How do I pick a Father’s Day gift?

Key points:

• The greatest gift you can give your dad on Father’s Day is a visit — after all, you are his greatest gift

• Think back to some of the powerful moments you’ve shared with your dad, such as a moment from childhood or an in-joke that you both hold dearly

• If your parent spends a lot of time at home or doesn’t get out much, consider inviting or driving them out to a nostalgic setting to mark the occasion

This edition of Aged Care Guide is an ultimate overview of everything you need to make your father well up with tears and smile when he gets to catch up with you. This article will cover some of the feelings which make a Father’s Day gift mean something to your old man… Figuratively speaking, of course.

Emotion

The bond between a family member may have its highs and lows, but the golden moments you’ll never forget — the loud banter, muffled laughter or silent solidarity shared between a father and his family — are the things that turn growing up into a truly magical experience.

Showing an interest in a shared passion that brought you both together can serve as a great way to pay homage to your dad’s impact on your upbringing and give them something they want rather than something they think they might like.

Nostalgia is another important emotion that plays a role in how people appreciate gifts, as the saying goes — ‘it’s the thought that counts.’ You can evoke nostalgia through a bunch of unique ways, such as a souvenir ordered online or kept from a holiday that you once took together.

If you made art for a parent when you were growing up, it might be worthwhile recreating it using your newfound talents as an adult and reminding them of the original artwork.

Check online to see if they have any snacks that you once enjoyed together which have since been discontinued or any songs they used to sing to you, which can be turned into a custom made music box online.

One of the most important feelings, however, is loneliness. Loneliness can’t necessarily be cured through a purchase, but purchasing tickets for activities you can carry out together will lift your father’s spirits and give your parent/parents something to look forward to.

Interests

Sports dads might light up at the thought of a signed photo of their favourite team, a commemorative guernsey or some team-branded merchandise, but sport means so much more to some people than to others.

Your approach to indulging your father’s fascination with sports will depend on your abilities and finances, however, there are some interesting ideas to help you go above and beyond:

• Baking a cake with the team colours
• Purchasing tickets to an upcoming game for the family to attend
• Commissioning a painting of your father’s head on his favourite sports star
• Checking online crafting markets, such as Etsy, for an eclectic or handmade novelty gift
• Searching for a favourite game, match or moment to surprise him with a copy of the video or a licensed recording

Beer dads are an Australian staple, but as older beer aficionados have tried a long list of brews over the years, consider:

• Home brewing kits
• Custom made bottles from brands that offer made-to-order novelty gifts
• New and unique beers from craft or local breweries
• Taking him down to the local breweries through reserving a tour
• Bringing home or ordering beers from different parts of the world
• A custom-made mug or glass

Fathers over the age of 65 might be surprised by the catalogue of devices which can let them live an easier life through convenient modern technology:

• Kindle or tablet devices for audiobook listening or increased reading font size
• A Ring doorbell, which can be paired with their smartphone to protect their home and alert them via noise/vibration when someone is at the door
• A smart home system to search the web through voice commands
• A self-cleaning ultraviolet light water bottle
• An automatic can opener

Through accessible technology, you may be able to improve the quality of life for a dad during the ageing journey. However, it is important that any gadget to assist with difficult household tasks is not presented in a way which could be interpreted as patronising or condescending.

What were you thinking you might get for your dad this year? Let us know what your Father’s Day holds for the fella! Are there any interests your dad has which you’d love to see added to the list?

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