Why I’m Not Creating a Father’s Day Box This Year

Father’s Day has always meant something special to me. I never let it pass without doing something for my dad — a card, a meal, a surprise. He wasn’t just my dad — he was truly one of my favorite people in the world.

This year is my first Father’s Day without him.

Since he passed, I’ve kept myself constantly moving. I’ve thrown myself into work as a controller by day, launched Coast & Curate as my weekend passion project, and taken on the role of head coach for a girls 2015 club soccer team. On the outside, I’ve been staying busy. But if I’m honest, I think I’ve been trying to outrun this day… my dad’s birthday… and really, the last ten months altogether.

At one point, I told myself I would create a Father’s Day box. I started picking things out in my head — the brittle, the honey, the snacks — all things my dad would have absolutely loved. He had the biggest appetite of anyone I knew and somehow never gained a pound (something I was always a little jealous of!). I could see him savoring every bite of the treats I’ve been curating — then giving me feedback, of course, and suggesting five other things I should’ve added instead.

But when it came time to actually put that box together, I just couldn’t do it. Because the one person I was creating it for isn’t here anymore.

So this year, I’m not making a Father’s Day box — not officially, anyway. But if you want to build one for someone you love — a dad, a father figure, a mentor, or a friend — I’ll gladly wrap it with care and heart. Every item will be handpicked, every detail intentional. Because I know what it means to love someone that deeply… and to miss them just as deeply, too.

My dad would have been so proud of me for going all in with Coast & Curate. I can picture him standing beside me in the kitchen, snacking while I pack boxes, cracking jokes, and suggesting “just one more thing” I should include. I miss him every single day. And I’m still learning how to move forward without him.

If Father’s Day feels different for you this year too — you’re not alone. I see you. I’m right there with you.

With love,
Lisa
Founder, Coast & Curate