Simplifying Father’s Day

I enjoy holidays like Father’s Day (and Mother’s Day) as they are created to honor and celebrate special family members and people.  From a commercialization standpoint, father’s day is not too bad on the spectrum of holidays as we have not seen the excessive behavior associated with things like Christmas; and since most families and households hold their own celebrations, there is no compulsion to throw a giant party for one person (as for birthdays).  There are many ways to make Father’s Day special and memorable without spending a huge amount of money or feeling frazzled:

–Focus on experiences- is there a special type of activity that Dad enjoys such as hiking, fishing, or watching a particular sport, playing chess? Celebrate father’s day by participating in his cherished activities.

–Know his favorites – is Dad a history buff? who is his favorite author? Finding a gift, such as a book, that is highly personalized and meaningful is a wonderful gesture (this is great for birthdays as well). My Dad likes to read about historic figures like Julius Ceasar or King Tut of Ancient Egypt.

--Create homemade things — whether it’s preparing Dad’s favorite meal for dinner, baking a special pie, or having the kids create handicrafts or art; homemade items convey a feeling of caring. Dad’s favorite is butter pecan ice cream.

–Use social networking for people far away – are family members or best friends far away? Schedule time to speak by phone, skype (which now has video), or send special e-cards so that people can feel connected.

see other posts on simplicity