5 Last Minute Father's Day Gift Ideas

Please stop with the ties and soap-on-a-rope.  Dads tend to get the raw end of the deal after a knockout Mother's Day.  Our papas are just as important, so take this special day to let him know how valued he is to your family.  Don't get him a Best Buy gift card or cologne--those are boring, totally cliché, and quick fixes.  Even though we are closing in on the last few days here are some ideas on how to extend a meaningful gesture.

1. Make a movie with the camcorder.
Wipe the dust off that thing and put it to good use. Visit several significant locations in town to recap memories, narrating key moments.  Using a simple program like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker (a free download) piece together background music and titles.  This shouldn't take more than two or three nights or afternoon.

2. Enlist the kids to make homemade cards.    
Use any of the awesome templates from Disney's Family Fun website to make awesome, personalized cards and printable gifts.  Some gifts require additional basic supplies that can be purchased or made with materials from the craft store.

3. Purchase cool iTunes applications for cheap.
Some of his top favorites may include:

• Gas Cubby, an automobile tracker that helps monitor vehicle maintenance, gas mileage, and more, will keep his steed running in top shape. $3.99
• iFitness helps you ditch the gym notebook--keep track of cardio, weights, and health goals.  $1.99
• MLB at Bat 2009 is for the ballpark lover!  Every conceivable stat and video highlights are at a finger's touch.  $9.99
• Golf loving dads will dig Green Finder, an app that calculates the exact distance to the green using GPS.

4. Cook his favorite dinner.
Although this may seem obvious, having something planned, purchased, and executed takes a load of pressure off of the "so, where do you want to eat on your special day?" conversation.  Buy all the necessities well in advance so you don't have to leave him watching the kids while you run out to the store.  Rent Terminator 2 for after dinner entertainment.

5. Give the gift of service.
Help the man out by relieving a household chore for a week.  Lawn care, car washing, cooking, or shoulder rubs make fantastic thank yous.  Be prepared to follow through at any time without grumbling and do an exceptional job.  Make it official with a coupon book and don't forget to add glitter and color to the title page.

Dad deserves a day of his own.  Make him king of his castle without digging too deeply into the budget--it will mean more to him coming from your heart rather than your checkbook.