What Dads Really Want For Father’s Day

Father’s Day is generally assumed to be less important than Mother’s Day, which is regarded by retailers as the biggest day of the year after Christmas. The term ‘Mother’s Day’ receives twice as many internet searches as Father’s Day, and one in 10 people even admit to forgetting to get poor old dad a card!

However, all is not lost for poor Pops, and the day is slowly catching up in popularity, with the amount spent on fathers creeping up each year and many companies seizing in on marketing ploys and deals. British online retailer Onbuy.com conducted a survey of 625 Brits aged 16-30 asking what they buy for their Dads on Father’s Day, and a separate survey was also conducted, asking 482 fathers to reveal what their ideal gift would be for Father’s Day. The results might surprise you!

The answers revealed that the average spend on fathers is £16.40. Sons spend slightly more on their fathers – £18.25 – as opposed to daughters who spend £16.30.

However, there was a wider variance in men’s responses, and more men spend the lowest amount (£0-5) and the highest amount (£50+). Two thirds of those quizzed (60%) said they spend more on Mother’s Day than Father’s Day, with 30% saying they spend around the same amount on both. But is this as bad as it seems? The survey also revealed that fathers put less value on material objects, and instead prefer experiences and spending quality time with their family.

The most common gifts to buy for Father’s Day are food & drink, clothing accessories and books/CD’s/DVD’s. Although, the top three gifts fathers want are a day out with the family, a meal out and a day to themselves, followed by food & drink and tickets to an event.

Here’s Belle About Town‘s suggestions for keeping Dad happy this Sunday..

To eat: The clever folk at Marmite have the ideal gift to make breakfast in bed for Dad that extra bit special. Helping spread the love this year, a personalised jar of the nation’s favourite toast topper is the perfect way to show your appreciation for all the things Dad does! The 250g jars can be personalised and purchased from Marmite’s all-new personalisation website https://social.marmite.co.uk for £4.99.

To drink: 8O8 Whisky A warming whisky for the music-loving Dad, sold in clubs from Ministry of Sound to Ibiza. £32 from 31 Dover, Master of Malt and Selfridges.

To wear: The Bad Ass gift set from Chatty Feet. A revolution in the word of socks, these fun foot friends come in a variety of characters and there are junior sizes so mini mes can wear the same as Daddy. £30 from Chatty Feet and Not on the High Street.

To read: Hippie, a metaphysical psuedo-biography is a funny and uplifting memoir by festival organiser and ex-Hippy Lee Martin. Half documentary, half novel about the Hippie phenomenon, full of humour and anarchy, told by someone who was there, and still is! For Dads who lived through that unique era and those who want to discover the roots of the music they listen to now. A unique story because very few will have experienced anything like it and, even if they had, not many will be able to remember in such psychedelic intensity! £7.99 in paperback here.

To do: Action Adventures – Smartbox by Buyagift, £49.99 If your Dad is an adrenaline junkie, give him an incredible day of excitement that he’ll never forget. Whether he wants to take to the skies and soar through the clouds, take the plunge and bungee jump from phenomenal heights or simply feel the roar of a powerful engine as he slams his foot on the accelerator, there’s an incredible selection of adventure days out to choose from. 

To go: Galvin HOP in Spitalfields is offering an afternoon of unlimited Pilsner Urquell for Dad this Sunday when you order one of their delicious brunch dishes, or a roast dinner, and kids eat free when ordering from the set children’s menu. Or why not head out of town to Stoke Place in Buckinghamshire, where a Father’s Day lunch is £30 per person, £15 for kids, and enjoyed overlooking the historic country house’s gardens from the brand new King and Lamb restaurant. Dad even gets a pint on the house to wash it all down with.