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Father鈥檚 Day gifts: Mom鈥檚 dilemma 鈥 to surprise or get a list

Father's Day gifts are always a Mom's dilemma: Surprise or solicit a list? What does he really want?

By Lauren Parker-Gill, Contributing blogger

Every year, just after Mother鈥檚 Day (and I totally base it on just how much of a fuss was made for me) I start thinking about what to do for my husband for Father鈥檚 Day. I鈥檒l be honest and say that I usually come up with some great ideas for gifts but my efforts are always thwarted by him.

Two years ago, I had planned to buy him a nice package at a local barber shop that promises an 鈥渆xclusive gentleman鈥檚 barbering experience.鈥 A straight razor shave, with facial treatment, beard trim (he has a goatee) and a 鈥減recision hair cut.鈥 Sounds nice, right? Instead, a few weeks before he said, 鈥淚 was thinking about getting a thingamabobber (can鈥檛 remember what it was now) for my motorcycle鈥t could be my Father鈥檚 Day gift!鈥

Sigh.

Last year, since I didn鈥檛 get to treat him to the 鈥渆xclusive gentleman鈥檚 barbering experience鈥 the year before, I had again planned to get him the gift card/package鈥ure enough, he had his own idea. 鈥淚 was wondering if I could get some ice climbing tools as my Father鈥檚 Day gift this year.鈥 Fine.

This year, I was walking around the grilling section of Lowe's and saw听smokers. Knowing he has always wanted one, I planned to pick one out and surprise him for Father鈥檚 Day. I made a mental note and went about my day. I kid you not, later that week, 鈥淗ey, I was thinking about picking up a smoker鈥t can be for Father鈥檚 Day!鈥 At least I was on the right track?

Every year before Christmas, my birthday and Mother鈥檚 Day, he asks me, 鈥淲hat do you want for (insert holiday here)?鈥 If I have an idea, he usually just tells me to go ahead and buy it/order it. The bottom line is that he wants me to get something I really want, that I wouldn鈥檛 normally buy for myself. I feel the same way 鈥 so maybe I should try his approach instead?

How do you shop for Father鈥檚 Day? Do you let them pick out their own gifts or do you try to surprise them?

海角大神 has assembled a diverse group of the best family and parenting bloggers out there. Our contributing and guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor, and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. Lauren Parker-Gill blogs at Spill the Beans.