Father’s Day is Sunday, June 16
Talk to anyone about this and they’ll agree: Men are the toughest people to buy gifts for. Even men will agree.
What a lot of men will admit is that when they want something, they go ahead and buy it. So it’s tough to look for the perfect thing that never in his wildest dreams did your dad think he would like.
So is it any wonder that, with 3 weeks to go, I’ve already heard rumblings, stressing & anxiety about what would be the perfect gift for that special guy.
I thought I could find good hints by looking up the top bucket lists for men. I’m not sure that looking through bucket lists helped clarify Father’s Day plans but it sure did show men’s wishes in all of their varied and complicated forms.
There are countless variations of buckets list themes. I found this excerpt in an Esquire bucket list for men:
No. 12: Leave yourself a letter in a library book. Look for it twenty years later.
Pick an obscure biography in a college library, since no one there wants to insult obscurity by decataloging a book, and the library will most likely always be there. One page. Be discreet. Type it on erasable bond, tuck it in the back, and hope that no one ever notices. As for content, skip the hopes and dreams. Mention the weather, tell yourself what you ate that morning, make a list of your friends, note how much you weigh and whether you feel fat, remind yourself of a secret you want to keep.
I’m not sure how many men would actually try this little note idea. Plus how do you give that to dad for Father’s Day?
Other wishes that men listed had a common theme: outdoor adventures. Some guys wanted to fly airplanes, some wanted to sky-dive and others wanted to go on all-men camping trips, watch the sunrise and sunset all in the same day, drive the California Coast Highway.
Another common theme was that men wanted to express generosity or kindness in some way. There was a sort of sweetness to this theme: to do a truly philanthropic act, pay the toll for the car behind him, walk his daughter down the aisle, see a baby being born.
More and more men are finding the greatest happiness from experiences & building relationships rather than acquiring “stuff.”
So, instead of wasting time tearing through malls to find the perfect “stuff” to wrap for dad this Father’s Day, how about planning a great experience … like rafting, for example?
The best thing about a raft trip with Jasper Raft Tours is that ours is a “Class 2″ trip. That means the river is generally tame with a few fun areas where you could get splashed so it’s suitable for all ages. Our experienced guides can make the day fun & memorable for the entire family. We even take expert photos for you to give dad as a keepsake.
If dad prefers, make it an all-guy event: book a trip for dad and his friends.
Father’s Day is less than 3 weeks away so book your trip now & make sure you also book a dinner reservation at one of our great restaurants. It’s likely the restaurants are going to be pretty busy on Father’s Day & I’m sure you don’t want to be disappointed.
Choose to make this Father’s Day an entire day of meaningful, fun-filled memories.
(Photo “Man by a River” courtesy of Sander Hoogendoorn on Flickr)
June Moon over Patricia Lake took this photo in late June. It was almost midnight yet still bright out. You sure do get your money’s worth when you vacation in Jasper. Every day is like almost 2 days anywhere else with all the daylight this beautiful Northern Rockies park enjoys.
Hey! Are you forgetting something?
