Father's Day Gift ideas

I pride myself on being a great gift-giver. I seriously start Christmas shopping in June just because I'm completely crazy about finding "the perfect gift"... the last person to check off my list, year after year, always seems to be my dad!

So with Father's Day just around the corner, I've been trying to come up with some ideas... He's a blue collar man, so ties and cufflinks don't do it for him.

 A few things that do...

This smoker from Cabela's - my brother and I got him this a few years ago for Christmas (but also a GREAT Father's Day gift, especially if you want to do something jointly with your siblings).

Another reason this is great... it's the gift that keeps on giving! You'll get to enjoy smoked meat all summer (and winter) long! It also sets you up for future years' gifts, a la accessories:

Injector, Wood Chips, Rubs,

BBQ Sauce (local!!), Mitts,

Personalized Grill Tools

Orvis Sun Hat

My dad is the king of the straw hat in the summer. He burns easily, so he covers up with a big ol' hat...

"The Tourists" circa 2010

The other old stand-by for my dad is Home Depot gift card. This will probably accompany anything we give him for Father's Day this year since his van, filled with so many of his tools, was stolen (right our of their driveway!! ahh, not Cupcake Land anymore) a few weeks back and he's been replacing things left and right.

For the not-as-difficult-to-shop-for-Dads, I think these make great gifts!

 

Daddy-O Tee (discounted via Brickyard Buffalo),

Bulldog Bottle Opener, Camp Mugs, Hoodie, Shave Cream,

Phone Cover, Weyerbacher Viridis Lupulus (local!), Hop Soap

We are not parents yet, but if I was buying stuff for Jay, these are all things I would get for him. I racked my brain for him at Christmas, and the biggest hit of all was the collection of limited edition beers. He still raves about a few and is dying for them to be released again.

If you're buying for a "beer guy" but don't have a clue what you're looking for, just hit up your local bottle shop (or Whole Foods) and ask to talk to the beer manager, those guys are pretty damn knowledgeable and will be able to point you in the right direction.