Use This “celebration Formula” for Father’s Day
What to give my husband for Father’s Day always makes me a little nervous. He is not picky, so he will not be upset if he does not get something special. (Actually, he doesn’t really need anything other than things he “can use,” which doesn’t help.) He’s already got all the framed sports gear, Super Mario-themed Super Daddio mugs, and grilling tools that could possibly want to. (I’m looking at you, a stainless steel Animal Injector that remains unopened three years later.)
It can be difficult to shop for dads. Often they already have or won’t use most of the gear we give them other than the Walking Dad Zombie T-shirt, which at $16.99 seems underpowered. But TikTok creator @kelsewhatelse recently shared her winning “celebration formula” for creating a great Father’s Day.
The Three-Step “Celebration Formula”
Here’s how it goes. To make Father’s Day memorable and enjoyable, ask the dad in your life three simple questions:
1. What do you want to do?
2. What do you want to eat?
3. What do you want to receive?
So if he answers “Go to the museum, eat Thai food and get a board game” (example provided in @kelsewhatelse’s video), it gives the giver the opportunity to deliver exactly what dad wants while still retaining the element of surprise . Armed with this information, you can thoughtfully choose a museum based on their interests, a restaurant with food they’ll enjoy, and a game they’ll look forward to but won’t know until it opens.
The questions leave enough room for the dad in your life (or whoever you honor, the formula doesn’t depend on the father) to be as vague or specific as they wish. They might leave it wide open and say they want to “relax” or “do something adventurous,” or they might point to an activity such as “I want to watch a baseball game.”
Whatever they decide sets everyone up for success by minimizing guesswork and leaving room for reflection. By formulating the request in advance, the recipient will definitely receive three things that will make him happy, leaving the feeling that he was heard and taken care of. And the giver won’t have to spend hours poring over Etsy and Uncommon Goods, trying to find the perfect bespoke tape measure, vulgar sofa cushion, or grill attachment that their dad or husband never uses.