Present for 80-year old dear old Taddy...

[Arlanymor]

So my lovely Dad is turning 80 and 'doesn't want anything'.

Yeah right!

I'm now heading there for the whole weekend... Saturday I will bake him some Anzac biscuits the morning and then we'll watch the rugby on the telly in the afternoon (note to self: pack wine). Sunday we're going out for lunch at a nice hotel and I'll sort out a cake.

So he's being semi-spoiled... for someone who didn't want something it's now a busy two days! I'm going to get him a signed book to open at the end of the day which I will pop under his pillow so it's his last fun thing of the weekend. But am stumped on something for him to open on the day. He plays golf but already has everything he needs for that, all the clothes and pyjamas and slippers and sock he needs...

I was thinking like an animal adoption type thing - maybe a rhino or a sloth?! Ideally in Wales so I can take him to visit it at some point. But any other ideas? I'm drawing a blank as this week is manic for me and I won't have much time to sort anything out now that we are actually marking the occasion (as of lunchtime today when I got a phone call!)

Any ideas gratefully appreciated!

The Woodland Trust plant a tree in his name. They send you a certificate.

I am so, so, so sorry that is the roughest thing. Such unfairness and hardness. And we met talking about sandals online. New year is massive with you guys isn't it? We just send bone horses around the town like it's completely normal! Can I drop you a line to say hello, celt to celt? If not it's totally fine.

You don’t sound cantankerous at all lol. My dad is the same age and gives the same chat. He’s 80 in April so brother and I have decided on box at the football for him and brother and some friends - food comes with.
Then a wee party at his bowling club. It’s all a surprise and definitely will be cos bro lives abroad and had already booked flights for a month before the big birthday (not thinking it all through!). But I know he’d definitely still like the new football shirt or scarf.
I reckon the new Wales top would be well received. He’s not ditching them now!

Although Percy Pigs are also a solid bet 👌🏻

Thank you. Thats very kind to say. Yes it is although I save myself for the new years cooking of dinner for family these days so hongmanay im lucky if I make it to midnight 😆 🤣. What is a bone horse? Ive never heard of it?. Of course you can 😃

Hi @Arlanymor
My Dad had his 80th last year and also didn’t ’want a fuss’…then wore his 80th badge and t shirt all day and was chuffed when wished a Happy Birthday 😂 we bought him a 1945 word search (words of the year he was born) and he loved it https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1915611210?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

The Six Nations Songbook has bailed me out on a couple of occasions! Not sure it's still printed but I got copies on the big book site beginning with A. It's a little and compact book. Several languages represented and directions for the Haka in the back, IIRC.

Get a small hard back book and write on the front “reasons why I love you”
Then write something on each page, include days out you’ve had,presents you received or any thing else that will show him how much you care about him.