Present for 90 year old FIL

[ZivaDiva]

Please, oh wise ones, give me some ideas for a present for my FIL.

He is nearly 90, very fit and healthy, walks the dog twice a day, has all his marbles and is a widower.
When asked what he wants he says the cheapest thing, one year he asked for a ball of garden twine! Previous years we've done a hamper, bumble bee house, hedgehog house, private eye subscription....
He has the money to buy anything he needs and doesn't like luxury stuff, he's a retired GP and is still reading current research avidly.
I am at a loss and DH is no use, as a family they aren't really into presents.
SIL gets him new tea towels every year as she says she can't stand seeing the rather grimy ones for more than a year.

It sounds as if he doesn’t want stuff.

What about a sponsoring/adopting an animal at the wwf?

Taking him to a show?
Something for his dog?

Sounds a bit like my dad.

Well received presents include a microscope that connects to his lap top, a mini tool kit in a 'book' fits on his book shelf and he can always find tools to fix his glasses with, Magnifying glass/lamp combo thingy. smart phone projector.

Quite often it is bits of 'tech', he usually spend Xmas with my brother and family so he has grandchildren to set up anything he can't manage himself (actually I think he can manage himself, he just likes to have his gc do it).

One year I got my mum a box of bulbs for the garden. You 'plant' the box as a whole and they come up as a display.

If he really doesn't want gifts perhaps he would appreciate you making a donation to a medical resesrch charity instead, given his background and ongoing interest.

I am struggling for gifts for my FIL too. He is also 90. It is impossible. I have come up with a pack of local craft beers as he enjoys a beer from time to time. That is it. We will probably buy him a nice book related to history or aircraft as those are his interests.

Someone posted on another thread about a bird box with an internal camera that's connected to your laptop. Would be lovely to see eggs hatching and chicks being born.

Aldi sometimes stocks them as would Amazon & bird magazines would have adverts. Also, I suspect that you would get what you pay for so expect to pay around £50 for a half decent one.