Father’s Day; celebrated on the first Sunday of every September.
Father’s Day seems a good time to reflect upon what dad has done for you over the years. Perhaps his crowning achievement is simply to have survived having you as a child. Sure, you didn’t ask to be born…but I for one am somewhat glad I was. And I was not a particularly pleasant child if stories are to be believed.
“Tarts!” toddler me shrieked and pointed at the tights-clad ladies walking down the street. And that was just the beginning.
In view of my tumultuous childhood (my behaviour, not my parent’s parenting) I have been trying harder to practice the art of gratitude – with varying levels of success – as gratitude is an integral part of any healthy relationship and just as important for your own happiness as it is to that of those around you. Thankfully it doesn’t have to be a grand or expensive gesture; sometimes the little things say so much. And what better day than Father’s Day to pour a little energy in to this endeavour, and let your father know how grateful you are to have him in your life.
- Here are some ways you could show that, this September:
- Pay back that ‘loan’ you have been owing him for years
- Invite him over (or out) for dinner
- A voucher for his favourite bookstore perhaps
- A card with a nice message
- Family tickets to the Canterbury Astronomical Society public open nights
- Tickets to one of the WORD Festival events
- Let him whatever kind of man he is that he’ll always be “Manly As”. (All Right have some cute posters and postcards that might do the trick)
Or if your budget is a little higher, Christchurch also offers some unique, unusual and out there options: try sensory deprivation float tanks, suspending him high in the air at Adrenalin Forest, hot air ballooning or an east-west coast (and back!) scenic train ride.
My go-to Father’s Day/Father’s Birthday present of the last decade has been a bit less inspired; the unique coffee related contraption. So far we’ve cycled through the Vietnamese coffee brewer, rude coffee cups, several travel coffee mugs, chocolate coated coffee beans…
Here are some books from our collection to help you get started and perhaps provide some much needed inspiration.
DIY Father’s Day Gifts
A Father’s Bookshelf
Images of Fathers Doing Their Thing
Here are a couple of photos of fathers from our digital image collection on Kete Christchurch. Kete Christchurch is an online resource bringing together records of local events, people and places – current and historical. You are welcome to contribute your own images to the collection, for the enjoyment of all Cantabrians 🙂 To do so, register an account.
The Farm Bloke
The City Bloke
Happy Father’s Day!
Christchurch City Libraries Blog 