So many of you probably opened this with the thought of they are fighting. Well it is completely different. I want to do something nice for my "FIL" ( bfs dad). I push myself so hard for his approval that it kinda scares me some times. he is the closest thing I have had to a dad for a long time, and well I just want to thank him. Do you ladies have any ideas?
Some stuff about him: He is a farmer, has had the same factory job for 20 some years, " if you ccan fix it why buy new", kinda stuck in his ways, and Catholic if it changes anything.
Thanks In Advance
Thank you so much for your help with this. I knew I could count on you ladies.
What about some artistic stylized photographs of his farm? My FIL is also a farmer and when I took some "artsy" pics of some of his outbuildings he LOVED them :)
How about surprising him with a wedding date that will make him officially your "dad"?!
Write him (snail mail) a short note that he can keep and read again if he chooses. Make it short and to the point. Tell him what you've said here: that he's the closest thing to a dad you've had for a long time, and you want him to know how much you appreciate and honor him. Don't get too mushy! This is to a man, not to a girlfriend. ;^)
I'm with Leslie. I took some black and white photos of my FIL/MIL's old farmhouse - from different angles and such. Put the best 4 different pictures in a black frame with white matting. They both loved it. I've since divorced from that family and a couple years after the divorce, the MIL emailed me about other stuff and mentioned how much she still likes that picture and that she thinks of me when she sees it on her table/wall. So yes - a nice picture of something that is near and dear to him would be great.
Also - I like the idea of a hunting trip or a wedding ceremony! Another thought with the framed art .... you could do a shadow box of something near and dear to him. Shadow boxes look great if you can put some 3-dimensional items in there (ie, a photoof your bf and him, along with an old hammer that is pictured in the photograph, along with a piece of fabric also worn in that photo.....) I know that idea may be a bit of a stretch.
My niece gives her father and father-in-law a soup-a-month. She decides what kind of soup, but takes each of them a pot of soup once a month. I thought this was a neat idea, especially for a man.
Sounds like my dad! To second Janice, you can't go wrong with food.
My dad LOVES it when I bring over a home-baked pecan, lemon meringue or pumpkin pie or a meat-and-potato-based casserole.
If you're not kitchen-inclined, dads like beer, cheese, sausage, nuts, and canisters of caramel corn. In that order. Never fails.
What would HE like/love the most? How long have you been married into the family? Not sure why you needed to mention his religion....he sounds like a very wonderful man/father/friend.
hunting trip with your husband, the kind that guarantees a big trophy
LOVE Mary's and Leslie s's suggestions... I think yo should combine the two so that he knows why he is getting this gift from you!! Good luck.
Love Lesley S.'s suggestion-he'd LOVE it!
Is there something he would not buy for himself that he needs? My FIL is so hard to shop for, but he loves his tools....only you can't buy him one. He needs to get it himself, so we give him gift cards so he can go down to the store and oogle the latest whatever and pick out one.
And, really, you can't force a relationship. Be yourself.
You mention that he's Catholic. If his faith is really important to him, call his church rectory and ask if they offer Mass cards for the living. If not, perhaps there's something you could do for the church in his honor that would make him smile.
