As long as your memory stretches back, your dad has been the creative, spontaneous type. Whether it's been putting together models, dragging you to the art museum, or creating his own paper, he's just got to try his hand at it.

Getting him a meaningful gift for Father's Day can be easy, as long as you think outside the box yourself.

Why not think about buying him a year's membership to the local art museum (or botanical gardens)? Members usually get in free whenever they want, and also get special invites to come hear speakers or take classes. It would be a gift he could enjoy all year long.

Or, if he loves to write, how about a variety of writing-inspired gifts? For example, you could get him some stationery embossed with his initials, an exquisite pen, and perhaps some books on writing fiction, or the art of composing letters, or whatever type of writing he enjoys doing. All of this could be wrapped and placed inside a leather messenger bag he could tote to the local coffee shop when the creative muse strikes!

If your dad has always had an adventurous spirit, give him the world. Literally. There are companies that make wall-sized maps of the world, and this would be an awe-inspiring gift to put up in his library or study. You could supplement this gift with a few amusing travel memoirs to get him geared up to hit the road.

Sticking with the traveling theme, if he already has a trip planned, why not put together a trip-inspired gift? If he's traveling to a foreign country, pick him up the Rosetta Stone software so he can start learning the language. Water bottles, passport holders, expensive hiking socks, the ideas are endless for this creative gift.

If you'd like to give him a memory that will last a lifetime, why not take him on a mystery trip for the day? Don't tell him anything that you'll be doing, and you make all the arrangements. Whether it's a picnic in the park and then an afternoon of bowling, or hitting the bookstore to hear a local writer speak, chock it full with things that he would love to do. He'll never forget it.

If your dad has a favorite photograph, why not bring it to a camera shop that can print photographs on canvas? They can be mounted on wood just like a work of art and blown up to almost any size. Whether it's a picture of the family on vacation or a gorgeous sunset over the lake, he'll be touched that his favorite picture is now a treasured work of art for everyone to enjoy.

If you're tech savvy, why not spend some time combing through the family home videos? You can take funny clips and weave them all together to create a new home video just for him. He'll be left with the primo clips, and if you put it all to music it can be a hilarious, treasured keepsake he'll watch again and again.

As you can see there are plenty of great, unique gifts you can come up with to show your dad how much he means to you, and they certainly all don't have to cost a fortune. What counts far more is the obvious time and consideration you poured into the gift idea, and he'll definitely appreciate your thoughtfulness for not getting him yet another tie!