Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What can I get my 76 year old dad for his birthday?

23 replies

hogu · 06/07/2021 21:14

He's the type of man who buys literally everything himself. What ever I've got him in the past has just been stuffed in a drawer and I've never seen again.
I have less than a week to get something and I'm completely at a loss 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
MadMadMadamMim · 06/07/2021 21:18

I got my DF a basket from somewhere like Home Bargains - and I filled it with crackers, cheese, biscuits, crisps, bar of Old Jamaica, decent bottle of red wine, etc.

Sort of made him up a hamper of goodies. He was chuffed, and he's mid 80s and doesn't want anything really.

Ragwort · 06/07/2021 21:20

Honestly, many people just don't want more 'stuff' in their lives ... do you live close to him? Can you take him out for a meal, picnic... (difficult in Covid times I know) ... or just ask him, I am early 60s so not quite your Dad's age but there is nothing I want or need and I hate to think of my adult DC spending money on unwanted stuff. Personally I enjoy receiving charity 'goat' type gifts but I know many people don't like giving them.

AdaColeman · 06/07/2021 21:21

An afternoon tea hamper from M&S.

A bottle of his favourite tipple if he has a drink.

A year’s subscription to a magazine, if he’s got any hobbies/interests.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Events & celebrations
TwoBlondes · 06/07/2021 21:25

Ancestry DNA test

Jasmine11 · 06/07/2021 21:27

For my Dad's last birthday I got him a newspaper from the day he was born https://www.historic-newspapers.co.uk/

NoLongerATeacher · 06/07/2021 21:27

I bought fil 80 scratch cards for his 80th - kept him busy for ages! Sadly he only won £20 but he was excited by that though!

Nonamenoplacetogo · 06/07/2021 21:28

Wine, always get my dad a bottle of whatever he’s read about and wants to try

Pipersouth · 06/07/2021 21:33

Hand made vouchers for the best things -whatever they are for them! hugs/seaside fish and chips/choosing classic films/ talking through old photos /picking themed photos for a themed frame. My dad is at the end of life stage care at this age - just love them (take pics and video!)

OneEpisode · 06/07/2021 21:38

I just get my dad a big bunch of flowers. Sometimes something else too, but the flowers are the most welcome.

MayorGundersonsDogRufus · 06/07/2021 21:43

I just got my DF a bottle of rum and a photo album I'd made him of DD. Seemed to like it!

omgwhy · 06/07/2021 22:07

Cheese subscriptions, beer subscriptions, magazines, books, kindle? iPads? Netflix subscription..

All things my dad loves he's the same age, and loves Netflix, Amazon prime and all of his subscriptions!

Oh and Thornton's toffee.

Also lounge wear from white company went down really well.

Scarby9 · 06/07/2021 22:08

I buy my dad books.

longtompot · 06/07/2021 22:25

One year I got my dad some nice beers he wouldn't usually buy with some nibbles, another year I got him a bee hotel for the garden and a jar of homemade preserve. I tend to get him clothes as well. Just things I know he'd like but wouldn't buy himself.

MyHairNeedsASnip · 06/07/2021 22:29

Oh it's hard isn't it! Previous hits for me have been a pedometer, magazine subscription, bamboo socks from The Sock Shop, a Tesco Meal Deal... it's really really hard. Mines 80 now and I've completely run out of ideas.

GigantosaurusRex · 06/07/2021 22:46

I bought mine a little solar powered fountain, a big pot and some pebbles for the bottom of it so he'd have something nice to watch/listen too when he was sat in the garden.

MistySkiesAfterRain · 06/07/2021 23:55

Placemarking for ideas. Mine loves gardening, but I usually ask what he needs.

Jams, cheese, always go down well.

I did buy him a Tile as he always loses his keys, not sure it will get used.

He likes a flat cap, scarfs, slippers, socks, one year they loved a photo calendar with memories from each year on it.

You can get some quite nice looking photo frames that scroll through photos.

GreenTeaBlackCoffeeAndRedWine · 06/07/2021 23:59

My dad is in his 60s and he has always said he doesn't need more random stuff.

Chocolate and alcohol are always, always a hit with him, especially Jack Daniels, Vodka or wines he wouldn't usually get for himself. He'll eat any kind of chocolate😂

BillyRaywasapreachersson · 07/07/2021 00:13

Given the fact he's probably not done a lot over the last 16 months, could you not take him out for dinner or book one in for asap? My dad is a similar age and for his birthday in a few weeks we are off for afternoon tea, he's never been before and even if he doesn't want to go, I know he likes tea and cake.

Original poster
hogu · 07/07/2021 19:48

@TwoBlondes Brill idea, just ordered one. Thank you!

OP posts:
BlueChampagne · 07/07/2021 19:51

My Dad gets a subscription to Private Eye.

TwoBlondes · 07/07/2021 20:09

@hogu got one for my mum, hope it leads to something interesting for him!

Original poster
hogu · 07/07/2021 20:10

@TwoBlondes Me too, he was adopted and never knew who his dad was so this could be amazing 🤞🏼

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread