Can someone help me find a present for someone really awkward?

[ClevaName]

My Dad's birthday is coming up and I always find him an absolute nightmare to buy for. I also only have a limited budget of approx £20. It would also have to be delivered to him, I can't take it in person.

He's an alcoholic - so no booze

He's diabetic - so no sweets

He hasn't read any of the many carefully chosen books I've bought him, despite previously being a vicarious reader

I've done the DVD thing to death

He's had pictures of the kids in nice frames, don't think he classes that as an actual present

He hates house things

I'm really stuck now!!

A long reach grabber. You can grab the remote without moving. You can grab crap if the sides. People love that shit.

Diabetic chocolate from Yumbles.

Card about how he's an old fart.

Would he like something gadgety/techy like a remote control plug socket adaptor or light bulb? Or you might even be able to pick up one of the old Amazon Echo Dots for around £20.

A cheese making kit.

Failing that, go with the fleshlight. At least it’ll get used

It would also have to be delivered to him, I can't take it in person

Just re-read your OP and this jumped out at me.

If your relationship with him is poor I’d be inclined to send him a £20 Tesco voucher and not give it any further thought

Fleshlight is the best suggestion so far @Pogmella 🤣🤣 At least I know he'd enjoy it!!!

It's going to make me sound awful but he doesn't have much of a life now. He'd rather lie in bed and get drunk than do anything else in the world. I can't help him any more, but he's still my Dad. Unfortunately hobbies he used to have like cooking and photography are very much long gone.

Scarf is a good shout. He also likes a nice watch (although it may look sad amongst his Rolex collection )

I like the idea of the charity gift, but he seriously wouldn't like it unfortunately.

The Book of Everyone is nice, personalised and interesting fact about when he was born

Heated blanket

Nice coffee/ fancy cheese and oatcakes

I used to have the same issue with my dad OP: also an alcoholic, impossible to buy for, and really all he wanted was more booze. Presents would always go unused even if you thought you'd picked something great. He passed away a couple of years ago, but in the last few years he was around I finally hit on a winner - a mini hamper. I put it together myself (rather than a shop bought one) with lots of little bits I knew he'd like such as good quality cheese, crackers and chutney, favourite biscuits, mini luxury Xmas pud, fancy handwash/body wash etc. It would all get used 😊 Are there any particularly nice brands your DF likes? Eg Fortnum & Mason?
I was always careful to avoid alcohol in liquid form, but did sometimes include alcoholic/alcohol flavoured chocolates from somewhere like Hotel Chocolat as I knew they were something he'd really enjoy. It seemed like a passable compromise as he had no intention of quitting drinking and the alcohol content isn't that high.

It's really hard as you know there is one 'easy' present they would be very happy with, but I wasn't prepared to contribute to that downfall by buying more alcohol.

I have sent my father flowers in previous years. He really loved them.

Supreme Sausages do sausage subscriptions and loads of codes and discounts if you sign up to their newsletter

Sugar free chocolates.

There are some great suggestions here, thank you all!

And thank you for the understanding alcoholic posts. My Dad will always buy himself drink, he's too far gone, but I just can't bring myself to enable it like I have done in the past

oh. My. God. Yeah I guess that might keep your dad off the booze...

A little card wallet? something like this? My male family members seem to appreciate them.

If he hasn't got one already, an Alexa/Smart speaker. Then you can get him stuff to go with it later, like an audible subscription, lightbulbs etc. It is also company in a way.