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When June 20th rolls around this year, a distanced Father's Day celebration may be required. Try one of these unique but memorable ways to honour the special father figure in your life; whether he is the only dad you've ever known or someone who has become like a dad to you.

Dads are funny. Some are truly amusing — always ready with a groan-inducing ‘dad joke,’ — and others are funny about the way they want to be celebrated, as in not wanting to be the centre of attention. Regardless of their style, the one day a year set aside to honour their impact is quickly approaching: Father’s Day!

Whatever your situation or location, when June 20th rolls around this year, a distanced celebration may be required. Try one of these unique but memorable ways to honour a special father figure in your life.

The One Where He Catches up with Old Friends

He may be a man of few words himself, but a surprise video message or call you’ve coordinated with loved ones, golfing buddies or old neighbourhood pals from back home could make this a memorable Father’s Day for your dad.

Before ruling it out, thinking people are tired of Zoom reunions, consider how often your dad actually engages with his wider network. If those moments are rare for him, it could be an easy but unexpected treat you can deliver. (Just plan on playing host and technical coordinator for the duration so it all runs smoothly.) If your dad is even more sentimental, online services like Newlywords will help you reach out to a wide audience and easily curate a photo and personal essay keepsake for him to enjoy for years to come.

The One Where He Meets His Heroes

Some dads are everyday real-life heroes. And they often have heroes of their own — ones they may not have ever imagined meeting. Have a little fun this Father’s Day by securing a personal message wishing them a special day via Cameo or other sites providing similar (paid) services. Deliver a long-admired sports hero or other celebrity to their inbox or mobile phone and spark some hours or reminiscing together afterward. NHL alumni including some of the greats like Toronto Maple Leafs Darryl Sittler or Doug Gilmour along with thousands of other widely-recognized golf, racing, soccer stars, actors, and other random celebrities will happily send a personalized Father’s Day message their way.

The One that Delivers Deliciousness

For dads who like to snack, the delivery of a delicious charcuterie board for a private or semi-private picnic might be an unexpected delight. Paired with a bottle of wine or favourite beverage, a prepared snacking feast on Father’s Day will feel like a celebration. Local purveyors like Toronto’s Graze and Glory, Durham Ontario’s Delicia Box Co, Calgary’s GOATCuterie, and many more (search ‘grazing boxes’ or ‘charcuterie’ for artisans in your area) can safely deliver the goods to their front door.

The One with the Barbecue Beautification

It may be a cliché, but dad standing over a barbecue is a common site for many Canadians — especially during the warmer months. Superior barbecue obsession is real. From meat selection to secret family sauce recipes shared (selectively) over the years, the ‘cue’ is beloved by many. Sometimes, though, accessories necessarily need a tune-up. To the rescue? Local services like Toronto’s BBQ Bros or student-run Vancouver BBQBoys will safely come to dad’s backyard, back deck, even balcony if deemed safe in your region and restore almost any barbecue back to like-new condition.

The One Where He’s Guaranteed to Win

Father knows best (or so the title of the 1950’s tv sitcom suggested), but how well does your family know your father? Within a rich history of a life well lived there are undoubtedly some inspiring life stories and funny moments children and grandchildren may not know about the family patriarch. Set up a Kahoot trivia game with questions all centred around the main man on Father’s Day. The laughs and competitive spirit will come out, providing a walk down memory lane for him and a great way to bring the whole family close together across local or international borders, multiple computer screens, and ages.

Over the years you’ve likely shared many moments with your dad. This year make it one to remember with some ingenuity, creativity, and most of all, a celebration of all things dad.