P.S. to Dad's Day

CEBU, Philippines – Okay, admit it. No matter what, the only constant guy in our lives is our good ‘ol dad. Call him papa, tatay, or whatever you wish. He’s always been the guy who has never dumped us no matter how bratty and catty we can be. In fact, he’s probably the only guy who’s ever told you that you look better than Angelina Jolie even if you tipped the scales at a jillion pounds. Thank God for dads who always give our self esteem a boost even on bad hair days. And Thank God for Father’s Day when we can celebrate how amazing our fathers have been.

The trickiest thing about Father’s Day is racking our brains just to come up with something special enough to give to the man who has given us everything. After all, no amount of golf clubs, neck ties, socks, and briefs could ever completely express how much we love the first man who ever told us that he loved us. No amount of belts and cars could ever be enough to tell our dads how much we love them.

In as much as a lot of us wish we could give dad the keys to the 2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, we might as well be more realistic—and more creative. Skip the fancy swiss knives (okay, that may come useful if dad wishes to send your suitor to kingdom come) and the ties. Remember the times when dad fell on his knees and skipped work just to help you finish up your art project? Well, Father’s Day calls on all of us to ditch the staple Father’s Day gifts and opt for something more personalized for someone who’s simply one in a million. The good news is that, these gift ideas won’t even blow your budget to smithereens.

If you were lucky enough to have spent a lot of downtime with dad, you probably have a jillion photos with him from lazy afternoon walks, to trekking, to biking, and even while just chilling out in some swanky coffee shop. Grab an illustration board (preferably at ¼ size) and start creating a collage of all your memories with dad. Have it framed and gift wrapped and present it to him in the middle of a hearty family dinner and start taking a trek down some of your fondest times with Dad. If you have a photo of him chasing your boyfriend or suitor with a butcher’s knife, so much the better.

You can also opt to surprise your dad by taking your gift to the next level. Tech savvy kids won’t have a problem with this gift idea. All you need is a good movie-editing software, a high definition video cam, a CD and you’re good to go. Record messages for your dad from his friends, from the people who are close to him, from your mom, and of course from you and your sibs.

You don’t have to limit it to his close circle of friends. Go crazy and include people he’d least expect to give him a message on Dad’s Day to amp up the surprise factor. When you’ve got all your raw files ready, work your magic with the Movie Maker or more complicated video editing software like Ulead and Adobe Premier Pro. Throw in a song that reminds you of Dad and get set for a senti film showing before Dad hits the sack. If dad happens to be working out of the country, send him the short film for Father’s Day and make your papa proud.

This final gift idea requires a lot of deft and skill in the surprise department you’ll also need the help of some friends and your sibs (assuming you have brothers and sisters). Let you suitors, ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, current lover, write down their most memorable experiences with your dad including how they felt like the first time they met him. Let them go wild on the details. Also let them scribble down a Father’s Day message for dad. Let them write everything down in colorful post-its. Roll the post-its and insert them in balloons. Inflate the balloons and fill up your car with balloons. It’s best to do this in the evening when dad’s asleep and you can sneak away with the key to the car. Of course, throw in your message, together with the rest of your family’s messages and memories. Gift wrap a box of pins and put them on dad’s bedside table or somewhere where he could easily spot it when he wakes up. Leave instructions on the pin box and watch him pop away the balloons in the family car.

Admit it. Dad may sometimes be a real pain (especially when we girls start getting curves and start trading our toys for boys) but in the greater scheme of things, he’s been our life’s greatest hero by chasing away that jerk who almost broke our hearts. Father’s Day should be anything but ordinary and it’s up to each of us to make this extra-special guy feel extra-special not just on Father’s Day but everyday, as well.