For my neighbor Carlos, Father’s Day (El Día del Padre) is not only about a reunion with his three daughters, their spouses and his grandchildren, but also about taking a quiet moment to remember his own deceased father.
The families gather in the backyard (el jardín) of his modest home in the Providencia neighborhood of Guadalajara. There they will have drinks and Carlos and his wife will prepare carne asada and quesadillas. There will be beer and soft drinks, laughter and music.
After an exchange of gifts, dads, moms, and grandchildren will participate in a sack race or (if they can find the net) a game of badminton. They will exchange hugs, and sometimes sing along with a traditional song from Ana Gabriel or Natalia Lafourcade. The grandchildren usually bring homemade cards (store-bought ones are expensive and generally in English), they will chant “Felicidades, abuelito!” The daughters and their husbands will present carefully wrapped but usually inexpensive gifts, like a wallet, a tie, aftershave, a popular book, or even a small bottle of tequila in a cloth pouch with a gold drawstring.
There is also a Día del Padre Carrera, a Father’s Day marathon, which often involves as much slow walking as it does jogging, since many grandfathers usually show up for the event as well — often accompanied by their grandchildren.
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.