What Does Dad Really Want for Father’s Day?

– C.C. Hoffman

As a son on Father’s Day, I found it was always difficult to get Dad something. Scratch that. It didn’t matter if it was Father’s Day, birthday, Christmas, or any other gift-giving occasion. It was hard to get something for him regardless. Why? Because it seems that when he wanted or needed something, he just got it. Needed a new tool to do a job on the farm? Got it! Broken fishing pole? Let’s go get one so we can go fishing!  You get the idea (and I bet many Dads out there are the same way)!

Father’s Day is even more difficult. How do you pick a gift for a man that is always there when you need him. A gift that communicates that. A gift THAT HE DOESN’T ALREADY HAVE!!!

As a dad on Father’s Day, I just don’t understand why it so difficult for my kids.

I mean it just isn’t that hard. I’m pretty easy. I’ll love whatever they give/do for me on that day…

So, it took becoming a Dad for that perspective to dawn on me. Life is full of those little perspective changes. Things that are mysterious and unintelligible at one stage crystalize and become simple at a different stage (of course some things go the other direction – from easy to hard, simple to complicated, understood to unknowable, but those are for another column).

So what do fathers want for Father’s Day? An Omaha Steaks survey in 2021 found that 57% of dads actually say it’s their favorite day of the year.

The survey of 2,000 dads also revealed:

•     Over three in four dads(76%)prefer an experience over a physical gift for Father’s Day.
•     Sitting down for a meal with dad this Father’s Day is apparently a very good idea, according to the research, as 79% of dads say they like to bond with their children over food.
•     But if it’s a cook-out you’re after, stay off the grill, because one in three dads say that if someone is grilling, it’s gonna be them. (Another six in ten confident dads feel like there’s no better cook in the house than themselves, too.)

The Survey Identified the Top 10 Gifts Dads want for Father’s Day

Phone call from the kid(s) 47%

A big juicy steak 41%

Peace and quiet 38%

Taking in a ball game with the family 38%

An ice cold beer or two 35%

A cheaper, practical gift (socks, tie, etc.) 35%

Watch whatever I want on TV 34%

Glass of whiskey 29%

A physical, expensive gift (apple watch, etc.) 29%

64 % of dads reported that they specifically don’t want anything that says “World’s Best Dad” on it this year.

I think this survey is pretty spot-on. When the kids were still in the house, the best part of Father’s Day was first thing in the morning when the girls would run up for a big hug and give me a loud “Happy Father’s Day!” The gifts were nice, but the hugs were remembered longer (still do, in fact). Even today, a phone call or a visit on Father’s Day is all I need to feel pretty good! Heck – every time I get a call or visit or text it feels like Father’s Day. I really don’t care about getting anything else.

BUT, if any of the kids want to get me that new Silverado with “World’s Best Dad” painted on the hood this year, I’d be O.K. with it.

Love you Dad!