Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Here are some gift ideas for Father’s Day. Special thoughts for those who have a very difficult ‘job’ …

“Dear dads, best wishes on your day! Be for your children like Saint Joseph: guardians of their growth in age, wisdom and grace.” This message was tweeted by Pope Francis on the occasion of Father’s Day on 19 March 2018. The attention reserved by our Holy Father for this anniversary is known to all. Pope Francis has always been very attached to St. Joseph, the putative father of Jesus, who on 19 March is celebrated and remembered together with all the other fathers in the world. It is no coincidence that the Pope chose 19 March to be consecrated to the papal throne, and also decreed that 2021 was entirely dedicated to Saint Joseph. Also note his habit of carrying with him, since the days of the seminary, a statuette of a sleeping Saint Joseph, to which the Pope has confessed to often asking for advice.

Wanting today to suggest some gift ideas for Father’s Day, it seemed nice to open our article with this quote which in its simplicity perhaps contains the deepest meaning of being a father today.

The father is really a keeper, for his children, the one who has the task of protecting them as long as they are not able to walk on their own legs (and in many cases even after), helping them to grow in the best way. Too often this doesn’t happen. The modern world, with its frenetic pace, sometimes makes fathers forget their duty, makes them believe that they will have all the time to be close to their children, to have a role in their life, but that’s not the case. Children grow up fast, and it happens more and more often parents fall behind, lose any chance to exert some influence over them. Thus St. Joseph was the protector of Jesus, he was close to him in the years of his childhood, taught him his profession and transmitted his thoughts about the world and things to him.

We recall that in the Jewish world much importance was given to the relationship between fathers and sons.
In Proverbs 1,8-9 we read: Hear, my son, the instruction of your father and do not refuse the teaching of your mother; for they will be a crown of grace on your head, and bindings around your neck; or in Ephesians 6: 1-3: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour your father and mother: this is the first commandment associated with a promise: that you may be happy and enjoy long life on earth.

Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

So what would it be nice to give to someone as important as a dad on the occasion of his festival? We at Holyart have some ideas.

Gift Ideas for Father's Day
Buy Now

Saint joseph statue
Buy Now

St. Benedict's white dial watch in 925 silver
Buy Now

St. Benedict cross medal
Buy Now

Red and white wines produced by monks
Buy Now

Men's care products
Buy Now

Monastery products
Buy Now

We talked about St. Joseph, the putative father of Jesus, whose feast coincides with that of all fathers. So why not give our dad a statue of St. Joseph, to make him understand how important we consider him? Maybe just a sleeping Saint Joseph, like the one that Pope Francis likes so much, who protects him and gives him advice.

Also to let him know that we are thinking of him, we could give him a watch or a Saint Benedict medal to protect him, perhaps one produced by a company of Italian artisans. Even today, the medal of St. Benedict is one of the most widespread and loved sacred symbols by the faithful.

Alternatively, a nice bottle of wine, perhaps bottled in an abbey, or, if our dad cares about his appearance, a bottle of cologne or aftershave produced in the Camaldoli pharmacy. If, on the other hand, we have a greedy dad, he might appreciate a good confectionery product made in the monastery. There are delicious ones, such as jams, candies, honey.

Buy Now:

Extra bitter cocoa powder 250gr

Extra bitter cocoa powder produced by the trappist monks of the Frattocchie monastery.

Saint Joseph’s zeppole recipe

If we manage in the kitchen, we could prepare the zeppole for him, a typical dessert of St. Joseph’s day, perhaps in the cocoa version with custard.
Put 250 ml of water on the heat, with a pinch of salt and 70 g of butter inside; when it boils, throw in 130 g flour and 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder and stir until the dough comes off the bottom of the pan. When the dough has cooled, add 4 eggs, one at a time, continuing to mix well. At this point, put the dough in a pastry bag and form the zeppole on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, which will be cooked for 20 minutes in a ventilated oven at 200°. Open the oven for the last 5 minutes and then turn it off and let the zeppole cool inside. Meanwhile, prepare the cream by mixing 75 g flour, 75 g sugar and 4 egg yolks in a saucepan. Add vanillin and orange flavouring and 500 ml milk, slowly, stirring to avoid lumps. When the cream has thickened, remove it from the heat, let it cool and then use it to fill the zeppole di San Giuseppe. Don’t forget to garnish them with black cherries!