I discovered recently that in most parts of the world, Father’s Day lands in the third week of June. This year, like Japan, the UK will ‘celebrate’ fathers on June 18. On a personal note, Father’s Day never really had any significance for me throughout my life. I’m sure I got my dad something when I remembered but I don’t recall. This was completely different for my mother (of course I wouldn’t even consider forgetting Mother’s Day). When I lived away from home, I would send a postcard but I might have been weeks out of sync. He didn’t seem too bothered, so I didn’t really keep a mental note of it. In hindsight, there was probably a whiff of disappointment. This all changed of course when I had my daughter almost eight years ago… and it started (possibly naturally) to make me think more about my own relationship with my father. It made me quite sad (and still does from time to time) that I didn’t really take this special day seriously enough.
So, now I love Father’s Day. It’s a great opportunity to ask for something you a) don’t want to spend your own money on, or b) as I do, ask for something that will benefit everyone in the house (like a new toaster, for example). I also get the chance to perhaps go to the garden centre on my own (a real treat!) Anyway, enough about my experience. Let’s have a look at how most do it.
What presents are usually given?
Traditionally, it is the usual predictable fayre: socks, aftershave, beer, or a tie. Thankfully, times have changed and although these presents are still common (I still love getting socks, but I tend to hope for something a bit more substantial), it might be more common to get something from the world of tech, or an ‘experience’ like wine tasting or driving a racing car. Alcohol is still a safe bet, but for young kids, it’s probably not viewed by the mother as a wise idea to buy dad something that will change his mood and put him to sleep.
What does the family do on this day?
As is probably common around the world, British people will go for a walk somewhere, go to a pub restaurant for a meal, or dad will spend the day playing with kids while mum puts a Sunday roast dinner together. It’s not that much different to a traditional Sunday, but with the added bonus of dad
not having any housework to do.
So, as Father’s Day is around the corner here are a few nice idioms you can try out:
– First up is ‘dad bod’. This fairly recent expression is used to refer to a man’s body that is a mixture of fat and muscle.
He’s certainly not as trim as he used to be. He’s definitely got more of a dad bod these days.
– A very common one is ‘like father, like son’ used when comparing a similar trait with a son and his dad.
You haven’t spent all your birthday money already? Well, like father like son.
Basically, this implies that the son spends his money too quickly just like his father does.
– A similar one is ‘a chip off the old block’.
A father might say this when his son or daughter is behaving in a similar way to himself, and he is quite proud of them.
Look at the way he can just pick up the guitar and play a song. He’s a real chip off the old block.
– Finally, there is ‘granddaddy’ as in ‘the grandaddy of TV sets’.
Although this does look like it might mean a really old version of something, it is actually used to describe the best of the best (of something).
Look what I have just got from Amazon – The granddaddy of all pizza ovens!
The Olympic Games is the granddaddy of all sporting events.
Anyway, whatever you do, Happy Father’s Day!