Top 5 Father’s Day Gifts (Germinal Press style)
Coming around the corner faster than Lewis Hamilton on ice, the festivities of Father's Day are yet again upon us.
However, every year, amid the heartfelt handmade children’s cards and "Greatest Dad" BBQ sets, I’m always a little lost on how to really make dad feel appreciated.
So this year I’ve hit the polls and compiled a Top 5 list of things that dads actually want...
1) Father's Day BBQ
Though everyone loves to sink a couple of beers with mates, guys are notoriously hopeless at organising social occasions. So why not organise an afternoon of beers and bangers for him? All the dads/non-dads can catch up and discuss the latest design of nappy-pants, kids can happily finger-paint the dog, and the girls can hide in the kitchen watching the footy.
2) A New Dad Toy
Though hanging with the kids building the latest Lego Star Wars is always entertaining, dads do like to also get their own new toys occasionally…preferably something that the kids can’t break, ruin or steal as their own. Opt for a grown up toy such as a retro Atari, mini Pinball or Fusball, something he can clearly identify to all family members as "Dads". Then you can always use Option 3 (below) for next year’s gift!
3) Daddy Playdate
Forget play dates for pre-schoolers. The one person in the household that is crying out for some playtime is dad. Every dad I know has a plethora of toys gathering dust - a forgotten Playstation under the TV, a remote controlled monster truck abandoned in the laundry, or maybe those 90's mixing decks lost to a pile of papers (or all of the above in our house).
Whatever the toy, put aside a morning where kids cannot kibosh the fun, invite some of the boys over and give playtime back to dad for a few hours.
4) A Day Off
Whether it's driving a fast car, going fishing or playing golf, nothing says "I love you" like a ticket of freedom for the day. Gather some of his mates together for an afternoon and set them loose on the outdoors.
5) Beer/Wine Tasting
If adrenalin sports or outdoor pursuits aren't quite on the money, every dad will be stoked with a wine or beer tasting evening. Organising an evening for the boys to head out and enjoy sampling some of the finer brews will certainly make dad’s day. Throw in a lie-in the next morning and your expectations for Mother’s Day have instantly skyrocketed.
6) Bonus Gift
Of course, because this is my blog, some shameless self-promotion is undeniably in order. Whether it’s for an expectant dad, a new dad, or a weathered dad, giving the gift of laughter is always a winner. A good read and a hearty laugh at the everyday predicaments of life as a dad is the perfect gift choice for any fad this Father's Day. And the best part? You can buy it right now!
Picture credit: flickr.com
A.J. Sutherland is the author of our latest title How To Be The Perfect Dad And Not F**k Things Up, which is available from this site and all good bookstores, and in downloadable form via iTunes and Amazon, among others.
Comments
On Thursday, August Aug 2013 JimBeam said...
“What me and my other father mates tend to do on Father's Day is fly out of the city for a weekend (say, to Hobart, Brisbane), book into a good hotel and just hang out in the city. Given the timing of Father's Day, there's always some finals footy on, which makes it even better. It's not like an end-of-season knees up; civilised with a bit of fun. Hobart is ideal as it's easy to get around. ”
On Thursday, August Aug 2013 Diane said...
“There's three things my husband enjoys on Father's Day - a lie in, breakfast in bed with the papers and to finish the day, an evening roast washed down by a good bottle of red wine. Simple pleasures, he calls it. He's never wavered after 10 years. ”
On Friday, August Aug 2013 JackReacher said...
“This year will be my first Father's Day. I'm not expecting anything, but I'm looking forward to it. Bloody unexpected if you ask me.”
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