For Father’s Day

Scavenger Hunt: Take Dad on an adventure made especially for him. Plan a route that includes his favorite places and pastimes (breakfast at the diner he likes, a session at the driving range). Give him cryptic written clues as you go from one stop to the next.

“You taught me…” Notebook: Team up with siblings to fill a notebook or a journal with your father’s words of wisdom. The thoughts can be inspirational (“The only really perfect people are the people you don’t know very well”) or something that makes sense to only you and your dad (“A wetsuit is just as hard to put on as a pair of panty hose”).

Dad’s Own Brew: Pick up a six-pack of Dad’s favorite microbrewery beer. Then replace the labels with customized ones from www.myownlabels.com (six labels for $9). Have fun with the wording: vital fluids; hands off.

For Graduations

Meal Plan: Gather menus from local take-out restaurants and pizza joints. Arrange them in a binder so the new grad will have another option for dinner besides ramen noodles.

Life 101: Enlist family and friends to write a list of lessons they didn’t learn in the classroom but wish they had. For example: “When in doubt, Google it” and “Sometimes it’s not worth going to class if you’re just going to sleep through it.”

For Weddings

Top-of-the-Cake Kit: In a box, place dessert plates, silverware, and flutes for two (Champagne optional). Finish it off with a note saying, do not open until your first anniversary.

Honeymoon Wine: Track down a few bottles of wine (or another local specialty) from their honeymoon spot. Wrap them in travel brochures or pictures of the destination. They can relive their trip down the Seine or dinners on the beach by sipping on the sofa.

Dinner for Two: Prolong the honeymoon by welcoming the couple back with a home-cooked meal. Include clear reheating instructions for the weary travelers.

To Say “Thank You”

Plate it Forward: Buy a ceramic or porcelain plate and paint your name on it with a craft pen or a marker. When you head to a dinner, bring it, along with food and the pen, to the hostess. Instruct her to keep the plate, sign her name, and pass it on to the host of the next gathering she attends.

Party First-Aid Kit: As you arrive, thank the hostess with a kit of morning-after essentials (stain remover, paper towels, aspirin) that will save her a foggy-headed trip to the store. For a little more, you could also include a gift certificate for a manicure or a pedicure.