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The Citizen
4 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Father's Day: A guide to buying dad a gift that has meaning
Father's Day gifts should be interesting and personalised. A book could be written about dads and the gifts they receive. The problem is it wouldn't be a novel so much as a leaflet. A single-page, double-spaced gifting covenant. Because when it comes to presents for men, whether it's Father's Day, birthdays, Christmas or a random on-the-go gift, the same tired shortlist is rolled out year after year. And yet, what dads really want is not something gift-wrapped. It's recognition. Like what moms get on Mother's Day. A proper hug, because contrary to legend, men do have emotions. Even the old-school ones. From boomer-era dads who fix things around the house to millennial dads who pack lunchboxes with salads and unsweetened snacks, the fundamentals of dadness haven't changed much over the years. It's still underlined with a love hard, work harder, yell from the sidelines, and clap the loudest at the talent contest. Socks, ties and skin care stuff Which is why socks, a tie, some kind of skin care product, another bottle of cologne, a bottle of wine or a scotch doesn't always do the job. These are gifts from the invisible catalogue of obligation. Items that hint at 'I kinda of know you' are no different, perhaps, than interpreting correspondence from Sars as a love letter or banking OTPs as sexting. ALSO READ: Seeing a dead pet? A sangoma explains what it may mean This is not to say that there's something wrong with giving your dad a pair of socks. Just make it interesting and personalised. Funny is good, even corny. Stores like PNA and Outdoor Warehouse stock pretty cool socks. – yes, you read correctly – stocks a super dad collection of socks that are novel and cute at the same time. Dad would wear it, he would love it if you chose a pair that makes a statement about who he is as a person, or what he may mean to you. The same goes for any item of clothing. Last-minute dot-com gifts are ok, but are not gifts with intent. Whisky or wine, another staple. Instead of the usual bottle of Irish or Scotch, choose something different. There are some excellent Japanese whiskies on the shelf that could be accompanied by an explainer note along the lines of how you may have thought that his love for tipple may be clear, but a segue to something slightly different may appeal to his sense of adventure. A bottle of Santori Toki, an excellent and affordable Japanese whisky, costs around R629 but to splash out, there's Hibiki Japanese Harmoney for around R2 200 a bottle. The same goes for a bottle of wine. Meerlust Rubicon is always a winner, because it's a collectible drinking wine retailing for around R600 for a 2022 vintage. Men love gadgets It's winter and men love gadgets. Especially something cool for the bar. A Solenco wine cooler with a decanter can look pretty good on the counter. It costs around R2 400. Imagine driving home from work and flicking an app on your phone, turning on a heater at home. It's connected to Wi-Fi and the Internet of Things makes it possible for your home to be snug when you get there. The Mill Portable Wi-Fi heater sells for around R3 200, and the oil heater is in the region of R5 400. There's never anything wrong with giving a T-shirt that mirror's dad's personality. From the Eish and Voetsek tees or Boksburg Rondebult Sinkhole celebration shirt parodies and La Linea service delivery shirts from The Atlas Bear online store, through to some great pop culture acquisitions at Big Blue. Pay between R200 and R500 for a proudly South African top. You can also personalise dadness, and there's still time, at stores like Classic Print in Sunninghill where a family pic on a shirt, a mug or a mousepad can be printed up in a day or two. Cards with a twist Bud Tenders in Benoni stocks some awesome craft cards. 'World's Dopest Dad' and 'Surviving Fatherhood One Joint At A Time' aren't exactly slogans you'd find at the local stationers. The cards are large and inside, in case of emergency or for a chill if it's your thing, a pre-roll. Books are gifts that keep on giving. Pair a great novel with dad's personality or what he enjoys, or some fantastic South African non-fiction. The Robert Harris series on the Roman Empire is a fantastic set of reads, while Tony Leon's Being There is highly recommended. Make a book part of a homemade dad-survival kit. Gift baskets are often chocolates, biltong, wine and whatever. Make your dad's different. Tally up everything he likes, whether it's pretzels, a hip flask and a book. Be creative and sculpt your dad's gift to match the guy he is. And more than anything, give that dad a hug. NOW READ: Race to the finish: Time to trade the hustle for a little me-time
The Citizen
11-05-2025
- The Citizen
How to kick off your next adventure in nature
The ABC of camping! STORMY TIMES. A bakkie with a roof tent and a sea view is bliss at the rest camp at Storms River Mouth. Pictures: Supplied It doesn't really matter when you start camping, but whenever you do, it's impossible not to fall in love with it. There is something about being in nature, which feeds the soul. And camping in a tent, roughing it slightly without giving up the 21st century, is just what the stress ball ordered to unwind properly. But prospective campers beware: it's not a cheap exercise. Done properly though, it's affordable and more fun than you'd ever have expected. RELAX. Pick a camping spot in the Drakensberg. Picture: Supplied ALSO READ: Camping makes kids come alive Choosing the right tent First, you must figure out sleeping arrangements. Buying a tent is probably the most important decision. It can be deceptive, and purchasing the wrong tent can spoil the experience from the get-go. Shop around, not just for price, but importantly waterproofing, ease of setup and most of all – space. Do not believe salespeople when they suggest a four-person tent for four. It's way too small. Manufacturers seem to think that four smallish humans, sardined side by side in the sleeping area, means that the tent fits four adults. It just is not practical. Add at least one sleeping person to however many you are. So, for a couple, buy a four-person tent. A family of four, go for a six sleeper. You will not regret it. Sticking with tents. Poles and setup can be complicated. Buy from a store where the sales staff would be willing to show you the how-to, and to mark the sequences of the poles. Learn it, sticker them. Tentco in Boksburg is a fantastic manufacturing outlet. There, you can buy whatever you need for camping, from gazebos to crockery and lighting. Down the road, Outdoor Warehouse, also great on price, is a one-stop kind of store and reasonably priced. But there is another option. Inflatable tents. It sounds bizarre but, in all practicality, it ended up being a sound decision. The sporting store Decathlon sells Quechua tents. It's easy to inflate, doesn't take too much sweat and cuts set-up time in half. Instead of poles, the frame is inflatable, and it's tough. So far, my tent has been through hailstorms, heavy showers, and strong gusts of wind with no damage, no leaking. And price-wise it compares favourably with traditional tents. Setting up your camp space Next, start shopping for a gazebo or living area. Again, buy for space, because inside you need to fit a few chairs (in case of inclement weather) and at the very least a trestle table where your stove and drinks can be stowed. Beneath it, a cooler box, a camping fridge, cutlery and crockery, glasses and whatever else you need to store. Don't opt for a garden-type gazebo but invest in a second spacious tent. There are inflatables available at Decathlon or poled options with brands like Tentco and Natural Instinct offering high quality and variety. If you have kids, invest in a bit of extra space, and acquire a small pop-out tent too, big enough for them to spend some toy-time. Make sure you buy a pack of spare tent pegs. They are like socks and disappear. Ground sheets are essential as camp sites require these. Also, if it rains, it keeps a bit of soggy mud away from you. Buy two mallets for hammering in pegs, his and hers. Invest in a small drying rack for airing out clothes or drying costumes. A small wardrobe, either inflatable or poled, is also recommended. For sleeping, self-inflating mattresses won't break the bank. Otherwise, raised stretchers also do the job. Spend a bit more on camping chairs because cheapies tend to collapse after a one too many plonk-downs with an ice cold beverage. Staying comfortable and organised Then, there's how to keep stuff cold and fresh. Tentco sells an incredible cooler box that keeps drinks chilled for at least two days. Snowmaster camping fridges, available either at the company's Isando showroom or in retail, are fabulously useful. Pack your perishables inside it, power it up in the car's power socket and later, at the camp site. When selecting a camping fridge, just like with a tent, go a bit larger than you think you might need. By this time, your bill would be around R30 000. But it's not over yet… Light is important, and both at Tentco and Outdoor Warehouse there are some great practical options for camping. Make sure you get both mains and battery-operated options, because while most campsites have power outlets these days, outages could land you in the dark or, for that matter, loadshedding if it returns. That's about another R1 500 if you go top of the range. Now, you've got the basics. Next time comes the check list and, unbelievably, the cut-down list — because camping is addictive, and the temptation to accumulate way too much stuff is very real. NOW READ: Waves, walks, wrecks and wine St Francis is an Eastern Cape gem
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Citizen
Beginner's guide to camping
Being in nature feeds the soul and dissolves stress. It doesn't really matter when you start camping, but whenever you do, it's impossible not to fall in love with it. There is something about being in nature, somewhat exposed to the elements, that feeds the soul. And camping in a tent, roughing it slightly without giving up the 21st century, is just what the stress ball needs to unwind, properly. Prospective campers beware though, it's not a cheap exercise. Done properly, and you learn this from overspending or the errors of others, it can be affordable and more fun than you'd expect. First, you must figure out sleeping arrangements. Buying a tent is probably the most important decision- making process you have to endure. It can be deceptive, and purchasing the wrong tent can spoil the experience from the get-go. Shop around, not just for price, but importantly waterproofing, ease of setup and most of all – space. Buy a bigger tent Do not believe sales staff when they suggest a four-person tent for four people. Because it is way too small. Manufacturers seem to think that four smallish humans, sardined side by side in the sleeping area, means that the tent fits four adults. It just is not practical. Add at least one sleeping person to however many you are. So, for a couple, buy a four-person tent. A family of four, go for a six sleeper. You will not regret it. Sticking with tents. Poles and setup can be complicated. Buy from a store where the sales staff are willing to show you the how-to, and to mark the sequences of the poles. Learn it, sticker them. Tentco in Boksburg is a fantastic manufacturing outlet. Here, you can buy whatever you need for camping, from gazebos through to glamping through to crockery and lighting. Down the road, Outdoor Warehouse, also great on price, a one-stop kind of store and reasonably priced. But there is another option. Inflatable tents. It sounds bizarre but it ended up being a sound decision. Decathlon, the sporting store, sells these Quechua tents. It's easy to inflate, doesn't take too much sweat and cuts setup time in half. Instead of poles, the frame of the structure is inflatable, and it's tough. So far, my tent has been through hailstorms, heavy showers and strong gusts of wind with no damage, no leaking. And price wise it compares favourably with traditional tents. Create a living area Next, start shopping around for a gazebo or living area. Again, buy for space, because inside you need to fit a few chairs (in case of inclement weather) and at the very least a trestle table for your stove, food preparation, drinks etcetera. Beneath it, a cooler box, a camping fridge, cutlery and crockery, glasses and whatever else you need to store. Don't opt for a garden-type gazebo, rather invest in a second spacious tent. The inflatables available at Decathlon or poled options by brands like Tentco and Natural Instinct offer high quality and variety. Also Read: Camping makes kids come alive If you have kids, invest in a bit of extra space and acquire a small pop out tent too. Big enough for them to spend some toy-time in. Make sure you buy a pack of spare tent pegs. They are like socks and disappear into the universe with mundane regularity. Ground sheets are essential as camp sites require these. Also, if it rains it keeps sogginess and mud away from you. Buy two mallets for hammering in pegs, his and hers. Invest in a small drying rack for airing clothes or drying costumes. A small wardrobe, either inflatable or poled, is also recommended. For sleeping, self-inflating mattresses won't break the bank and it's a bit of glamp to make the rest better. Otherwise, raised stretchers also do the job. Spend a bit more on camping chairs because cheapies tend to collapse after one too many plonk-downs with an ice-cold beverage. Invest in hardy chairs Then, there's how to keep stuff cold and fresh. Tentco sells an incredible cooler box that keeps drinks chilled for at least two days. Snowmaster campaign fridges, available either at the company's Isando showroom or in retail, are fabulously useful. Pack your perishables inside it, power it up in the car's power socket and later, at the campsite. When selecting a camping fridge, just like with a tent, go a bit larger than you think you might need. By this time, your bill will be around R30 000 at most. But it's not over yet. Light is important, and both at Tentco and Outdoor Warehouse there are some great practical options for camping. Make sure you get both mains and battery operated options, because while most campsites have power outlets these days, outages could land you in the dark or, for that matter, load shedding if it returns. That's about another R1 500 if you go top of the range. Now, you've got the basics. Next time, comes the check list and unbelievably, the cut-down list; because camping is addictive, and the temptation to accumulate way too much stuff is very real. Now Read: Camping on a riverbank
