These are not only traditional gift ideas but also unique ways of telling your father that you love them

Going old-school
Dads love pretending like they’re practical men who have no emotions. Well, that’s a big fat lie! Dads are softies, who melt quicker than ice. Moreover, they’re old-school softies. This year, write him a letter, like they did in his era (probably the 1800s, lol). I know it’s been a while since you wrote one, but this is the time to use those informal letter-writing skills you learnt in school. You can even make a card for him like we did when we were kids. Head to your nearest post office, and voila! Over the years, my dad and I have exchanged many letters and we preserve all of them. Believe me, this one really pulls at their heartstrings

A surprise package
The most basic gift is of course flowers and a cake. Last year, I was super excited to send these to my dad. In the afternoon, I got the notification: Items delivered. I thought my father would call me all excited and thank me for the gift. Instead, I heard, “Why are you wasting money on flowers? They go bad within two days. Please learn how to spend your money better.” Sigh. Going forward, my recommendation would be to send something he might actually use. My father’s a big reader. So, books it is this year

Movie night in
Do you know that feeling when you watch a movie and you think, “Oh, my dad would love this,” but you just can’t watch it with him because he isn’t there? This year when I went to watch Project Hail Mary, I cried like a baby. My father showed me The Martian (2015) when I was 11 years old. Before that, he showed me The Terminator (1984) when I was way too young to watch it. Though it left me permanently scared of the world ending, it also became food for thought for many, many conversations. 

It was a way for a 42-year-old and an 11-year-old to have a conversation about how the world works and how it can be saved, which are not very popular topics of conversation for 11-year-olds. And yet, he was able to instill very important values in me. 

Over the years, we have nurtured a thirst for sci-fi films which is only relinquished when we watch them together. So, I’ve decided that we will watch Project Hail Mary together, virtually this year. You can pick your favourite, and watch it together.

Fund a wardrobe intervention
The best Father’s Day gift? Book a flight ticket and go see him. Nothing beats that. But if that’s not possible, here’s the next best thing: let your dad go shopping and pick up the bill. Dads somehow wear the same five shirts for a decade and call it fashion. Consider this less of a gift and more of a public service. A new shirt, a pair of trousers, maybe even shoes if you’re feeling generous. He gets new clothes, and you get to stop wondering what on earth he’s wearing these days