Let's be honest, in many households mum is always there from the nappy changing days, to tending grazed knees, through to the first broken teenage heart.

But dad is there with broad shoulders to sit on, the right tools to fix the broken bike and photographs in his wallet where the money used to be! And whereas mums get treated to flowers, chocolates, pampering sessions and pink Champagne on their special days, imagination for Father’s Day rarely stretches far beyond socks and hankies.

Let's see if we can come up with something a bit more original, and useful, that dad might just appreciate this year.

As luck would have it, Father’s Day falls smack bang in the middle of the football European Championships. Whilst you're unlikely to be able to run to match tickets and a trip to Poland or Ukraine, few dads will not appreciate being thoroughly spoiled on match day – control of the remote, being waited on hand and foot with a constant supply of cold beer and hearty nibbles. This could be a pledge for the whole of the tournament (rather you than me!) or perhaps more reasonably the two England games either side of Father’s Day itself - Friday 15th June, Sweden v England and Tuesday 19th, England v Ukraine – you could throw in the Sunday game for good measure, as it is Denmark v old rivals Germany, with an 8.45 kick off so that still gives you time to go out for a pub lunch or treat him to a slap up homemade dinner.

For the real football fanatic you could even push the boat out and get him a Euro 2012 England shirt, visit the store at www.eufa.com

However, we should probably allow for that rare breed of male, the one that doesn't actually think that 22 men chasing a small white ball round a field for 90 minutes is the reason for their very existence. If your dad is an action man, why not give him a piece of the action? Experience days will give him the opportunity to be Lewis Hamilton for the day, or fly a plane, tackle an assault course or spend a day making like Rambo and shooting a group of friends with paint (really? is that fun?!) Gift cards for experience days can be bought in most department stores or online, and range in price from less than £50 to several hundred, depending how much he's worth!

If the dad in your life spends all week working, the last thing he wants is to spend his weekends decorating or doing DIY. But these jobs need to be done and flat pack furniture, peeling wallpaper or a manky bathroom have cast many a dark shadow over a happy family weekend. The team at Perfection can take care of these and many other DIY chores. Getting them to take over the jobs that have been the subject of much nagging and giving dad a couple of weekends off would be worth its weight in socks! It would also be perfect if your dear old dad is maybe getting a little bit 'senior' to take on those jobs himself. 

Father’s Day is a great opportunity to get the family together and why not capture the moment with a family portrait from Hoteye Photographers. As well as studio sessions they can also do family sittings in your own home and if you book a Hoteye family shoot in June and receive a free Father’s Day frame!

So if you step outside the box a little bit, there are endless possibilities for both traditional and more unusual gifts for dad on Father’s Day that he will truly appreciate. Although remember, whether its burnt toast served in bed by little sticky fingers, or a handmade card and a bottle of Special Reserve for dad or granddad, if it's delivered with love, it is cherished.

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope."

Bill Cosby