It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, June 17 2018, and we’ve been receiving emails and seeing adverts for nearly a month already, saying things like:
“Aftershave is the perfect gift!”
“Dads love slippers with footballs on!”
“This random item is perfect for your dad’s shed or garage!”
What if your dad’s not a stereotypical shed-dwelling grumposaur? What if he’s a more sensitive soul? What if – and bear with us here – he just isn’t that interested in sports?
The world’s greatest dad he might be, but he’s a unique and wonderfully individual man too, and this Father’s Day it might be nice for him to receive a gift more suited to his impeccable taste in cable-knit jumpers than a pair of socks that looks like pints of beer.
And let’s face it – in the modern world, our dads might not be our actual dads. We might call them by their first name, but they’re still there, looking out for us, warning us about late night bus journeys and keeping your passport safe on holiday (Thanks, Dad!).
Everything they do is out of love for you and all they want is for you to be happy, safe and to feel loved and appreciated. It might get a bit much from time to time (yes dads, we’ve been driving for 10 years, we’re aware there may be some traffic on the M6 around Forton services), but you’re their little baby now and forever, and Father’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate that.
Here’s a step-by-step plan to help you make the day special enough to make him feel appreciated, but not so overblown that he gets embarrassed and starts doing that awkward coughing thing he does on his birthday when everyone sings Happy Birthday at him. Let the planning commence!
Make His Ideal Breakfast
It’s not just mums who appreciate a special breakfast. You dad will love a special meal to set him up for the day, especially if you include thoughtful elements from your childhood. Did he used to make boiled eggies for you both after you went swimming on a Saturday? Did he always burn the toast? Was he a dab hand at making an omelette?
FInish it off with his favourite beverage in a mug with his catchphrase on. You can find a wealth of suppliers online who can print messages onto mugs, and Becky Bygone has this fantastic dad classic which we think is perfect!
Add his favourite newspaper or magazine and leave it on the kitchen table (dads don’t eat in bed – too many crumbs.) Voila: the perfect Father’s Day breakfast!
Don’t Make the Gift Too Big
Dads know that Father’s Day creeps up on us all every year and if there’s one thing he worries about, it’s his darling baby’s finances. He’s seen how many Asos packages turn up at his house by accident.
Presents he’ll enjoy are small and thoughtful, reminding him of times you’ve spent together and perhaps reigniting his passion for a long-forgotten hobby. For example:
- Did your dad used to rock out in a band as a youngster? Get him a box of plectrums and some new strings for that old guitar in the attic!
- Was he a keen fisherman before your siblings were born? Now they’re older, he might have more time to get out on the river again. Why not pack him a box of lures and promise you’ll go with him to learn the ropes?
- Is he a masterchef winner in his dreams? Book him a cooking lesson at a local fine dining restaurant – that way you can join him! We’re always thinking here at The Occasional Reporter *taps nose*
- Does he love gardening? A Gardener’s World magazine subscription is around £40, but if you can’t spare that, take a look at their website and order a 2-for-1 entry card. This card will get you and your dad a discount at every participating open garden in the country – including the Eden Project
- If your dad loves motorbikes, rallying or F1, it would make his day to get tickets to see it in the flesh with you. Even if you don’t manage to take him to Monaco (hey, we’ve all got budgets to think of) there are racing circuits, night rallies and car and bike shows all over the UK all the time. Get Googling and surprise him. A good place to start looking is at Oulton Park in Cheshire.
Let him relax
The best gift of all for your dad might be to let him relax for a change. Grab a big tin of biscuits, roll out the footstool, pop on his favourite film and spend the afternoon together agreeing that John Rambo is the single most underrated character of all time. He’s got emotional layers! He’s got depth!
One of the best things about Father’s day is that it’s a time for just the two of you. Throughout the year, you might find that actually, you don’t get the chance to spend as much time together as you’d like. Father’s Day is your day, so have fun and make the most of it.
If you’d like to get your Dad something extra-special for Father’s Day this year, we can create a bespoke front page that’ll tell the story of his amazing dadishness for everyone to see. Get in touch for a chat to see what we could create for him!