My dad has always been aloof. We've never really "celebrated" Father's Day so to speak. Sure we'd give him cards and gifts, but that's as far as it went. His idea of Father's Day had little to do with being a parent. He always spent the day on the golf course with his brothers. Last year was the first year I can remember where he didn't go golfing. Rain battered the house and wind whistled through the trees, and as die-hard a golfer as my dad was, even he couldn't weather the storm. Because our family never kept a Father's Day tradition, we didn't have anything planned for him, and he resigned to his chair to watch sitcom re-runs. My sister and I couldn't help but feel like it was our fault his day of appreciation was so disappointing. My mother agreed, this was no way to spend Father's Day, so we did a little online research and decided on the perfect game plan. We gathered our things and told my father we were taking him for a ride. He nodded his head, clicked off the television, and followed suit. We piled into the family van and headed down a familiar route. When we finally reached our destination, my dad showed one of his rare smiles. We had taken him to the country club for a special Father's Day dinner. For the entire meal, my dad told us about epic holes-in-one and triumphant wins on the course. I think we have finally formed a Father's Day tradition, all thanks to an especially rainy Sunday.

My father knows his music. Led Zeppelin, the Doors, the Who, you name it, he loves them. Never bring up music in front of him unless you want to discuss theory for at least two hours. The man is well into his fifties and still sports band t-shirts around the house. He plays in a bar band every other weekend with his high school buddies. Music is his passion and his love, and it's what he was born to do. It's safe to say my dad is VERY easy to shop for on Father's Day. There's always a new compilation or live CD I can pick up at the local music store. Last year though, I wanted to do something different. I'd finally moved out on my own, and I barely saw him all year. I wanted to find the perfect gift to make up for not spending as much time with him. Through online research, I found the Father's Day jackpot: 2 tickets to the Led Zeppelin reunion tour. I ordered them and impatiently awaited their arrival in the mail. When they finally came, I could barely contain my excitement. When that third Sunday in June finally rolled around, I drove to my house for the annual family cookout. After dinner and cake, I handed him my card. “No CD this year?” he asked, surprised. “You'll see!” I replied. I looked on excitedly as my old man took his time prying open the envelope, careful not to rip it. When he opened the card, his jaw dropped and he jumped up to give me a hug. I knew I had succeeded in giving my dad a rockin' Father's Day.

I never knew my father. It was my grandfather who raised me. He waited with me at the bus stop on first day of school, he talked me through those awkward high school nights, his hard earned money paid for my education, and two years ago, he walked me down the aisle. He's been there for me my whole life, and the year I got married, I wanted to do something extra for him on Father's Day. He's always been a faithful Yankees fan, and when I heard that Yankee Stadium was scheduled for demolition, I just knew he would need to see it one last time. I kept it a surprise, telling him only to avoid making any plans on that third Sunday in June. He didn't have a clue what I had up my sleeve, even as we boarded the taxi. When we arrived in front of the stadium, my grandpa's face filled with joy. We took the first tour of the day and the guide took us inside the bull pen, through the locker room, and onto the field. While my grandfather could recall every home run and grand slam since 1935, he appeared riveted throughout the entire tour. After the tour concluded, we headed outside to hail a taxi. My grandfather was quiet, and when I looked over to him, his eyes were filled tears. “Thank you for the best Father's Day I've ever had,” he said, smiling. It was the best Father's Day I'd ever had too.