What did you buy your Da?

This week I’ve been almost exclusively making Father’s Day gifts (a LOT of mugs, plenty of jigsaw puzzles, mousemats etc). It’s the busiest time of year for me outside of Christmas. Takings this week are roughly 3 times the average week – a much needed boost at the halfway point through the year.

I know there is the school of thought that says people shouldn’t buy into these occasions. Retailers are just being greedy and they are guilt tripping people into spending money that they don’t want to, right?. I say this is a load of old twaddle. People spend money on gifts because they want to and any retailer who doesn’t set out their stall to cater for that shouldn’t be in business in the first place.

Sure, we shouldn’t need to show someone we love them by showering them with gifts but there’s no harm in showing some affection with a card and a pair of socks or a lottery card or a mug for that matter.

This week, I’ve seen many photographs of fathers who have passed away and lots of new fathers proudly holding their 1^st child. Cradle to grave and everything in between. Are all the people who spent money with me this week merely lemmings caught up in the wicked web of consumerism? Or are they just simply saying “I Love You” in whatever way they feel is best for them?

I think it’s the latter and I’m glad I was there to enable them to say it.

Photo by Whiskeygonebad and adapted under a creative commons license.