Father’s Day is fast approaching, and while you may already have some thoughts on what to get dear ol’ Dad (or dear Hubby), here are some things he definitely doesn’t want.

* Another bottle of Old Spice. I remember getting my dad one of these every single Father’s Day (and birthday and Christmas), come to think of it, I don’t even know if he even liked the scent, but he did appear to have a never-ending supply thanks to me.

* A list of chores. This is the one day that Dads get to be off the hook. That means no “honey, can you take out the trash” or “Dad, can you fix my bike.” Just leave him be. Dad just wants to sit on the couch and veg out today. Trust us.

* Something that you want him to wear. ‘Fess up, we’ve all done it. You pick out that trendy jacket for Dad, that’s totally not his style, because you think he’d look so great in it. Sure, lots of dads might not mind, but others may just say thanks and toss it in the back of their closet, never to be seen again. So save yourself some time and money and make sure to get him something he’ll actually wear.

* To be woken up early. “Early” is a relative term once you have kids, but let hardworking Dad sleep in this Father’s Day. That means usher the sweet, but noisy kids out of the house for a few hours in the morning, and bring ’em back when he’s ready to finally start the day.

* An entire day filled with activities. Again, some dads may not mind this, but I’m guessing most would appreciate a low-key day with a family brunch, followed by sitting around and watching the game with no complaints about how messy the house looks, how there’s all these things to get done, and how there’s no food in the fridge. So everyone, just relax and enjoy the show.

– Esther Carlstone