CHICAGO (Nexstar) – Growing up, it was easy to figure out what dad really wanted. “Get your butt back in the house!” he’d request in no uncertain terms. “Don’t make me turn this car around!” — another classic. And who could forget the many times he asked his children to “put on a sweater” instead of touching the thermostat?
These days, dad can be a little more difficult to read. But lucky for him, the Reddit community is sharing their very best gift ideas ahead of Father’s Day, both from the kids who gave the presents and the dads who received them.
Over 6,000 Reddit users chimed in, suggesting everything from a nice bottle of Scotch to dinner at dad’s favorite restaurant (or even some good steaks for grilling). But one of the top ideas, among children, was cleaning up dad’s car.
“[I don’t know] if this is the best. But every year I detail [and] clean my dad’s car,” one user claimed. “He never has the time to do it himself. So if you got the supplies, try surprising him with a super clean car.”
“Oh I’d love this,” one dad replied. “And top off the gas tank, absolute heaven.”
Other noteworthy ideas from kids included taking dad camping, fishing, or — if he’s into it — a theme park, as there are likely fewer crowds on Father’s Day. Some suggested just going out for a couple of beers, too.
“Best ‘gift’ I got my dad was taking him out for a few drinks so we could talk and shoot some pool,” said one Reddit user. “It’s an annual thing now.”
Among dads, it was these types of gifts — i.e., quality time — that seemed to resonate the most.
“I don’t want my kids put under pressure to spend money on me,” one dad claimed. “Just [spending] some time with me is more than enough.”
Another added that he prefers experiences to gifts, along with just a little bit of “acknowledgement.”
“If I was taken out somewhere (park, beach, hiking spot) and told about what my family most appreciated about me, I’d be the happiest father alive,” he said.
“The best Father’s Day gift I got recently was a day at a streetcar museum with my three kids,” a different father agreed. “I love museums, I love ice cream, and I love just spending the day with no pressure.”
One of the most touching entries, however, came from a Reddit user who recently lost their father — and it really hammered home the point of Father’s Day, according to the 9,000 users who “upvoted” the post.
“My dad and I would make a point of just hanging out together on Father’s day and do stuff,” the user wrote. “We did train rides, boat rides, plane rides. Sometimes just driving around and having dinner. The point was just to enjoy each other’s time … I don’t remember any physical gifts I gave him. But those memories of spending the day and doing awesome stuff I will keep with me forever.”
For more of Reddit’s best ideas for Father’s Day gifts — including an unlimited pass to make “dad jokes” — check out the original AskReddit thread.
