Father's Day Fun
Father’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year – if not my all-time favorite. In our house, some of these simple celebrations become weekend-long events. Ours kicked off last night when my son Leo picked me up at JFK at 3:30 pm after an early flight back to NY from LA, where I spent this week. There is literally nothing I enjoy more than having all five of my children, aged 3 years old to 23 years old, together with Tracy and me at home, along with our extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, many of whom come in and out as the weekend progresses.
Father’s Day Weekend at the Weiner household is a festive affair. We play, we roughhouse, we eat and drink (probably more than we should), and we laugh. It’s truly my idea of a great time. Even (maybe especially) the part where I stand in front of a hot grill and cook up a feast fit for a royal family. It started last night, after the little ones were in bed, with a feast of steak and tuna from the grill and a perfect salad that Tracy put together.
I know the Weiners are not alone in this tradition. Fathers everywhere from New York to California and in between will be firing up their grills and preparing steaks, chicken, ribs, burgers and dogs to feed the masses. Which begs this question: Why is Father’s Day a day of labor, when Mother’s Day is a day of leisure?
On Mother’s Day, moms are lavished with breakfast in bed, flowers and spa treatments. On Father’s Day, the kids wake you up bright and early and want to go for a 3-mile hike. Then they want to see how far your endurance has deteriorated since last year by having a chicken fight or challenging you to a few rounds of touch football, not to mention walking 18 holes and finishing it up doing laps in the ocean, lake or pool of your choice. Then once you’re good and sweaty, you get to ignite the barbecue and spend a couple of hours in front of the flames sating everyone’s appetite.
Well I, for one, wouldn’t have it any other way. I consider myself a very lucky man, and I savor every minute of it. Moreover, all the moms out there, Tracy and my mom included, are entitled to all the pampering they can get, not only on Mother’s Day, but every day. No one works harder than a mom, and I would challenge anyone who says otherwise.
Happy Father’s Day, everyone! However you spend it, I hope you enjoy your families and your weekend.
