Gifts for your Dad

[TheBlueRobin]

My Dad's birthday and Father's day are close to each other and every year I always struggle what to get. He will be 66, so technically retired and definitely slowing down, but is self employed and just dropping days. He doesn't really want for much, he works in a trade that he enjoys, he goes to the pub a few times a week, he watches football and comedies from the 80s. No other hobbies really and he doesn't really like eating out or anything too fancy. He's also very comfortable financially so anything he does want he will buy himself. I prioritise experiences rather than things as he has so much stuff.

He has just helped me fit my bathroom so I'm taking him to Spain for a few days later in the year.

Examples of stuff we've done before:
Cricket matches - I despise it but he enjoyed
Darts Tournaments
Queen tribute act
Brewery tour of his favourite beer

Any ideas?

Your Dad sounds exactly like my DH, very dofficult to buy for. Although he’d rather our DC and I bought nothing than stress about it, but of course we’d never do that.
You are already being very generous with the Spanish trip. How about adding on to that - eg a voucher for a specific experience when you get there (I’d make a home made voucher though so you haven’t wasted any money if plans change). Or things helpful for that break - does he need a new rucksack? T-Shirt and fleece?

My dad’s a bit older than yours, but we bought him a digital photo frame that we could all send photos to from our phones.

I don’t suppose the 80s comedy includes only fools and horses? If so then I can say from experience there is a lot of memorabilia, paraphernalia and even a musical (it was actually really good) about this! I have done several themed gifts over the last few years

We are actually going to the musical next month, his Christmas present! He loves it, I've probably seen every episode 20 times just growing up.

I would absolutely focus on experiences - when my dad passed away it was really sad to see so many ‘things’ he had been gifted over the years but were unused everything from mugs to dressing gowns and hip flasks

Random gifts my family have given our ‘difficult to buy for’ men (and I appreciate everyone’s tastes and hobbies are different) which he ave gone down well are:

Really nice coffee

A beer subscription

A helicopter ride

The Slow Horses books by Mick Heron

Year of Wonder (classical music book introducing 365 classical music pieces)

These vegetable/shrimp BBQ baskets:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0CGX1T4XL?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title (these were one of the cheapest things but my Dad absolutely loves them!)

A Jamie Oliver online cookery class

A sourdough starter kit

Shares in a vineyard

A drone

One of those metal credit card multitools

Global kitchen knives

Cote vouchers

A Cheese Geek subscription

A cheese making kit

A Laitewaites voucher

A Longleat animal experience

A night at London Zoo

Reading these back they seem a little random!