I have a notoriously bad memory, but there are some things that stick in my mind, simple snapshots or family rituals that have managed to stand up against the passage of time.
A lot of them are of my grandparents – staying at my Gran and Grandad’s house and standing up on the toilet seat while my Gran gave me a wash with a flannel from the sink, rides around the garden in a wheelbarrow, the smell of Old Spice after my Grandad had been in for his morning shave.
My Grandad was always an electric shaver man. He used it dry, and had a way of stroking his face afterwards, his chin jutting out, smoothing his hand over his mouth and down his neck. Even when he got much older and less able to take care of himself, shaving was always an important part of his day; I can remember visiting him in hospital with my mum, and taking his shaver in for him – if you ever saw him with stubble you knew something was seriously wrong.
It’s memories like this that I find weirdly comforting. You wouldn’t think that something like shaving could feel so emotive and nostalgic, and yet it does.
So where am I going with this?
Well, it’s Father’s Day soon, and I’m already sick of seeing the supermarket end aisles stacked up with ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ mugs, cheap chocolates and other rubbish that your Dad is going to throw away as soon as it’s polite to do so. Instead, how about getting a Father’s Day gift this year that’s genuinely useful and could be something that’s going to create special memories for you, your children and your grandchildren?
Get £10 off the Braun Series 3 wet and dry electric shaver at Amazon now with the code BR10SAVE10
Yep, that’s right, a whole £10 off, valid until 22nd June. (If you are a child reading this, feel free to tell your mum the full price and spend the £10 on sweets. Don’t tell her I said so.)
I have to confess to a bit of childlike wonderment here – having only ever seen my Grandad use his electric shaver dry, I can’t quite get my head around the idea that you can take this in the shower! You can even use shaving foams and gels with it! How cool is that? It’s basically magic. Braun is actually a big old castle full of wizards.
It’s fully rechargeable and has a trimmer for keeping beards, moustaches and sideburns nice and tidy.
The Amazon price already has 53% off, and now you can get an extra £10 off when you use the code BR10SAVE10. You’ll look far more thoughtful than if your Dad unwraps another set of novelty golf ball cufflinks. I mean, come on, he doesn’t even like golf.
Sponsored by Braun.