What would you buy for a 90 year old close male relative who has everything?

[Snooks1971]

He’s clever as F... (ex Oxford) all intellectual faculties intact, limited mobility - uses a stick. Reads The Times etc and buys all manner of books. Loves a single malt scotch and can afford to buy them. Can afford everything really so any ideas? My lovely FIL btw. Doesn’t ‘need’ anything?? Lives an hour away from us and is very independent.

Series 4 apple watch or a nice fossil watch

Sorry - typed post as DD 11 then started kicking off.
There are some great ideas on this thread and I need to go through them!
Apologies, hectic here.

Good food
Cheese subscription?

As someone upthread said, my similar sounding grandfather loved a trip to the theatre, or a day out somewhere with a decent lunch somewhere special. It is often easier to get lunch reservations at Michelin starred restaurants than dinner and often much better value! Or a cheese subscription has been another winner for me recently. Paxton and Whitfield do them (or Not on The High Street have options too).

I’m just sharing this thread with DH and all siblings (in laws)
Truly inspirational ideas! Thank you so much!

Something experience based - DGM got a trip to feed the monkeys at the zoo for her 95th birthday and loved it!

For your relative, is there a whisky distillery that does tasting sessions?

Glider flight is a good idea - you're only looking at about £40 for a winch launch trial flight, and if he can get in and out of a bath with relative ease he'll be able to get in and out of a glider. He'd be with an instructor but could take over the controls if he wished (dual control aircraft).

In the summer recess you can go on tours of the Houses of Parliament, including houses of commons and Lords, which are fascinating.

Subscription box of some variety?

One bit of "stuff" I did get for a family member was newspapers ....
for a Zero Birthday

the Newspaper from the day they were born
when they were 10
20
30
40
50
60 (I bought that one at the shop)

all gift wrapped
it gave days and days of pleasure

A bit different as gran was on limited pension but loved gadding about and hated us choosing the activity as a surprise... she liked to choose her outings and timings for them as well and hated getting a "voucher" or a day out IOU. Quite often she preferred to go with friends at a time when we were working than an evening or weekend.

We used to get her a hamper of the "essentials" that cost money - posh loo roll, favourite laundry liquid, fruit cake, chutneys, etc... Things she'd go cheap on (but moan about) to stretch her fun money. Enough for the year as she had the space to store them.

Maybe a more practical gift like paying the cleaner or gardener or meal delivery service?

If you go for a single malt, check for small distilleries in his preferred type (scotch/ Irish?) to see if there's something niche he hasn't tried yet. Maybe check out the websites for the whisky bars/ food festivals/ restaurants that go all out (like Guacho) for their bar selection for ideas. There's an awesome whisky bar in Soho which could be a good starting point.

He sounds like a fab character though!

If he is near London - Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys. Not expensive, but thoughtful.

Time or Newsweek subscriptions.

For my Dad’s 90th, I got him a copy of the Times from the day he was born. He loved it and it was fascinating reading it.

When my Dad was 90 I took him on the Belmond British Pullman. We were on the train for six hours, went from London to Canterbury, had a champagne brunch on the outward journey and afternoon tea with champagne on the return. I hired a chauffeur driven car to get us from home to Victoria and back again. He absolutely loved it and the staff on the train made him feel very special.

I'd love that myself, Alexa!

I’m putting that on my own wish list Alexa!

Subscription to London Review of Books or National Geographic

Really nice cashmere socks or scarf or jumper

Whisky tasting experience or a subscription to a whisky club

Pompello/Ada. I have to confess, we loved it so much it became an annual event until he died four years later. Their Christmas Lunch trips are lovely.

The newspaper could be for the day after he was born and therefore reporting what happened on his birthday.

Second the suggestion of subscription to the London Review of Books - very thorough, thought provoking articles on current affairs and ideas.

Are you his beneficiary? If so then a parachute jump or something similarly heart attack inducing 😉

For my nans 90 th I hired a little river boat and we had a floating afternoon picnic , she got to ' drive ' and we all had a lovely time ( just under a dozen of us )