What'd You Give (and Get) for Father's Day?

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. We did go a little long with that so we've got 10 minutes for our final call in of the day, and we're going to end it on a lighter post-Father's Day note. We had a heavy Father's Day call in on Friday about how notions of father's roles and masculinity have been changing in your family through several generations. Today we're going to lighten it up as we invite you to talk about gifting.

Here's the question. Who is harder to shop for, your mom for Mother's Day or your dad for Father's Day? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. If you gave a Father's Day gift and want to just call up and say what it was to give people ideas for next year because people used to say the tie, but who gives a tie anymore? In the remote work era for people who have that privilege, they don't even wear ties anymore. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.

What did you give or get for Father's Day? Call up and shout out your kids for giving you a cool Father's Day gift or call up and say what you got your father for Father's Day. The question who's harder to shop for, your mom for Mother's Day or your dad for Father's Day? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. My son, who plays a lot of tennis, is getting my racket restrung. I'm very happy with that one. If you're a dad, what did you get for Father's Day?

Tell us about any gifts you were given, material or non-material that you found to be especially significant or thoughtful, or kids who bought a Father's Day present this year, how hard is it to buy for your dad and who's harder to buy for, your dad or your mom? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. We'll take your calls after this.

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Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now to your calls with your Father's Day gifts that you're happy to give, happy to receive, or who's harder to shop for, your mom for Mother's Day or your father for Father's Day? Diana in Bay Ridge, you're on WNYC. Hi, Diana.

Diana: Hi. Thanks, Brian. I'm calling-- Actually, my father also named Brian, also went to Bayside High School around your time, and he has been really hard for me to shop for. This year I said, "You know what, I'll just send him flowers." Picked out a nice bouquet. He was so touched and he liked it probably more than most gifts I've ever given him. He said, "Men don't get flowers. I've maybe gotten flowers five times in my life." It definitely stuck with me this year. That's an idea for people to send their father flowers. They want to get them.

Brian Lehrer: That is so great, breaking the gender traditions there too, and sending your dad flowers. I have a feeling some listeners are going to pick up on that Diana for next year. Thank you. AJ in Westport, Connecticut, you're on WNYC. Hi, AJ.

AJ: Hi, Brian. This year we got my husband some standard T-shirts, stuff like that but the best gift for sure was the gift cards that we re-gifted him from last year that he still hasn't used and he didn't even notice.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs] I won't tell. Thank you very much. Michael in White Plains you're on WNYC. Hi, Michael.

Michael: Hi. We have everything we need, my kids and I do. We have a garage full of stuff, and we try to emphasize experiences over things at this point. They took me, my three boys, on a wonderful hike up Anthony's Nose in the Lower Hudson Valley.

Brian Lehrer: Very nice experiences are great gifts. It's hard when they have everything that they need to come up with a gift in those circumstances. All right, Tom in Harlem got something that he likes. Tom, you're on WNYC. Hello?

Tom: Hi, Brian. Yes, I got a really touching Father's Day card. My son was way up in Bennington, Vermont, visiting his college girlfriend. Calls me up, says, "Hey, go to my room there's something for you." It's a beautiful handmade card. Then last night when he came all the way, he took the train and the bus back from Vermont,m. He got on the number one train because we don't have a flower place in our neighborhood. He showed up at 10:00 o'clock at night with a bouquet of flowers for me. I was just really touched by that.

Brian Lehrer: Another flower story. That is so wonderful. Tom, thank you very much. Here's one coming in via text message. My husband is a huge Rangers fan from Etsy. We found someone who made a personalized poster. Each family member was shown from the back with our individual favorite Rangers player name and number on the jersey. Our names were under the photo, and it was a hockey rink. That's fun. Anna in Clinton Hill, you're on WNYC. Hi, Anna.

Anna: Hi. This year I'm a little bit tight on cash. I decided that instead of a tie or some other small item, my husband and I would just spend the day with my dad. We had brunch. We made a beautiful lawn brunch and then we had a great barbecue dinner, and he was just over the moon about it. It was actually way more special than, I think, any other thing we could have gotten him.

Brian Lehrer: That's so sweet. Eva in Brooklyn, you're on WNYC. Hi, Eva. Maybe Eva's not there. I'll just reflect on that last call. That's what everybody really wants. It's the gift of time. There was a time when the joke might have been, well, what mothers want on Mother's Day is for everybody to spend time with them. What fathers want on Father's Day is to make them breakfast and then they go out and play golf or go out and do whatever with their friends. They don't have to be with family. That's the gift for Dad. The gift for mom is they get to be with the family but I think that's broken down a lot over the years. Robert in Philadelphia you're on WNYC. Hi, Robert.

Robert: Good morning. Thanks for taking my call. Father's Day, my two daughters came from different places. One is in northern New Jersey, one is in Virginia. We met in Philadelphia with two kids and grandkids around. We had the sweetest Father's Day afternoon I've ever had in my life. We just sat around and talked about fun stuff, smart stuff, dumb stuff, and enjoyed each other's company. Brought in a take-in lunch. It was one of the nicest days of my whole life.

Brian Lehrer: The gift of company once again. I hope your kids and grandkids are listening. Lex in Jamaica is going to get our last word, I think. Hi, Lex, you're on WNYC.

Lex: Hi. Good afternoon, Brian. How are you?

Brian Lehrer: Good. What you got?

Lex: All right, great. Well, I literally had a triple celebration yesterday. It was my little daughter's birthday and I got the gift of magic because we went to a local shop called Nicholas over there on Fulton Street. It's a lovely little shop. They have crystals and whatnot. This guy in there who I never met before, his name is Uncle Ank. He says, "Hey, come here." He decides to gift me some crystals but he has me lift this 25-pound kettlebell up and do it, no problem. Then he gives me this crystal to hold in my hand, and I pick it up again. I swear to you, it was literally half the weight and it was essentially magic. Then he gifts me the crystals completely unsolicited, and he gave my daughter an amethyst. He gave my wife--

Brian Lehrer: That's so nice. He could charge you because if I'm hearing you right, and I know listeners, you couldn't hear him very well. I couldn't hear him very well for whatever that phone problem was, but it sounds like they ran into a really nice store owner. All right, thanks for your calls. Good ideas. Maybe for some of you for next year, flowers. Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Stay tuned for Alison.

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