by Karyn B Jules

Created on: June 06, 2008   Last Updated: April 17, 2009

Over the years, consumers have increasingly been urged to buy into the "bigger is better" approach to gift giving. These clever marketing strategies are employed purely and simply to line the pockets of retailers, and in no way reflect the true spirit of giving. Father's Day is all about showing dad just how much he is loved and appreciated, and this can be achieved very adequately without spending a small fortune on a gift.

One of the greatest gifts anyone can give happens to be the very least expensive, in fact, it costs nothing. I'm talking about the gift of time. Time spent with dad on Father's Day, particularly if he lives alone, can make him feel extra special, and do wonders for your relationship with him. Make sure the time you spend together is fun and relaxing. Challenge him to a chess match if that's his thing, or wander around the garden and take an interest in his latest vegetable growing techniques. Whatever it is that dad has a passion for, make that a major part of your special time with him. Even if you can only manage an hour or two for this, dad will appreciate it more than any other gift.

If you really would like to buy dad a gift, as well as spending time with him, don't feel obliged to spend your whole paycheck just to make an impression. Gifts that say "I just know you're going to love this" come in as many shapes and sizes as dads themselves. What will be perfect for one dad will be quite uninteresting and useless to another. Taking notice of what your particular dad enjoys the most, whether it's fishing, sports, gardening or building model airplanes, is the key factor in finding that perfect little something that he just can't do without.

My dad loves guitars. He's played the guitar for most of his life, and has built up quite a collection of them over the years. He's also pretty handy with a welder, and can fix just about any broken metal item and make it look like new. One year I was looking for a Fathers Day gift, and came across a stand at the local market with little sculptures made from nails, bent and welded together to form all sorts of people and objects. These sculptures were crafted by the person who was selling them, and were of a high standard of workmanship. They were also very reasonably priced. The little figure sitting on a stool playing a guitar caught my eye straight away. I knew my dad would appreciate the skill that had gone into making it, and thought that it could very possibly inspire him to have a go at creating

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