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Happy June everyone! The weather is heating up, the grass is going back to its natural yellow, and the day we take a break from the typical Sunday in order to celebrate fathers is rapidly approaching.
If you’re like me, you have now entered that uncomfortable time where your wife and kids are asking what you want, and you have absolutely no idea what to say. Sure, there are things you need, but nobody wants the things they need. Sure, there are things you want, but it’s pretty hard to suggest your wife buys you that sweet $300 weather station when you don’t actually need it.
Read more:
Budget-friendly ways to honor your husband on Father’s Day
So, where does that leave things?
Typically, it leaves a stressed out wife left trying to figure out something she can get you that won’t make you instantly return it because of the price, while at the same time working hard to find something that isn’t another new pack of underwear (which you really do need, by the way).
Never fear, my friends, I’m here to provide you all with some great ideas for Father’s Day for free — or very inexpensive — and to help you select the perfect idea for the perfect man. I’m basing it all on The 5 Love Languages.
You know about the five love languages, right? The idea popularized by Gary Chapman, that we like to give and receive love in certain ways? For those unaware, the five love languages are: quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, physical touch, and gift giving — and learning which love language dads prefer to receive love in can be the key to a perfect gift.
So, let’s get to the Father’s Day ideas!
Quality time
If there’s one thing dads love, it’s spending quality time with the family, and for me, that means getting outdoors! Make some delicious items for a picnic, head out on a hike, and if you’re lucky enough to catch a nice breeze, bust out a kite and see just how high in the sky you can get it!
If it’s been a while since you’ve flown a kite, let me remind you: it’s really, really fun.
It’s (for the most part) free, it’s fun, and it creates fantastic memories that both dad and the kids will never forget. Oh, and leave the phones behind — this one’s all about spending time together!
Words of affirmation
In today’s world, we seem to have lost appreciation for the written word. We get all our communication through text, email, video, etc., but the power of a handwritten note, especially from one’s kids, is still something that all parents deeply value.
One time, my kids turned a dinosaur coloring book into a storybook just for me. From the hilarious table of contents they created to the predictable, yet cute, coloring WAY outside the lines, and the notes of affection on every page, it’s still something I cherish years later.
Acts of service
Like most dads, I have a to-do list around the house that’s about a mile long. Paint the bathroom, build an enclosure for the chickens, go through and clean out the closets … the list goes on and on. And yet, being away from the house 10 hours every weekday for work makes it feel nearly impossible for me to get it done.
How about taking this Father’s Day to select one of the little projects on Dad’s list and having everyone pitch in to help make a dent?
Even the smallest of dents will be appreciated … especially if you let him sleep in while you get to work!
Physical touch
Is there anything kids love more than wrestling with their dad?
Clear out the living room, put protective pillows along the walls and furniture, and have at it! And, after the beating that dad inevitably takes (because letting kids win is part of the fun), why not line up and sooth everyone’s wounds with a family massage?
Think about it: When was the last time somebody rubbed Dad’s shoulders or back? It seems to me there’s no better time to right this wrong than after taking him down in the family wrestling match!
Gift giving
It doesn’t have to be expensive to be appreciated; it’s more about the thoughtfulness and effort behind the gift — and that it’s a tangible thing.
Make a collage of your favorite memories and pictures as a family. Little kids can draw pictures and older kids can add captions or written memories. Put it together and make sure to wrap it up beautifully.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUZ-CSzBi2b/
Not only will this be a gift that’s cherished forever, but it also helps keep memories alive and out in the open rather than just saving them on a computer hard drive and never opening them up.
Every year, mothers and children everywhere panic as they try to come up with just the right gift to show Dad how much they appreciate him. Hopefully this list brings some ideas to mind that will both thrill Dad, and keep that budget where it needs to be!
What are some of the most creative Father’s Day gifts you’ve ever given or received?
And today we celebrate...