Father's Day - How do you celebrate?

Father's Day is just around the corner and to me, its not something that my family has ever really celebrated (that goes for Mother's Day too). When I was growing up, we would design cards at school with paint, glitter and tissue paper flowers and offer it to our parents, who would promptly stick it to a door somewhere for all to admire. That bit was fun and everyone appreciated it, young and old alike. As I got older, a hastily scribbled card sufficed, often with the price tag still stuck on the back. It wasn't that I couldn't be bothered to celebrate or take the time to do a bit of parent worship... it just wasn't really the done thing in our family. 'An American thing,' my Dad would say.. 'whatever next? Take your child to work day?'


Now I have my own children, I do feel a little different. It's nice as a parent to have a little fuss made. It's fun for the kids to make cards, wrap a gift and make tea with too much milk. My other half makes more of an effort on these 'Happy Parent Days' and buys gifts, flowers, toiletries etc for his own parents. Nor am I complaining when I get given chocolates and slipper socks 'from the kids'. The thing that I don't like about 'Parent Days' is the pressure to conform. It's a bit like having to buy a birthday present for someone - but it isn't anyone's birthday. If you don't join in the fun, you feel guilty. 'How awful! Not sending a card on Mother's Day!'


I do think its good that we take the moment to show parents that we appreciate them, but my kids draw special pictures everyday and they are always proud to boast to Daddy about how they put the sugar in his coffee this morning, and stirred it very carefully. 
I suppose what I'm trying to get at is that part of me feels that 'Parent Days' have become too commercial and, dare I say it, a chore. Am I just being a cranky grump? What did you do to celebrate when you were a child? How do you celebrate as a family now? What importance do you place on these occasions?