Awesome lockdown-friendly Father’s Day ideas

This year Father's Day is going to be a little more challenging as we all continue to practice physical distancing to curb the spread of the COVID-19, especially to the most vulnerable members of our families. There are still plenty of ways to make the day a special one for the father-figure in your life, whether you live with him or not! If he is a sports supporter slash fitness freak, adventurer, gadget geek or a culture craver, we've got a few gifting ideas and ways to celebrate him:

Up your game to celebrate the Sports-Dad

From the couch-bound supporter to the fitness freak, Sports-Dads are craving some serious sporting action by now. It’s been ages since they have seen live sports matches, so here are a few ways to indulge his love of sport and fitness during lockdown:

• Watch a re-run of an iconic match like the Rugby World Cup 2019 final (chills right?) with snacks from Montagu Biltong Bar and Dried Fruit & Nuts, and a nice cold beer. Liquor stores are open for sales during restricted hours during Level 3 from Monday to Thursday, 9am - 5pm, so you can make sure he’s got a cold one ready to go.
• If he’s a fitness guy, prepare a WOD (workout of the day) and do it with him (even if it is via Zoom). You could get his fellow fitness friends and their kids involved too, so it’s a bit of a digital social occasion for everyone involved.
• For gifting you could get him some new fitness equipment or even a nice new wireless speaker for his WOD's, now that these items can be sold!

Explore fun new horizons with Adventure-Dad

Adventure-Dad is the kind of guy who loves packing up the bakkie and heading into the great unknown to pitch a tent, catch some fish, try out a new hiking trail and get up to adrenaline-inducing shenanigans in general. Chances are he’s been feeling quite cooped up during the lockdown, so the best thing you can do to celebrate him this Father’s Day is to find a way for him to enjoy aspects of his favourite pastimes. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Camp in the backyard or head on a hiking trail near your house and grab take-away coffees and sandwiches from Vida e Caffè. Although we are still not allowed to travel for leisure reasons during Level 3 lockdown, many hiking trails have reopened for the use of locals, but remember to wear a mask at all times and keep your distance from other hikers.
• Cape Union Mart has put together a handy gift guide for outdoor enthusiasts, travellers and explorers! And if your dad is fairly picky, you can always play it safe with a gift card from the whole gang.
• If you won't be near dad this Father's Day, take some time to make a digital video album to one of his best-loved tunes of all your favourite family holidays to take a trip down memory lane and inspire future adventures once lockdown has been lifted for good.

Write a new chapter with Culture-Dad

If your dad is more of a culture vulture, you actually have it fairly lucky – they’re so easy to shop for! Here are a few ideas to show your affection this Father’s Day:

• Dish up a meal inspired by their favourite book or movie. For example, whip up the epic cheeseburger and five dollar milkshake from Pulp Fiction; or Baratheon boar ribs or a good old bowl o’ brown for the Game of Throne enthusiast. And if you're not with him, film yourself re-enact his favourite line and wish him a Happy Father's Day for him to have a good laugh.
• Many orchestras, musicians and theatre troupes have been live streaming some of their best-loved productions. If your dad is into the classics, see if you can queue up one of his favourites and spend some time watching it with him.
• Buy him a book for his collection (take a picture of his bookshelf and ask a sales assistant at Bargain Books for recommendations. Plus, reading is a great pastime during lockdown.

Get down to business with Tech-Dad

Tech-Dads come in many shapes and sizes – some are tough-as-nails businessmen who are always on the move, others are hardcore gamers, and some simply have a soft spot for the latest tech and gadgets. Here are a few ideas to treat the tech dude in your life:

• Get him that latest gadget from a tech store like Computer Mania or BT Games. This type of dad always has an endless list of new tech items on his wish list, and you can always ask for advice from the knowledgeable in-store staff if you’re feeling overwhelmed with choice.
• Set up a gaming day or LAN session with his favourite order-in meal from a restaurant that offers a fuss-free home delivery or pick-up service. You can even have friends and family members join in on the action if he’s into multi-player games.
• A great gift idea is a leather laptop bag or backpack to keep all his gear safe and organised, and leather lasts for ages.

There you have it – a few awesome ways you can spoil the father figure in your life this Father’s Day, even with the restrictions of the lockdown measures that are still in place.

You could win a Montagu biltong hamper worth R750, Vida e Caffè coffee hamper worth R900 and a Huawei soundbar - enter below. Competition closes on 21 June 2020 at 11:59pm, terms and conditions apply.