Father’s Day is the ideal time to let your dad know just how much you care, and can be the perfect opportunity to get the whole family together and celebrate all of the wonderful men that are close to you. Whether your family celebrates lavishly with a meal out and the champagne flowing, or whether you’re a more low-key kind of family who like to celebrate at home, you don’t have to spend a fortune on the perfect Father’s Day. Here are a few activity and gift ideas to make your Father’s Day special (whether you’re a grown up or not), without breaking the bank…
Take advantage of the weather
To put it politely, the Great British weather can be inconsistent. One day it is twenty five degrees in the shade, and the next it is blowing gales with some hail thrown in for good measure. The weather this June is supposed to excellent, and we’ve already had some glimpses of the heat wave that should be taking place. If the weather looks to be promising, make sure you take advantage of the great outdoors for some fabulous outdoor, Father’s Day fun.
- BBQ: Have a BBQ. Dad’s love nothing more than to take charge of the barbeque, wearing an apron with a nice cold beer at their side. This is a great way for the family to socialise and celebrate Father’s Day.
- Picnic: Pick your dad’s favourite outdoor spot with a great view and have lunch savouring the surroundings.
- Garden Party: Get the paddling pool, football and other outdoor games out and enjoy each other’s company in the garden.
Cook
If you have your own dad coming round, why not show off your cooking skills? This can cost a fraction of the price of going out to eat on Father’s Day, as it is one of the restaurant industry’s busiest days of the year. Invite the family round and cook your dad’s favourite meal to give it a personal touch. For the younger kids, why not encourage them to make a cake, especially for dad? This will obviously need supervision, but again, it is a cheap and personal way to celebrate the day.
Get Active
If your dad is a keen cycler, runner or walker, let your dad choose a route and go and join him! This is a great way to spend quality time together and get to know all about your dad’s hobby. And he’ll be doing something he enjoys too.
Gifts
Get creative. For younger kids, it can be fun to make your dad a present, whether it’s a water colour painting, a statue out of Play Dough. For younger children, it can be fun to get them to write their dad a poem, or perform a short play or dance routine. It’s often memories like this that will be cherished for many Father’s Days to come.
Make him a playlist
If your dad is into his MP3 players and car stereos, design him a playlist. Pick songs which you both enjoy, and throw a few of his personal favourites in too. Add a few songs that remind you of a special holiday or occasion. This is a thrifty yet personal present that won’t cost a lot to make. You could even make your own CD sleeve for it.
Make a memory book
Take photos of your favourite times together, from holidays, Christmases, Birthdays, and even just your favourite snaps of you and dad (or your children and their dad). Buy a scrap book, stick them in and add captions next to them of why that memory is special. This is a low cost, yet very thoughtful idea to show your dad how much you care.
Buy a tree/plant and plant it together
This is a nice idea, especially if the dad in question is a keen gardener. Buy a tree or a favourite plant of his and plant it in the garden together. The new tree will always be a reminder of your special day, and is also a relatively cheap idea.
Written by the Vouchers team at moneysupermarket.com
