Dad's mega day
Father’s Day shopping always brings back memories of reluctantly shopping with Mum. As a kid I didn’t appreciate how important it was to celebrate Father’s Day, often complaining about having to spend my pocket money on him. As I’ve got older, and become a dad myself, doing something special for dad has become so important. Today I’m down at Albany Mega Centre, shopping for something that says “Thanks Dad. I love you.”
Dad worked two jobs when I was a kid, often working six days a week. During my self-centred teenage years I wondered whether he liked being a dad. Somehow work always seemed more important. It was in my early thirties before I realised that everything he did was for my sister and me. He worked so hard so that mum could stay home and look after us. He worked to give us the education that would set us up for life. And he worked to put money aside to help us buy our first cars, our first homes and go on our first big overseas holidays.
It was a Father’s Day nearly twenty years ago. I was sitting with dad, maybe a year after mum passed away, as he fondly retold stories of my youth. At that moment it was so clear that everything dad did was to ensure we had everything we wanted and needed in life. He’d sacrificed his own happiness for ours but despite that, he was so proud of us – we were his greatest achievement in life. I vowed then to always go all out on Father’s Day and to show him just how much I appreciate all he’s done, and continues to do, for me.
Dads loves his golf and even at 72 he still gets in a round most weekends with his mates. I hope I can do the same when I’m his age. I start my shopping adventure at the Golf Warehouse, right in the centre of the Albany Mega Centre. I know he’ll really appreciate a box of golf-balls, especially a top calibre brand like Callaway. I also grab some tees and ball markers. You can never have enough of these.
I cross the carpark to Hallenstein Brothers. Funny, I remember mum taking me to Hallensteins when I was a kid. I still shop here now and so do my teenage boys. There is something really nice about three generations shopping at the same place. It makes us feel really connected as a family. I find a really nice black padded zip-up vest. It something I’d wear and I know dad will as well. It’s not too bulky and leaves his arms free for playing the game he loves.
I pop into The Warehouse for a couple of small things to top off the gift. I find a live Rolling Stones DVD that will be dad’s thing. He often talks about taking mum to see them live in the early 70s. I grew up listening to them and he’s been introducing them to my boys. And I see a new gardening book that I think he’ll like. Since retiring, his garden is what keeps his mind and body active.
Next Sunday, me and the boys will go out to dad’s place and we take him for lunch. It’s becoming a tradition that I hope my two pick up and continue to run with. After all, dads are special and we boys need to find more ways to show them how much they mean to us.
If I’m lucky my boys will be down here at Albany Mega over the next few days, shopping for my Father’s Day presents!