It’s not long now until your other half has a day when they’re treated like royalty. And why not? He might tease you incessantly, forget to take the bins out and break wind at inopportune times, but you know he’s amazing and you wouldn’t change him for the world (except perhaps the breaking wind bit!). And Father’s Day is the perfect time for you and the kids to get together and let him know how special he is to all of you. This doesn’t mean spending hundreds of pounds on something lavish, but rather getting him something personal that’ll mean a lot to him.
Design him sportswear
If the man in your life is sports mad then why not remind him of those who love him next time he’s in the gym, playing five-a-side or on the squash court? You could design him a personalised kit bag with a picture of your smiling faces on it (or that photo of him doing something heroically athletic in his early 20s!). You might put that same pic on a T-shirt, or get the shirt of the football team he supports and put his name on the back. It’ll give him a smile, even on days when he’s not doing so well!
Take him to dinner
You could even pretend you’d forgotten all about Father’s Day, then surprise him by taking him out in the evening. Make sure it’s somewhere he’d choose to go (and not the place you’ve been meaning to try for ages… that can wait!). If he likes to get dressed up you can lay his suit out for him on the bed and make the meal a really special occasion.
Photo book of memories
Make this a combination of the special times you’ve had together in your lives. Include the most memorable pictures of all the people he loves, and jot down stories that’ll make him laugh and that tell him what a great guy he is. You might even want to arrange his friends and family to write their own messages as an additional surprise.
Small things matter too
Make sure he’s lightly pampered throughout the day. Let him sleep in for as long as he wants (within reason!), let him choose what he wants for dinner, let him sit in front of the TV at 10am with an ice cold beer, if that’s what he wants to do.
Little gifts add to the occasion too, such as cupcakes with ‘I love you Dad’ written on the top, or perhaps even a nice cigar if that’s his thing. And don’t forget to buy him a lovely card – it always makes the day feel a little bit more like a true occasion.
The trick is to make the day as personal as possible. And nothing will mean more to him than spending the day with his family, especially if they’re being unusually nice to him!