.

Fathers Day gift ideas in the past focused around “Best Dad” mugs, ties, socks and tools. Today, more kids are choosing quality time over consumer goods, buying sporting event tickets or taking their fathers out to dinner instead.

Slacks, ties and socks still remain popular items, as do gift cards and electronics, but making Father’s Day special seems to center on shared time. BIGResearch Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist stated, “Quality time with family and friends will be important this Father’s Day as opposed to larger, more expensive gifts.”

The 2009 National Retail Federation/BIGResearch study found that the average American consumer will spend just over $90 on a Father’s Day activities and gifts.

One of the things to keep in mind when shopping for Fathers Day gift ideas this year is that men — particularly dads — understand the value of time. “The best gift you could give me is your time,” you might hear them repeat over and over again.

Fathers value frugality, hoping that their children do not spend frivolously on unnecessary items. They know how much things cost because, chances are, they’ve done a little shopping around.

A poll conducted by www.interactivedad.com found that only 13% of dads wanted an electronic item. The least-desirable Fathers Day ideas included gifts like: ties, cologne/aftershave, underwear, socks, power tools, sports-related gifts and time alone.

To read more Surprise Your Dad With Inspiring Fathers Day Gift Ideas

Despite the rampant commercialization of the Fathers Day date over the years, the vast majority of dads say that quality time is what matters most. The emphasis, then, becomes “What can we do with dad?” rather than “What can we buy for dad?”

With June 20th rapidly approaching, loving children will need to start planning their Father’s Day celebrations in advance if they want to do something really special this year. After all, nothing’s worse than having the holiday sneak up, which gives the impression that the kids don’t truly appreciate dear old dad.

There are many fun locations for Fathers Day celebrations. Attending a minor or major league baseball game and enjoying foot-long hot dogs is an ideal relaxing way to spend a summer afternoon.

College students and older kids may have a lot of laughs with their fathers at a comedy club by nightfall. If you live near the water, then you may want to consider a sailboat excursion around the marina, along with a nice dinner for Fathers Day in 2010.

The zoo is another fun place to visit if the weather’s pleasant. If it’s a rainy day, consider hitting up a bowling alley, aquarium, planetarium, movie theater or museum.

While it may not be your ideal idea of Fathers Day celebrations, dads really appreciate servitude and assistance. Maybe there’s a home repair or job around the house he’s been putting off because he needs help.

You could spend the day showing you care by painting, planting, mowing the lawn or building something with your dad. Perhaps you can take a trip to the hardware or grocery store together and learn more about each other’s interests, likes and dislikes.

You may be surprised at how much you can learn with these Father’s Day activities!

To read more Ideas And Activities For Fathers Day Celebrations

In America, a lot of the Father’s Day celebrations center on Fathers Day gift ideas. While the third Sunday of June is no doubt commercialized in England too, there are many more Father’s Day UK special events and activities promoted around town.

For instance, special events take place at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, the Bodyflight Sky-Diving Facility in Clapham, the National Space Centre, Black Hole Brewery, the Royal Armouries Museum Leeds, the Tropical Butterfly House in Sheffield and numerous other locations throughout England. Clubs, schools and cultural societies do their best to foster that parent-child bonding experience.

Each year, there are a number of special Father’s Day activities for a Fathers Day UK celebration. “Pants in the Park” is an annual prostate cancer charity run at Battersea Park, which many fathers and their children like to participate in for a great cause.

Foodies can enjoy the “Taste of London” event at Regents Park, offering gourmet foods from some of the most popular restaurants in London. The free “Motor Expo” in London arrives just before Father’s Day, offering a wide range of the world’s coolest cars.

Cricket matches at The Oval and Wimbledon tennis matches are popular pastimes for the sports fans. The Tower of London and British Library offer special exhibitions on kings like Henry VIII that weekend.

The Southbank Centre organizes music festivals and the City of London also hosts live performances all weekend long. Leicester Square offers West End musicals free of charge for Father’s Day too. For more ideas, visit www.enjoyengland.com.

Traditionally, Mothering Day has been a far more popular holiday in the UK. Perhaps it’s this perception that fathers are stoic and strong, while mothers are more sensitive and emotional that has made the expression of Fathers Day somewhat stifled.

To revive the Father’s Day UK celebrations, a senior bishop from the Church of England made a bold move to bring parishioners out to celebrate the Father’s Day date, which falls on the third Sunday in June.

Last year, Reverend John Inge, Bishop of Worchester, offered free beer, bacon rolls and chocolate bars to attract more men to the churches, while emphasizing the “generosity of God.” Men at St. Stephen’s Church in Barbourne, Worcester received bottles of beer from children during the service and listened to a special prayer said over the gifts.

“I don’t see any other time that we can stop and remember fathers,” explains Archdeacon Ven Roger Morris, “and this is a gesture saying, “Here’s something that will bless you.” Posies of flowers are given to mums on Mothering Sunday and we wanted to give a laddish, blokeish gift to the men.

A bottle of beer hits the mark. The whole of life is to be celebrated in church.” This is their Father’s Day message.

To read more Special Events And Activities For Fathers Day UK Celebrations

If you’re running low on Fathers Day ideas this year, then consider planning the best Fathers Day celebration yet with a family trip! A weekend getaway is the perfect way to show your father you want to make his day special because you appreciate his thoughtfulness and support over the years.

Depending on your budget, you can choose a sports-oriented vacation, an adventurous destination, a relaxing trip, or another type of escape. When a simple Father Day card just won’t do, spend some extra time saving your pennies and planning out a wonderful experience.

There are limitless settings for this year’s Fathers Day celebration, says Jennifer Gaines, contributing editor of www.lastminute.com.

More families are choosing outdoor destinations like Monterey or Big Sur, California and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a sand and surf; Boise, Idaho or Gatlinburg, Tennessee for mountain backdrops; and Charleston, South Carolina’s Civil War battlefields or the Wild West town of Tombstone, Arizona for a historic location.

Before selecting a destination for Fathers Day in 2010, consider what sort of setting would most interest your father or appeal to his activities and then choose accordingly. The possibilities are endless!

Fishing is another popular choice for a relaxing and fun Fathers Day celebration. “There’s a quiet comfort… and a silent camaraderie that’s absolutely a bonding experience,” explains Gail McCoy, owner of the Spotted Bear Ranch fishing lodge in Montana.

The isolated Spotted Bear Ranch sells out months in advance for the Father’s Day date because people enjoy the feeling that they’re really out in the wilderness. “They can be fishing all day and not see another person,” McCoy says. In addition to fishing, families may enjoy wildlife spotting, hiking, campfires, horseback riding, big game hunting and canoeing.

Three day/night packages begin at $2,100/person, which includes accommodations, all meals, daily maid service, all activities and guided fly fishing with a professional. For more information, visit www.spottedbear.com.

To read more Better Ideas For A Fathers Day Celebration

The first Fathers Day ideas in American date back to the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon signed the bill to create a national date for Father’s Day, for annual observance.

Unlike Halloween, Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day or Independence Day, the date of Fathers Day is one of those rotating holidays that changes slightly every year. In this article, you’ll learn what day is Fathers Day and some interesting facts about the way this holiday is celebrated around the world.

You may also be wondering what day is Fathers Day around the world? It may surprise you, but the date is not the same everywhere. We do share the same date with a number of other countries, however.

The third Sunday of June is reserved for fathers in the following nations: Argentina, Antigua, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Myanmar, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Ukraine, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. Lithuania, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Poland, Uganda and Haiti will also celebrate their Fathers Day 2010 in June, but on different days.

When you try to get to the bottom of what day is Fathers Day around the world you arrive at many different celebratory dates. For example, Russia celebrates all men on February 23rd. May is the month of choice for Romania (5th) and South Korea (8th).

Uruguay picked the second Sunday of July and the Dominican Republic celebrates on the last Sunday of July. August sees celebrations in Brazil (second Sunday) and Taiwan (August 8th).

If you’re down under, your Father’s Day is the first Sunday of September, as is the custom in Australia and New Zealand. Latvia celebrates on the second Sunday of September and Nepal celebrates during the New Moon of September.

The different dates of Father’s Day also include the first Sunday of October (Luxembourg), the second Sunday of November (Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland) and December 5th (Thailand) or December 26th (Bulgaria).

To read more What Day Is Fathers Day In Many Countries Around The World?

The best Fathers Day ideas come from the heart. They show thoughtfulness, time, effort and creativity. They express a Father’s Day special sentiment of love, appreciation, gratitude and kindness.

They may not be perfectly executed or expensive, but they are unique and personal. In school, many children learn about love by creating Father’s Day card crafts or gifts. At home, they can exercise the same creativity if given the proper tools.

Moms sometimes purchase craft kits or print out downloadable templates for a Fathers Day gift to make. In this article, you’ll learn about some of the preferred presents of dads across America.

Another mother shares that personalized stepping stones were the best of their family’s Fathers Day ideas. Her two kids — ages 3 and 8 — used stones made out of dollar-store cake pans, cement from the craft store, paint and gem mosaic pieces.

“My husband really enjoyed them,” says mom Missy. “My kids were thrilled they were able to decorate them any way, especially my then-two-year-old… we plan to do that every year.” She adds that you may need a week to finish this Father Day craft idea, but these wonderful keepsakes are well worth the time invested.

Daycare worker Polly G compiled several Fathers Day ideas into a creative Car Wash Kit for the youngsters’ auto-loving dads. She bought inexpensive chamois cloths from Wal-Mart and had the kids stamp auto designs using textile paints and pre-made rubber stamps.

Next, she says she bought an “inexpensive pail for each gift and let the kids decorate it with permanent markers or stamps.” Then they made air fresheners out of felt decorated with photos, glitter glue, ribbon and sprayed with automotive air-freshening spray.

The kids filled the pail with soft sponges, soap and homemade coupons for helping with the car wash. In the end, this is a cute, creative Father Day craft idea that the kids can participate in later.

To read more Surprising Your Dad With Better Fathers Day Ideas

What makes Father’s Day special are the sentiments behind the history of Fathers Day. Some scholars believe that the earliest known Father Day poem appeared carved into a piece of clay in Babylon more than 4,000 years ago.

A young boy named Elmesu kindly wished his father good health and a long life on his primitive Father’s Day card. In more recent memory, there have been many tales of young women who felt so strongly about giving their fathers well-deserved recognition that they petitioned to have a date for Father’s Day on the calendar.

Others contend that the history of Fathers Day took root in Fairmont, West Virginia in the summer of 1908. Grace Golden Clayton urged her parish to sponsor Father’s Day activities (such as holding a special mass and pinning white or red roses onto one’s jacket) to honor the 250 deceased fathers who perished in the 1907 Monongah coal mining disaster.

At the time, the occasion was privately celebrated, without much national fanfare. Mrs. Clayton didn’t feel it was lady-like to campaign aggressively and “toot her own horn,” explains Marion County Historical Society president Thomas Koon.

Additionally, Chicago Lion’s Club president Harry C. Meek is credited with espousing the idea that fathers deserve a day of celebration, which he shared in a number of speeches from the east coast to the west coast.

Even though the history of Fathers Day began gaining widespread popularity in the early 1900s and saw support from presidents like Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge, more aggressive congressional campaigning didn’t rev up again until the fifties.

In 1957, Senator Margaret Chase Smith told Congress, “Either we honor both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honoring either one. But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable.”

The official Father’s Day date was signed into law in 1972 by President Richard Nixon. In other countries, Father’s Day has its own significance. Some Catholic nations celebrate their Father’s Day activities on St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th) or observe the holiday based on their own traditions.

Regardless of the specific origins or dates, honoring our fathers appears to be a universally important sentiment.

To read more Tracking The History Of Fathers Day Celebrations

Bored with giving the typical tie as a Fathers Day gift? Finding just the right present can be a trial if you wait until the last minute.

In the rush of scouring through racks of Fathers Day cards and making restaurant reservations, shopping can fall to the bottom of the list and we end up buying the first cologne gift set we can get our hands on. Instead of breaking out the Brut, try something a little different this year.

If your dad is a sports fanatic, then the possibilities for a great Fathers Day gift are endless. For a sports fan, there’s nothing more thrilling than seeing your favorite team in action. Tickets to sports events can be expensive, so check the newspaper and internet for people selling tickets before you head for the ticket office.

Another great Fathers Day present for the sports fan is a cable TV “Game Package.” With this gift dad can watch every single game that his favorite team plays. Check with your cable TV provider for information on pricing and special offers.

All dads will agree that the greatest gifts for Fathers Day include spending time together. Why not reserve some time at a golf club for a Fathers Day golf game?

If your dad is an outdoorsman, rent a boat, treat him to a new tackle box and spend the day together on a Fathers Day fishing excursion. Your dad will love any Fathers Day gift that gives him the chance to relax and spend quality time with his kids.

To read more Fathers Day Gift For The Sports Mad Man

A father is one of the most important people in a child’s life. He nurtures, loves and teaches his offspring to become healthy, happy adults. This Fathers Day is the perfect opportunity to say thank you for everything he does. In this article, we’ll share some ideas for unique Fathers Day gifts for the most important man in your life.

If your dad loves this outdoors, you can make this Fathers Day very special with some fantastic camping and fishing gear. If your dad is dragging around an awkward tackle box, then get him a fishing vest designed to hold all of his gear.

He’ll love being able to easily move around while still having his lures and hooks readily available. To guarantee a great catch, consider getting your dad a fish finder this year. These sonar detectors identify fish and outline the bottom of a body of water.

The best way to thrill your dad this Fathers Day is with a gift or activity that really lets him know that you love him for who he is. If he’s a music lover, treat him to a concert.

For the car buff, a do-it-yourself detailing kit packed with top of the line products is the perfect gift. Yet no matter what your dad is a fan of, the most important things to give him are your love and time, so have fun and enjoy this special family day.

To read more Making Him Happy On Fathers Day

Father’s Day is a chance to lavish your dad with love and attention. After all, he works hard for his family! Instead of settling for the annual family barbecue, get everyone together for some fun Fathers Day activities that everyone can enjoy. In this article, we’ve got some tips for unique and affordable ways to celebrate this special day.

The ideal Fathers Day present is time spent together as a family, so plan a day packed with your dad’s favorite activities. Nothing could mean more to him than sharing the things he loves with the people he loves. Start the day right with a great breakfast complete with homemade pastries and dad’s favorite coffee.

Then choose an activity that you know your father will enjoy but doesn’t indulge in often. Take a family trip to a museum, planetarium or zoo. If he’s a fan of the outdoors, then pack a picnic lunch and spend some time hiking through some scenic caves.

If your dad loves the links, have a themed day that includes a Fathers Day golf game and a few gifts associated with his favorite pastime. Knowing that you care enough to share Fathers Day activities with him will be the best present of all.

To celebrate the contributions your dad makes to the family, organize Fathers Day activities catered to his tastes. If you’re really stuck for ideas, come right out and ask him what he really wants.

Whether your dad opts to spend Fathers Day in his pajamas in front of the television or wants to go wild and crazy on a family white water rafting trip, it will be a great Father’s Day as long as his loved ones are with him.

To read more Better Ideas For Fathers Day Activities