From a home-cooked meal to a charitable donation, here's how to meaningfully celebrate Father’s Day

Father’s Day is fast approaching, and chances are, your dad or father figure has enough quirky ties, mugs, and homemade gifts to last a lifetime.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with physical presents, but why not take the day to connect on a deeper level?

Here are just a few ways to celebrate Father’s Day in a meaningful way.

Acts of service

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One of the easiest ways to show someone you care is by making them a meal. Why not take over as the grill master this Father’s Day by cooking something delicious for the two of you? Bonus points if it’s a method of cooking that Dad is usually in charge of.

He gets some time off, you get to show him everything you’ve learned, and the two of you can bond over a shared dinner. That sounds like a day he’s sure to treasure.

Reflect and look forward

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Regardless of if your father figure is in touch with his feelings or shudders at the slightest vulnerability, he still wants to know that you care. It’s human nature to crave a deeper connection with those we love, even if it’s sometimes difficult to express.

This Father’s Day, make an effort to share important conversations, whether it’s reflecting on past memories, expressing gratitude or love, or even looking forward to the future. We bet Dad drops a few nuggets of wisdom along the way – or if you’re lucky, some new Dad lore.

Making a charitable donation

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Father figures often show their love in quiet ways: showing up, offering support, and helping us through difficult moments. Every day at BC Children’s Hospital, families do the same. They face moments no parent expects: waiting for answers, navigating complex treatments, or supporting a child through illness or injury. Through it all, they show extraordinary strength, love and resilience.

This Father’s Day, honour Dad with a tribute gift to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF). A tribute gift is a meaningful way to honour the care, guidance and support you’ve received from your own father figure while helping ensure other families receive the care and support they need when facing some of life’s most difficult moments.

A donation to BC Children’s, the only hospital in the province dedicated exclusively to kids, supports families when they need it most. Spanning the largest geographic footprint of any pediatric hospital in North America, BC Children’s serves more than a million children across a million square kilometres, from Vancouver Island to the northern Rockies.

Donor support helps make that reach possible. It funds programs like virtual critical care that connects emergency rooms to specialists in real time, and mental health supports that reach students across the province — extending specialized pediatric expertise far beyond the hospital’s walls.

This Father’s Day, June 21, replace traditional gifts with moments that reflect the care your father figure has shown to you throughout your life.

Visit the BCCHF website to learn more about becoming a one-time or monthly donor and support sick children and their families across the province.