Getting to know the Dads of Handsel
In light of Father's Day this weekend, we are getting to know the fantastic dads of the Handsel team. Ranging from authors and illustrators, to winemakers and the founder of Handsel, who help to bring our beautiful bundles to life.
We discuss what Father's Day means to them, their best advice for new dads and how they plan to spend their day this Sunday. You can expect to find pearls of wisdom and inspiration for what to gift your dad or loved one this Father's Day.
While all four dads we spoke to are from vastly different backgrounds, all are juggling multiple facets of work and fatherhood. This shone through in their responses, all of which are strikingly similar. As it seems, nothing beats a morning walk to settle the kids and give mum some much needed sleep and rest.
Getting to know Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Dillon is an environmental scientist, author, photographer, and videographer from New Mexico. You may know him as the co-creator of Places We Swim, found in our Chase the Sun bundle, filled with 60 of the best places to swim, dive, jump, paddle and float around the country. Dillon co-created this wonderful book with his partner Caroline Clements, who both explore Australian identity through the places they, and now with son Leo, swim.
What’s your favourite thing about being a dad?
Being a dad gives you a free pass to be silly and to see the world again with fresh eyes. Before we had Leo, I could feel myself slowly becoming more jaded. It was the creeping disgruntlement of a middle-aged travel writer. Thankfully, being a dad causes you to get excited about the tiny details of life all over again. Kids literally stop to smell flowers. They are thrilled by watching the sky change at sunrise. They can read the same book again and again. They pull you out of your own thoughts and into their world. I love travelling with him and experiencing his enthusiasm for each day.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to a new dad?
So far, I would say - make sure that you allow your partner time to do something for themself, every day. When Leo was first born we would go for a morning walk for a couple of hours and let his mum rest at home. We'd join all of the other zombie dads roaming the streets from 5 am to 7 am. Now that he is older, my partner and I each allocate time in the day for some exercise or any other activity that makes us feel good. The family seems to function better when we have all had time to do our own thing.
How would you like to spend your Father’s Day this year?
If the weather is nice, I hope we can get out for a morning swim followed by a coffee and pastry. That's always a strong start to the day and everything beyond that is a bonus. Since you asked, I would also like to suggest that I might come home to a bath full of rose petals, a two-hour deep tissue massage and a painstakingly elaborate homemade cake from Beatrix Bakes. Just a couple of simple things to make me feel special on my big day.
If you were to choose one bundle from Handsel to receive this Father’s Day, what would you pick and why?
I'm a big fan of functional gift-giving, which is why I enjoy all of these bundles. Everything has a purpose. We love cooking, so the Larder Love Bundle (large) looks like a real hero to me. I love the selection of cookbooks and you can never have too much Mount Zero EVOO or Olsson’s Sea Salt Flakes. We've worked with Carlotta and Gee in the past and they make excellent linen. A good gift should benefit everyone in the household, so this one ticks all of the boxes.
Getting to know William Watt
William Watt is a professional photographer, director and publisher, you may know William as the creator of Lofted, featured in our Par None bundle. In 2016 William founded Contours, which allowed him to combine his passion for golf, with photography, design and storytelling. Outside of work though, you'll find him cracking dad jokes with his son and soaking up the laughs.
What’s your favourite thing about being a dad?
Watching my son discover the world and seeing his personality emerge on a daily basis is quite an amazing experience. The intense interest he has in every detail of the world around him constantly pulls me back into the present moment and helps me forget my worries. He also laughs at (almost) all my dad jokes and antics, so having an easy audience is nice. I know it won't last!
What’s one piece of advice you would give to a new dad?
The best advice I received early on was to remember how fleeting it all is, and to try and enjoy every moment of it as it happens. There is no rewind on this experience, and every day really is precious. I would also say to expect some really frustrating and difficult moments, where you are being pulled in a million different directions, and know that fatherhood can really test your limits. A few of my mates and I called it 'frazzled dads' syndrome, and learning to laugh at our struggles to cope at times was a good tonic.
How would you like to spend your Father’s Day this year?
We have family staying with us that weekend, so I'll probably be in full frazzled dad mode! A sleep in would be nice, and hopefully it'll be warm enough to hang out with the family in our backyard, maybe have a dip in the pool and cook some pizzas.
If you were to choose one bundle from Handsel to receive this Father’s Day, what would you pick and why?
Definitely the Bakers Bunch. I live quite near the Beatrix Bakes store, and enjoyed many indulgent morning tea stops while it was in operation - I was sad when it closed! I also quite enjoy the occasional baking session, although my wife Rosie is better (and much faster) at it, so I tend to challenge her with recipes more often than actually attempting them myself.
Getting to know Peter Fraser
Since 2000, Peter Fraser has been the winemaker at Yangarra Estate Vineyard. In 2015 he was awarded Halliday Wine Companion's "Winemaker of the Year" and has since been regularly recognised for his leadership with grenache and shiraz. But, Peter isn't the only one in the family enthusiastic about grapes. His children, pictured below, love to taste the grapes with him throughout vintage.
What’s your favourite thing about being a dad?
I have Jack, who is six, and Poppy, four. I have to pinch myself sometimes that I’m so lucky to be a dad. I love their energy and enthusiasm. I love that the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree – they’re both mini me's, a mixture of both myself and my wife. They are high octane, love adventure and learning new things.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to a new dad?
Don’t make plans; be there for your wife in the early days. I dragged my wife, Tessa, and Jack to a wine awards event one day out of hospital, and then a few days later to a wine show. Stop and smell the roses! Time actually goes slow during that time, make the most of it.
How would you like to spend your Father’s Day this year?
I love the kids getting excited and making stuff for a present. We love a roast on a Sunday, so maybe an extra special bottle of wine from the cellar.
If you were to choose one bundle from Handsel to receive this Father’s Day, what would you pick and why?
I’m a dad that knows exactly what I want. I love the idea of a Handsel bundle. The Halliday book is a favourite so I can see what wines I need for my wine cellar, and I can guarantee the Shiraz is a winner, too. However, I already have that book so the quick and slow took my eye, as I love slow cooked meals which are perfect for a busy week. Cooking helps me slow down and enjoy.
Getting to know Nick Hardie-Grant
Founder of Handsel and dad of two, Nick's refined style and attention to detail are the driving force behind the beautiful books, bundles and products you can find on our website. Outside of the office, you'll find him chasing after his two young boys.
What’s your favourite thing about being a dad?
We've got two boys (1 and 3) and seeing them grow in their own little way would be my favourite thing. Similar in looks but so different in everything else, from personality, to interests, milestones and taste in food. It's been amazing to see their personalities come through already and I feel like we can already imagine what they'll both be like as they get older. Plus, in between all the tantrums and fighting they're both hilarious and cute.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to a new dad?
Prepare yourself for lots of walking the streets. It's the best form of help at the newborn stage - gives mum a break, nice way to stay active, listen to a podcast and pretty much guaranteed naps. From then on I feel like everyone's different, but for us at this age it's all about getting out of the house and letting them run free.
How would you like to spend your Father’s Day this year?
I've never loved celebrations that revolve around me... I'd be very happy having a low key weekend with the family, around the house, coffee, parks, dinner at home and a night in - plus some guilt free time to potter around the house and do jobs, gardening etc. I'm not sure if it's now being 35 or just having two kids that don't sleep well but my appetite for a night out is dwindling by the day.
If you were to choose one bundle from Handsel to receive this Father’s Day, what would you pick and why?
I love design so a high quality interiors book would be my choice: the Happy Place bundle with either Kaleidoscope or Vivid books. Both amazing books and look great as art too around the house. Plus, the addition of chocolate gets me over the line.
Getting to know Campbell Mattinson
Chief editor of Halliday Wine Companion book and magazine, author of The Wine Hunter, The Big Red Wine Book (2008, 2009 and 2010), founder of Filmic Media and The Winefront, Campbell certainly knows how to keep himself busy. In addition to the above, Campbell is also a father of two.
The audience. When it was just my wife and I the audience was of course only one. It was pretty easy for a joke to fall flat. With two kids the chances of a joke landing with at least one of the three are so much greater. Plus, both of our kids tend to view me as a bit of an idiot, which means that much of what I say or do results in them laughing. I appreciate of course the difference between laughing at and laughing with but really, there are a lot of things in life that I've been known to complain about but the sound of laughter is not one of them. Laughter is life. Laughter is love. And there is nothing better in life than the sound of your kids laughing.
It's not what's on the label, it's what's in the glass. You might know all about what's gone right and wrong in your own life and in your family history but your children, while directly related to all that, are on their own unique journey, and are their own unique selves, and the more you battle against that, the worse parent you'll be.
My kids are now in their 20s, and my daughter lives interstate. I'd love to sit on the 3-seater couch, with one on each side of me, and watch a random episode of The Office with them, as we used to do all the time, but now never do.
That Strong, Sweet, Bitter set has my name all over it. If I could add the word 'anxious' in there you'd have the summary of my personality.