Father’s Day in Lockdown
Father’s Day 2020 isn’t going to be the Father’s Day you had planned, but whether you’re together or spending it apart, there are still loads of inventive ways to celebrate as a family and make it a day to remember. Here’s some ideas to make dad feel remembered and special whether you’re with him in person or not.
1. Breakfast in bed
If you’re lucky enough to be together, start dad’s special day with breakfast in bed and a brew. A full English breakfast is sure to make an excellent start to his day.
2. Get your hiking boots on
When bellies are full, dust off your walking shoes, find a nice route and let your legs lead the way. Whether you live in a built-up urban area or a rural village, there are bound to be some fabulous walking trails to explore and picturesque natural spots to sit and relax. Smell the fresh air and flowers, listen to the birds, run from the bees, enjoy the quality time together.
3. Watch his favourite movies
If a walk isn’t his thing, or the British weather is living up to its reputation and the heavens have opened, pull out your pillows and blankets and create a family fort in the living room. Settle in and watch your favourite family movies.
4. BBQ
If the sun is shining that can only mean one thing – BBQ!
5. A home cooked meal
Dad might prefer a home-cooked meal and this is something the family could do together, with a designated family member on each course and even a bartender! You could theme your family meal, maybe Mexican, Chinese, Italian, or good old English food. Make it fun by dressing accordingly too!
6. Order a takeaway
With many restaurants now offering a contact-free doorstep delivery service, the options are endless and stress-levels at home are kept to a minimum. Added bonus, no clean up required!
7. Video call with the whole family
If you don’t live with dad, there are still ways to celebrate and share your day virtually. With Zoom being the most popular video-calling/conference calling platform that is being utilised at the moment, but Skype, FaceTime, TikTok and video calling through Facebook are also still good options to catch up and see your dad.
8. Virtual pub quiz
Why not organise an online pub quiz, with dad taking charge and fulfilling the role of Quiz Master of course, allowing him to reel off his dad jokes and flair for general knowledge.
9. Virtual day trip
Virtual day trips are also very popular at the moment, with many museums and galleries worldwide allowing you to access them virtually, for free. Locate your dad’s favourite artist or city, and explore.
Don’t forget though, your dad is just a phone call away. Sometimes all a person needs is a five minute call and their day is complete. Gifts such as aftershave may run out, chocolate will be consumed, a gift card and money may be spent, but memories and laughter shared with the ones he loves the most will be remembered and treasured forever.
If your dad is no longer with you, Father’s Day can be a painful reminder of your loss.
Every bereavement is unique. For some, the extreme feelings of loss may start to retreat with the passing of time, while for others it may come and go in waves. Each person’s experience will be different but, for many, there will be certain dates that have particular emotional weight. Father’s Day is one such day.
Avoid situations that make you sad
If the idea of seeing other people celebrating the day is upsetting for you, there’s no shame in taking a break from it all. Social media, in particular, can become saturated with people celebrating.
Lean on others
The impact of any death ripples to touch all those close to the person. Reaching out to other people in times of need is vital – you will likely find that others in your family may be going through a similar thing.
The core message here is to do what feels right for you. It doesn’t matter if that means celebrating the day in a new way, or avoiding it altogether. You may plan to approach Father’s Day one way, then wake up in the morning and feel completely differently – but that doesn’t matter. Whatever may be going on around you, remember that it’s OK to take things at your own pace. Don’t feel that you have to put on a brave face or do something elaborate. Just making it through the day is enough. Get lots of fresh air, eat lots of delicious things, and just keep floating above the surface, that’s all you can expect of yourself. Just think how proud of you your dad would be…
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