Father's Day was founded in Spokane, Washington on the 10th of June 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd who wanted to celebrate her father. William Jackson Smart was a Civil War veteran and a single parent who raised his six children.

The day has continued to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June ever since but is also held on various dates across the world and different regions maintain their own traditions of honouring fatherhood.

Father’s Day (June the 20th 2021) is a fantastic excuse to spoil that very special man in our lives and show him just how much we care. As we move out of lockdown and back to a more ‘normal’ way of life, controlled celebrations can take place and the day can be carried out in a way that we are more used to. Brilliant!

Van Hage is simply bursting with great gift ideas to show your love and appreciation for Dad, and we would like to share our top picks with you. (Don’t forget - if you still can’t deliver the gift in person, we offer a delivery service for all online orders.)
After a cold and wet May the weather is now finally warming up (hooray!), but the evenings can still be a little chilly. How about treating Dad to some Outdoor Heating so that he can continue to enjoy his garden even after the sun goes down?

We have so much to choose from to suit every taste and preference, from the traditional log burners to something more modern.

A first for Van Hage this year is the Nova Mars Rectangular Gas Table Firepits in Coffee or the Nova Luna Square Gas Firepitsin Dark Grey. These tables are sleek and stylish and give a truly contemporary look to your outside area.

Dad might prefer getting back to basics though, and a wood burning Firepit may be more suitable for him. Our favourite picks are the Cook King Montana 80Cm High Fire Bowl, the Fallen Fruits Fire Bowlor the Plain Jane 90cm Firepit with Swing Arm – you can cook on this one too!

If Dad really wants to take things easy though, there is nothing simpler than plugging in a patio heater to warm his cockles! Again, we have a very good selection in stock and our favourites are the Sunred Artix Hanging Patio HeaterWhite 1800, the La Hacienda Adjustable Standing Heater Silver or the Kettler Plush Electric Heater table top.

If Dad is a keen gardener, is it time he had some shiny new toys to play with? A gardener’s toolsare the secret to a professional finish (that and lots of skill and experience of course!). If rust and blunt edges are a making an unwelcome appearance, then have a look at our recommendations to bring some zing to his toolbox.
Every gardener needs a good pair of secateurs, useful for so many jobs in the garden. We have a huge range from top brands such as Kent and Stowe Traditional Bypa Stainless Steel Secateursto the more delux Bypa option from Burgon & Ball. Or how about the versatile piece of kit that can transform from a trowl to a fork from Wolf – so handy!

Grow your Own products always make an excellent gift for a dad who loves to garden. The Keter Maple Green House is a neat little growing station to get his seedling off to a great start. Or for something much simpler how about an Elho Green Basics Tomato Pot? A perfect way to grow and support tomato plants as they get taller.

There’s plenty of Wildlife-based products to choose form too if Dad wants to encourage some new visitors to his garden and lots of seeds for his vegetable patch and flower beds.

Don’t forget we also have a well-stocked clothing department at Great Amwell with brands such as Barbour, Timberland, Joules, Jack Daw and White Stuff. Perhaps treat Dad to some trendy threads and bring a new swagger to his step!
Please note Van Hage Peterborough stocks Stormafit clothing and our Chenies branch stocks Joules and Weirdfish.

Or how about some men’s cosmetics and toiletries to help keep those hard-working, gardening hands in good condition? We have ranges from Thistle & Black Pepper, Vetiver & Sandlewood and Scottish Fine Soaps in our Cosmetic departments at Great Amwell and Peterborough branches.

Finally, our book shop is just bursting with excellent reading material. Whether its fiction, historical, gardening or cooking, we have something to interest any bookworm. Cards and gift wrap for the special day can all be found in our stationary department too.

So, there you have it! Lots of ideas and inspiration to make Dad’s special day even more meaningful. Enjoy your day celebrating fathers of all descriptions!