I have already mentioned my daughter’s plan to get me “a Shakespeare thing” for Father’s Day. I’m a big fan of letting the kids pick out gifts on such occasions (as compared to the parent doing it) so I sent my wife a list of “Shakespeare things” that might make potential gifts. Here’s my rule – I want something that the kids will be able to point to and say, “We got Daddy that.” That’s the only requirement. I don’t even have to like or want it. 🙂 I ruled out books and movies because I’d rather a gift be shared. Any Shakespeare book I’d actually want is not something my wife or kids would care about, likewise for movies. And other than when they see me reading it, it’s not like they could satisfy rule one and say “That’s the book we got you.” There’s always Shakespeare’s Den, who don’t do just Shakespeare stuff but do have a whole category devoted to him :). I pointed out things like coasters or a throw pillow because that is exactly the sort of thing that could be just lying around the house for the kids to see and appreciate. Not to mention when company comes over – I love a good conversation starter. They also have a jigsaw puzzle that just happens to be The Tempest. I’m just wondering if we’d have time to do it together as a family (the 3 and 2 yr olds might not have that much input, you see). Know what I covet, though, is one of these bad boys from One Page Books. It’s a wall poster of the entire play. I think it’s a cool idea. Options include the great tragedies, the sonnets, Merchant, Much Ado, Dream…no Tempest, but still, some of those others would make a pretty cool wall decoration. But which one to pick? Any fathers out there? What sort of “Shakespeare thing” would you like from the kids?
Nothing from King Lear.
I have two of the One Page Books – Midsummer and Macbeth – framed and on my wall.
They are wicked cool.
I think it’d be cool to have all of Hamlet on one page. The sonnets one actually appeals to me as well. Maybe those two… plus Midsummer.
I can never choose, I’d buy them all if the total price wasn’t so much…
Talk about children before Christmas!
“You’ll just have to wait and see – or Father Christmas might not come at all!”
(How about something like paper and colouring pens applied together to make a picture ‘Shakespearean’ to put on daddies desk?
– or even one of those wonderful ‘shoe box theatres with cut out characters so you can ‘do’ the plays together?)
daddy’s
ubguwyjs !!!!!