Ahhh… good old Father’s Day, a day to cherish your father, a day made soulfully to appreciate your father for everything he’s done for you. Every year Father’s Day comes around, I become petrified. Why are men so difficult to buy gifts for? Let me restate that. Why are Tamil fathers so difficult to buy gifts for? Every year I go through hundreds of websites on “What to buy your Father for Father’s Day” or “Top 15 gifts for Father’s Day” and I never cease to be disappointed. Nothing seems to catch my eye, but after a few days of thinking I’ve made a list of 5 items you can get a Tamil father. Not every item can suit all Tamil dad’s, but here’s a generic list:

1. Gardening tools

You’re probably thinking why I put this on here. The classic Mother’s Day gift on the Father’s day list? There seems to be a stigma in the Western world that mothers are the ones who do most of the gardening. However, living in a predominantly Tamil  community I’ve notice that about 80% of Tamil dads are the ones with the green thumbs. Whether it comes to mowing the lawn, pulling out the weeds or picking the perfect crimson red roses to plant in the front yard, many Tamil fathers seem to pass their after-work hours doing this. So why not get him a few nice gardening tools to make his job that much easier? Or if he already has some gardening tools, get him a box to keep them organized. Maybe pair it up with a heating pad for back pain and voila, the perfect all-in-one gift for our gardening dads!

2. The infamous bank loan T-shirt

This is probably all too familiar for my fellow university students. Need I explain more? A lot of universities sell these kinds of t-shirts, or you can find them easily online. It can be a subtle way of saying “Thank you Appa for all the free money, and yea you’re not getting that back…Happy Father’s Day!”

3. Fill up his phone with old classics

The majority of Tamil men do not reject an opportunity to jam to their favourite MGR or Sivaji songs. Downloading some of their favourite songs and putting it on their phones while pairing this with an aux cord can make for an awesome gift!

Disclaimer: You cannot place blame the writer or TamilCulture if your father becomes a walking karaoke machine. Use with caution!

4. Knife sharpening machine

Sharp knives are essential to cooking, whether it’s cutting onions or mutton pieces. Sharp knives means faster cutting, which also means less time to wait for Appa’s famous mutton curry! Another win-win situation.

5. Mutton rolls

I know what you’re thinking, mutton rolls? Well this must be the easiest gift on this list as Babu’s is right around the corner. However, I know that the typical drive back from Babu’s will mean that the bag with the mutton rolls will be half empty by the time we get home. So why not make mutton rolls with your father on a Sunday afternoon? There’s nothing better than eating hot, fresh mutton rolls and kicking up your feet and watching Padaiyappa for the 15th time. It can be a day of bonding with you and your dad, with a reward of every Tamil’s favourite short eat! What else can you ask for?