Right now, malls are decked with Father's Day paraphernalia reminding us to shop till we drop before next Sunday if we want to let our dads know how much we love and appreciate them. But really, can dad's drawers take the weight of yet another pair of Sexy Socks without collapsing? Can he burden his beard with another layer of grooming oil? Will the office withstand the latest Disney-inspired joke tie?
And let's not get started on the accompanying card ... Though society may have moved beyond gender stereotypes, with new studies showing that fathers are more involved than ever in their children's lives, greeting cards still have a long way to go to catch up.
In "Hallmark World" mothers are chore-obsessed disciplinarians who get one day off a year and single-stem red rose in a tiny vase on a breakfast tray to recover from the endless demands of their mob of loin-fruit while dads are off playing golf, touch rugby or cycling, tending their facial hair or sharing a brewski break around the braai. And everyone's incessantly drinking, in a funny way, to cope with the travails of parenting.
In any case, if you want to do more to honour your daddy than curate the obligatory Instagram post or buy a bottle of whiskey, but you don't want to end up trawling the malls at the mercy of suggestive marketing, we suggest you do something with your dad, instead of buying him a momentarily amusing knick-knack destined for the bottom of his bedside table drawer.
In the spirit of the day, we're sticking to the common dad tropes to help plan the perfect day with your dad:
SURVIVALIST DAD
As au fait with flint as he is with a Leatherman, this dad knows what to do when doomsday arrives and he also loves being the hero of his own stories. He can hunt with a makeshift spear, make twine from tree bark and sleep in a warthog hole. He knows the five Cs of survival are a cutting tool; a container (for water); something combustible; cordage (rope) and a cover — and not a comforter, a cabernet, a coffee machine, a coat and cooler bag.
• Spotted in the wild: Camo gear is his go-to wardrobe staple, so if he's in his natural habitat, the bush, you're unlikely to spot him at all.
Prepare for Armageddon with your dad at Rangers Reserve, where trained survivalists host bushcraft and survival weekends that cover what to pack in a survival kit and how to use it; priorities of survival; knots; shelter building; psychology of survival; safe water; fire lighting by friction; knife handling; making cordage from plant material; traps and triggers; introduction to man and animal tracking.
Rangers Reserve is a 1,385h of beautiful, unadulterated Karoo land with great mountain views.
Boswa, with branches in Gauteng and the Western Cape is an accredited survival training academy where instructors teach courses to survival wannabes of any age. Courses range from basic to extreme survival, and include learning skills like foraging for food and water to survive on a three-day Gourits River raft excursion or learning to fend for yourself on a mountain.
See Rangers Reserve info here. Click here for Boswa courses.
DILF DAD
Otherwise known as the metrosexual man of the house, this personable parent is personified by celebrities like footballer David Beckham, singer John Legend and actor Thapelo Mokoena. Dilf dads love haute couture, some gratifying grooming, a great gourmet meal paired with excellent wine and, unlike most other dads, they enjoy a bit of the old credit card swipe in the swankiest of stores.
• Spotted in the wild: Strolling around buzzing shopping districts looking gym-bod hot, pecs pressing seductively across the front of his white t-shirt, pushing a stroller with a small canine in tow.
Dilf dads aren't afraid to admit they love a bit of pampering. Bakwena Spa is offering a half-day spa package for Father's Day, available in the morning or afternoon. The experience begins with a welcome drink, followed by a relaxing Indian head and neck massage. He’ll then unwind with a customised full-body massage, where he can choose between classic or hot stone therapy.
To complete the experience, a soothing foot, ankle and calf massage will melt away all tension. Breakfast or lunch is included, and he'll also get a free gift voucher for another full-body massage at his convenience!
Where: 140 Kalkheuwel Farm 493, Pelindaba Road, R512
Cost: R1,099 per person
Call: Bakwena Hart Mark, 079-033-1012 or Ditholo Bakwena Express Spa, 014-001-7023
DAD, THE MAMIL
The middle-aged man in Lycra (mamil) is the dad who rides an expensive bicycle for leisure, wearing professional body-hugging jerseys and shorts — padded for protection and comfort (think a mankini with padding around the nether regions). These bicycles can be of the racing, gravel or mountain variety — and any mamil worth his weight in titanium frames has one of each.
• Spotted in the wild: travelling in packs at sunrise in urban and rural landscapes alike, so long as there's a good coffee shop at the end of the appointed, Strava-recorded route.
South Africa abounds with excellent routes, tours and races to cycle with your dad, no matter whether he's round the bend about his bicycle or just likes to take it round the block. One of the most pleasant to prepare for in 2025 is Eroica: a celebration of vintage Italian road cycling in the Western Cape, which happens in Montagu in April each year.
Born in 1997 in Gaiole, Chianti, a small village in the province of Siena, the race is about riding vintage bikes, 1987 or earlier, on gravel roads in classic wool cycle jerseys. The beautiful Ouberg pass will challenge riders as the experience Karoo views and the hospitality of the Hoek-On rest stop.
Click here to register for next year's race from April 11 to 13.
DOUGHY DAD
His fingers usually have that white powdery look about them but let's not confuse him with the mountain climber dad — this is flour on his fingers, not chalk. You grew up in a home that smelled like freshly baked bread and none of your family are gluten-intolerant.
• Spotted in the wild: conspicuously amassing ingredients in the baking aisle of any fine food store or checking out the latest tin shapes in the kitchen store, when he's not eyeing out the oven in his favourite place, the kitchen.
Fancy learning how to make a classic French baguette and Italian ciabatta? Join your dad in a hands-on Artisan Classics Workshop at Crust and Crumb in Melville Joburg. The class is one of the school’s flagship courses, running since 2015. It covers the fundamentals of authentic artisan bread baking and is hosted by one of their talented team members.
You'll make several different loaves of bread from scratch under their expertise supervision and guidance. Included is a light lunch and you can bring you own drinks to enjoy on the day.
The course covers everything from the science behind long fermentation bread, the bread-making process, bread shaping and proofing and different baking techniques.
Where: Crust and Crumb, 27 Boxes, Melville, JHB
When: Saturday June 21, 9am-3pm
Cost: R950 per person. Book here
PETROLHEAD DAD
If you spent your weekends at the racetrack, checking out vintage car rallies, visiting luxury car dealers, building Lego Porsches and Ferraris, watching the Grand Prix or polishing your dad's pride and joy, chances are, you grew up with a petrolhead for a father.
• Spotted in the wild: donning the latest car brand cap and Ray-Ban aviators, hands slightly blackened from engine tinkering, the petrolhead, when not at a classic car show, is found on the open road between country towns putting pedal to the metal while he monitors Waze for any signs of po-po.
There's so much motoring merch on the market these days that even Bentley golfballs — yes, there is such a thing — won't elicit much more than a "meh" from the man who loves road classics. Say "no" to the lazy Audi mug, the poser Porsche golf bag and the Mercedes Benz For Men Ultimate Eau De Parfum and instead book an unforgettable day with Classic Rides, which offers chauffeur-driven classic cars for special events.
They operate in the greater Cape Town, Kwazulu-Natal and Johannesburg/Pretoria areas and will gladly consider requests in nearby towns. All their cars are privately owned by trusted vintage car collectors who are passionate about their automotive babies. Most of the time, the owner will be your chauffeur.
They also do guided tours, for example of the winelands or a cruise of Chapman's Peak, a Hartbeespoort tour or a privately curated tour of your own designated destinations.
Choose from a funky convertible Chevrolet Impala, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, Mustang Mach 1, Ferrari Testerossa, 1960 Bentley S2, 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak or even a 1909 Model T Ford, to mention a few cars on their books.
The super-amped-road-trip also offers lots of opportunities for some father/son or father/daughter photos to frame or post. For info click here.
TRAD DAD
Though he loves a good braai almost as much as he loves the local butcher's spicy droewors, there's one thing that can top a cold beer next to a hot, smoky Weber and that's a good potjie. Though he may chastise mom for her heavy luggage, he refuses to leave home for the hols without his trusty cast-iron pot.
• Spotted in the wild: on a camp chair overlooking a ravine under the setting South African sun, in some wild part of this great land, while the potjie he started cooking at dawn slowly simmers and bubbles, absorbing the last splash of rooi wyn.
The Discovery Vitality Healthy Food Studio in Sandton are offering a special Father’s Day Cooking Class on Sunday June 16. Treat your dad to an unforgettable cooking experience. Snack on the welcome hero’s platter of sticky chicken thigh kebabs, mini ostrich sliders, veggie antipasti, nachos with spicy salsa and pulled lamb on flatbread.
Then, under supervision of the Vitality chefs, get your hands stuck into a sourdough bread masterclass. While the bread’s on the rise, you and dad can shine in the Dad’s Champion Potjie cook-off.
To end on a sweet note there are desserts like ginger malva pudding, caramel coconut ice cream and dark chocolate cigars.
Drinks are included and space is limited.
Where: Vitality Healthy Food Studio, 1 Discovery Place, Sandton
When: Sunday June 16, 11am–2pm
Cost: R550 per person. Book here
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