• Surprise the first-time dad with an extra present.father and baby image by Andrii Oleksiienko from Fotolia.com
  
  Choosing a gift for a first-time father can be daunting. You want to choose something manly, but that also reflects the newfound soft side that usually comes with being a father. Whatever your relationship with the recipient, there is a present that can be appropriate and well within your budget.
  
  

Framed Father Poem

• If you are talented at writing poetry, write up a father poem specifically for the first-time dad. If you are not, find a poem that reflects exactly what you would like to say. To give the gift a more elaborate feel, print it out on beige cardstock and use a script font. After printing, put it in a dark wooden frame.
  
  

Painting

• Commission an artist to paint a portrait of the father holding his new baby. The artist does not have to do it in person; he can use a picture you provide. To save yourself some money, advertise at a local college to see if an art student would be willing to do the painting for you for a fee.
  
  

Books

• Some new reading material can be helpful.books image by palms from Fotolia.com
  
  First-time dads often want to read as much material as they can to get a feel of what to expect and how to handle certain situations. They may also be on the lookout for books they can read to the child at bedtime. Consider giving a couple of each type of book. Include a book that contains stories of the wonderful moments between a father and his child. Put the books either in a gift basket or in a box topped off with a bow.
  
  

Leather Diaper Bag

• Some men might not be interested in carrying around a bag that is pastel-colored or has flowers all over it. Buy the first-time dad a leather diaper bag instead. It does the job of carrying around all the essential baby items, but it has a manlier feel to it that a guy might appreciate.
  
  

Day of Rest

• First-time dads are beyond worn out and exhausted. Give the deserving father a day where he can sit in bed, watch television and munch on snacks. He can have the child at his side and spend time with him, but his day of rest gets the new dad a day off from diaper and chore duty. After the day off, he may feel completely rejuvenated.