Ethically Sourced Father's Day Gifts

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” Frederick Douglass

Being a dad, a daddy, a dadda, a father, a papa, a pappi, can be one of the most amazing adventures life will take you on. Sure, it’s not always easy, often frustrating, and sometimes craze-inducing. It can also be thrilling, amazing and rewarding.

In advance-celebration of Father’s Day 2021, I’ve asked a couple of the influencers Beckett Simonon works with to share with you what being a dad means to them.

I’ve also put together a list of ethically sourced Father’s Day gifts - some of the suggestions might surprise you.

We decided to publish this article in May so that you will have plenty of time to consider the thoughts shared, and to decide on what gifts you want to give your dad, brothers, sons or father figures in your life.

Mirror, Mirror

Devin (who provided the image at the top of this article, and the one above) from the lifestyle blog Outlined Cloth shared his thoughts about his role as a father and how is daughter mirror’s his moods:

A Walk in the Park

Farm-to-Table Dining

Celebrate dad with a meal at a restaurant which focuses on locally sourced ingredients. Most likely the chef will have a direct relationship with the purveyors, and have visited the farms, fisheries, wineries and dairies more than once. Part of the fun of eating at one of these establishments is learning about the people who actually grow the ingredients you are enjoying. (Sort of like how we introduce you to the artisans who craft your Beckett Simonon items in our production updates.)

Farm-to-table dining signifies that, in the least, the provider follows ethical, humane and responsible practices. Most likely they will also be organic, paying close attention to the way their products are cultivated, harvested and delivered. Sometimes you can even have a meal at the supplier’s property. Imagine sitting at a family-style table in the middle of a vineyard or a bucolic farm, enjoying food that literally came from that earth. Heavenly!

This type of dining also encourages you to slow down, to enjoy and really taste every bite. Treating your father to a farm-to-table meal isn’t only about the experience, or the food itself. You’re showing him that you care about his health, his nutrition, the environment and the local economy (among other things).

New Challenges

“It’s wild that you go into fatherhood feeling so unprepared, then without warning months have passed and you’re completely used to it,” says Mitch at the fashion-focused blog menswearmusings who is pictured above, “New phases of development bring new challenges (teething tests your stress drinking and eating habits like none other), but those are the stuff of life. Every few months, I stop, look at my older son and I realize that focusing on working through each day’s teachable moments has caused me to take this profound truth for granted: he’s a miracle. Same as his younger brother, and same as every person on this planet.”

Mitch continued, “It’s been said that nothing worth doing is easy, and raising children is the ultimate fulfillment of that expression. Being a father means taking responsibility to set a good example, instill good values in my children and ensure they feel deeply loved; but every once in a while I remind myself the greatest satisfaction in life comes from enjoying their little personalities bloom as my wife and I nurture their development along the way. That’s what being a father means to me.”

Locally Sourced Organic Foods

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” Jim Valvano

You can literally taste and feel the difference between commercially and organically grown, farmed, sourced food. And it seems like producers of organic dairy, produce, meat, seafood and other foodstuffs (and drinks) are popping up all over. So, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one that will deliver to your father’s doorstep.

This is literally bringing farm-to-table dining home and shows your father that his health is of great importance to you. Why not unpack the box and create a special meal, and special memories, together?

Life Will Change

My colleague, Gavin Humphreys, is a  first time father-to-be. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on what that means to him:

“As a father-to-be, I have all kinds of emotions about what is ahead.

I think of the experiences and memories that I have with my father, and it isn’t easy to imagine myself as that figurehead for a child. I hope that I can install the same values and love that I learned from my dad.

As I have lived, traveled, studied, worked… the places, people, and events have formed who I am. For the next couple of decades, at least, these experiences are shared with my son.

I imagine the camping trip he will always remember. Supporting him as he plays in the soccer team or takes part in the school play. And I imagine a homelife that he will tell his children about.

There are then the worries and apprehensions about bringing a child into a world that is dying. As the climate comes close to collapse, ecosystems falter, and war and pandemics ever more likely - what awaits in his lifetime?

It inspires me to fight harder for a greener and sustainable planet. I love to think that he could make a positive difference.

One thing is certain: my life will change. When I look back, lying on my deathbed, I know that my mind will be on the memories of the times to come with my son. May they fill me with peace!”

Gift the Card

When you are moved to give something more tangible, why not choose a Beckett Simonon Gift Card? Available in different denominations, the gift card allows your dad the freedom to choose what he likes from our wide selection of shoes, boots, sneakers and accessories. 

Shoe Care Kit

Longevity and taking proper care of the things you love is a very important part of any relationship. That applies to the family and to shoes (perhaps not in equal measure). If your father enjoys wearing fine leather goods, then he is sure to appreciate a shoe care kit made up of naturally-based, luxurious Saphir shoe care products which will keep your father’s shoes and other leather and suede goods in top form.

An Online Subscription

Does your dad have a favorite newspaper? Or, does he enjoy live performance? Perhaps he is always expanding his knowledge base. There are a plethora of choices available online from news outlets to master classes, skill building workshops, webinars to performing arts companies and beyond to keep him engaged and entertained. And, every time he “tunes in” he will think of you.

A Spa Day

Spa treatments for men include different types of massage, energy work, acupuncture, facials, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, body scrubs and exfoliation. Find a reputable spa close to him so that he doesn’t need to travel far and get him a package to include several treatments. Be sure to confirm the spa uses natural, ethically sourced components in their regimens.

You might also want to send your father off to his day of relaxation with a pair of handcrafted and ultra-comfy slippers like the Jones or Larsens.

A day at the spa will help your father relax, release stress and come out feeling refreshed. We all need a little pampering don’t we? 

Make a Donation in His Name

Does your dad have a cause or organization he is passionate about? Maybe he loves animals and the local animal shelter. Or, perhaps he cares about the people who are served by a food bank. He might be concerned about the fallout from natural disasters, or environmental degradation. Is he a social crusade or civic minded? Or, does he love to support a local performing arts company?

Wherever his interests lay, you can make a donation in his name to his favorite organization. He’s sure to appreciate the gesture.

Merino Wool Socks

If a gift card is a bit too “anonymous” for you, then Merino Wool Socks are a thoughtful and useful present. Made in Portugal from ethically sourced, Oeko-Tex certified Merino wool, your father can wear these luxurious socks all year round. The delightful material breathes, wicks away moisture, controls odor and always looks spot on.

The Gift of Time

If this past year and a half has taught us anything, it is that time is perhaps the most precious commodity any of us has. Giving the gift of your time, your presence to your dad can be worth more than the most expensive material thing. The sound of your voice can be a soothing, reassuring present and you might exchange a word or two, but none are really necessary. Just being together, in each other’s presence, can be more than enough.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed these somewhat unusual gift suggestions. Even though they may not all be what you would think of as “ethical,” when you think about it, each one really is (what could be more so than spending time with your father?).

I also hope you enjoyed getting to know what other dad’s think about fatherhood. Indeed, as Garrett Carlson - the Dudefluencer - pointed out in my interview with him, young men (and all children), need the adult men in their lives to model good behavior for them. After all, we are who they look up to, take cues from and learn how to interact with the world at large from.

This Father’s Day is especially meaningful to me as it also falls on my birthday and I have been thinking a lot about my dad recently. The biggest, most important thing I learned from my father is to keep going, to power through, to make do, no matter what obstacles get in your way.

What about you? Please share your thoughts on fatherhood, and your plans for Father’s Day, by leaving a comment below.