Say No to Socks!: 3 Fantastic Father's Day Gifts

Posted Fri, Jun 13, 2008, 10:08 am PDT

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We used to ask my dad every year what he wanted for Father's Day (or for his birthday or Christmas for that matter) and every year his response was the same: socks, pistachios, and blank VHS tapes. My dad is the kind of dad who's generous to a fault and never spends a dime on himself. So, now we ditch the socks and put a little more thought into our Father's Day gifts -- three great ideas appear below.

I recently lost my beloved father-in-law to cancer, and all I can think about today is that no one made a margarita quite like that man could. This post is for you, Rob Sexton. Thank you for all those great margaritas in Cabo out on the "Lido Deck" of your house. More importantly, thanks for showing my husband how to be a father, for treating me like your own daughter for the years I was privileged to know you, for giving me 25% of my own darling daughter. Thanks for your sarcasm, your smile, your paintings, your patience, your friendship, and your love. You are missed every second of every single day. --BG

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No Socks Allowed: The Girl Meets Grape Father's Day Gift Guide:

1) Good Tequila and the Tool Get this gadget for your dad if he doesn't have one; it's the ultimate tool for the perfect margarita. We got this one for Rob, and as everyone knows, the secret is fresh-squeezed juice.

And while you're at it, get Dad a good bottle of white or unaged tequila for those margaritas. I like the new Partida products, which are hand-crafted with estate agave in much the same way as fine wine grapes. These tequilas are light-years away from the mass-produced ones designed for death by hangover.

2) Wine Guide Every Dad Needs Is your dad the kind that still thinks wine is only for chicks or for snobs? Help Dad enjoy the benefits of heart-healthy red wine by getting the wine guide that every dad needs...my friend Gary Vaynerchuk recently published "101 Wines to Inspire, Delight and Bring Thunder to your World" and his informational yet down-to-earth approach will have your dad pouring the pinot in no time flat (as long as your dad isn't a Giants fan, that is!).

3) For Dads in the Corner Office I don't drink spirits but hey, how cool is it that the guys at Diageo will cheerfully engrave a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue for Dear Old Dad, provided you shell out the big bucks for this bottle. If your dad is one that likes to toast the big deal or sip on something special, then this personalized bottle makes a great gift idea.

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7 Comments

1. Posted by torreysylvia on Sat, Jun 14, 2008, 2:45 pm PDT

These are the worst gifts ideas I've ever heard
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2. Posted by Bonnie Graves on Tue, Jun 17, 2008, 3:38 pm PDT

Don't be a hater torreysylvia... guess you don't like margaritas, fun wine books or fancy scotch for Dad which is your prerogative. Others might though! :) --BG
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3. Posted by Grillinman75 on Thu, Jun 19, 2008, 11:33 am PDT

Good article, I'm not much of a tequilla guy but, I'll have to keep an eye out for the Partida next time I'm @ the liquor store!
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4. Posted by JustOneVoice on Tue, Jul 08, 2008, 2:23 pm PDT

I agree, no more socks, or shirts, or ties. But there must be something better out there than a lemon/lime squeezer and bottles of booze. What if the man doesn't drink? What if he's in AA? Not much of an alternative given here.
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5. Posted by funmilayo o on Tue, Jul 08, 2008, 2:27 pm PDT

I don't have a father anymore but I have a father figure. I'll keep this in mind as addition to other gifts. It doesn't have to be father's day. I'm looking forward to an opportunity to experiment this and see his reaction. Thanks a lot.
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6. Posted by home_at_heart on Thu, Aug 07, 2008, 4:04 pm PDT

Extremely limited ideas - all are, or involve, alchol, which may not be appropriate for a variety of reasons. How about some variety? This is like saying, instead of blue socks, get mixed drinks; instead of green socks, get mixed drink accessories; instead of... well, you get the point, no variety. Why not instead find out what interests Dad, and go do the activity with him? ~Tickets for both of you to..... ~Garden tools and a day of gardening together... ~Any auto accessory, and a drive in the country or to the races, or to a drive-in, or even to a drive-through... ~A favorite movie on DVD and take the time to watch it, and laugh over it, with him.... ~A nice tie-clip or cufflinks or shoes or whatever... and an occaision to use them together (go out to a nice dinner)... .... even something funny, such as going to play something with him that neither of you are good at, or a pair of tickets to a good comedy club in a box wrapped in the comic pages - that you both go to together.... To me, the gift should fit his personality, his likes, and the most important things of life such as spending time together. It doesn't have to include alcohol at all, much less revolve around it.
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7. Posted by home_at_heart on Thu, Aug 07, 2008, 4:13 pm PDT

Oh, and I meant a drive-through restaurant, not alcohol store! lol! I know this site is about alcohol, it's just sad to see those as the only ideas for gift giving. Why alcohol has a reputation as a classy gift, I'll never know, because it causes people to act in some rather unclassy ways, and can really cause harm and sorrow. You can make so many better memories (and remember them) without it. :)
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