Dad present ideas

[Parapaderapa]

He’s 75, likes golf, gardening, reading. I can’t get him anything hobby related as he’s got it all and I wouldn’t know what to get. I usually get him whisky and chocolate, but wondered if there was something else a bit more interesting. I don’t want to buy crap, or things that would be wasted. Looking for a few stocking fillers too as we are having a small Christmas this year with an excited pre-schooler so a little pile of gifts for everyone would be nice.

Also any stocking ideas for my mum who doesn’t really like anything 🤣

Subscription to Readly if he has an iPad
Ancestry DNA kit
Thermals
Hamper with favourite foods

I've got my DF a personalised jigsaw. It's a map of where he lives. In previous years, we've given him various logic puzzles by the company called Smart Games. The IQ circuit puzzle was his favourite. He also enjoyed the Lego Architect models.

Thanks, the jigsaw is a good shout for my mum actually, not really my dad’s thing. I love Lego architecture but they’re both people who hate crap around the house so if they built it (unlikely), it would just go back in the box.

Edible, no waste:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1745113018/personalised-golf-fan-biscuit-golf-lover?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=chocolate+golf&ref=sr_gallery-1-10&bes=1&sts=1&local_signal_search=1&content_source=e35641bf8b689ec9c1c7ba7440d6d766210dd285%253A1745113018&search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1

Photographic golf book:

www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-Greatest-Golf-Courses-Above/dp/180279512X/ref=sr_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HjLP-3qL7IJrgaznJbMLhSDzYr_ILOZ_6RZZyyNq3QwqbI1YQRV9PcxbDah2ChNiDw2qcLw3cHbGtCQbQiLqckw1IlrYSdL_iyGMukHxEgRChAgr0_gCrQaPwkS0lsIYJW_AnPLx--pIF-W5DdeZs9yTHUiB3DWP3z_4X-T3AX3JYSHYYd0sk6dK-PUnQv8inW_0vk-xE1ASizfo786E-m-uWSUAkAifwHiXxg948OA.yXRkCk0iX1uxNIykk1BoProy9OP9f0mnabV52_7EgdY&dib_tag=se&keywords=golf+coffee+table+books&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1732268526&sr=8-9&ufe=INHOUSE_INSTALLMENTS%3AUK_IHI_3M_AUTOMATED

That’s a good idea, maybe we will do some homemade edible things - if they’re from the toddler they can’t complain!!

Nothing says "I'm querying my parentage" quite like the gift of an Ancestry DNA kit.
(seriously, don't.. just don't..)

I go for more practical things for my Dad, (80's) and usually get him a decent quality lambswool jumper with a few smaller extras like a book and sweets.

By the time you get to that age you have everything you need so wearable and consumables save stuff going to landfill by January.

I've ordered some Georgie Porgie puddings for my DF after seeing them recommended on here.

I've sent Turners Pies before and they've always gone down well.

Thanks all. Yes, definitely not a DNA test, he won’t even use internet banking or contactless, so there is no way he’d share his DNA with a third party!

We will all be together over Christmas, so no foods that will require fridge room. He has so many jumpers so I don’t think he will need any more clothes.

I’ll stick to consumables as usual, was just hoping there might be something a bit different I might be able to do. He’s never going to be upset with whisky and chocolate though!

Cultural tastes vary, but if he's similar to my dad he might like Al Pacino's autobiography which came out recently.

Recently bought DH an expensive insulated water bottle that keeps hot drinks hot and cold, well you know. He hasn’t been parted from it. Oh, a few years ago he got a weather station and he likes that too.

National garden gift voucher? They're like book tokens, you can spend them at any garden centre. I always like getting them for Christmas as garden centres often have a good January sale.

Failing that, a really nice garden tool, like Felco secateurs, or hori hori knife?

Do they have a BBQ? A cooking apron or long gauntlets

Does he tinker in a shed? A leather apron with pockets. https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/fancy-flames-leather-bbq-apron?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=20390975407&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_plt=gp&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9IC6BhA3EiwAsbltONrVtEu-yIZB3AopdLaNlvrW5gwASbNPz3ha-tg41XNY8jbT7gSQWRoC6-IQAvD_BwE

A bird bath or bird feeder. This company do squirrel/rat proof feeders, along with multiple garden accessories. https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/

F&M hamper

Voucher to a local restaurant, cafe inside a garden centre or event, such as a murder mystery night

There was a programme recently highlighting the mouth and foot painting artists association. It was very inspirational and the money goes to the artists. They do Christmas cards and amazing art work. https://www.mfpa.co.uk/about-mfpa/

Some of these aren't to my taste at all, but I have some pearl and flower shaped, plainer earrings. hopskipandflutter.co.uk/

My username gives it away but my family is a fan of Spanish culture and I always get my dad a proper leg of cured jamón serrano each year. I bought the carving block and knife one year and the leg every year since. He loves it and it saves me buying him alcohol. (There are reasons I don’t want to buy alcohol for him).

could be an idea as it’s consumable but different and doesn’t take up fridge space!

@EspanaPorfavor Do you have a link to the company you buy the jamon from? 😋

A good shout if he goes dog walking. I got my DH and insulated large cup and he takes it every day walking the dogs.

My dad has asked for a nice pen if that helps. Last year I got him a good insulated bottle which seems to have been a successful gift. I also got a few smart whiskey glasses.

If he's into gardening and you'd like to get him consumables, what about something like chocolate in the shape of garden things? Or some gardener's hand cream, some nice welly socks, a bird feeder, some nice gardening gloves, knee pads etc
https://izzysgarden.co.uk/collections/food-drink-gifts/products/chocolate-gardening-selection-box

Gifts that have gone down very well with my dad, similar age...

1. Wine Society lifetime membership. It was a one-off payment which wasn't too many £££. And I bought him half a case of wine to start the ball rolling. There's no obligation to buy anything ever and you can buy as little as one bottle. I think there was a money-off voucher when you join that the recipient can use on their first order. My dad gets sent a catalogue every once in a while and usually has a browse through and orders himself few bottles.

2. Homemade "subscription" to a nice online bakery. I found a place that does more traditional kind of cakes etc and every month I ordered him something to be delivered and put a little message with it. Just small things - half a dozen mince pies or whatever - the postage is generally more expensive than the cake! I did it for 12 months because it was for a special birthday but you could do 6 or even 3.

My dad enjoyed this because he's not fan of "stuff" hanging around the house and he flipping loves good cake and good wine!

My dad's approaching 80, and his attitude to gifts is along the lines of, if he doesn't need it, and he can't consume it, we're only giving it to him to inherit back. It makes the fallback options wine, whisky, or cheese. Unless we get wind that something in the house is broken and needs replacing, and that makes for a really easy option for my sibling and I when we discover that. I'm not saying we've sabotaged a hoover that wasn't dying quite fast enough in November one year, but we did think about it.

Book a holiday / weekend away for him?

sodastream was popular here with the older generation as they like their fizzy water. Also, bizarrely, Alexa..

Really nice whisky glass (Waterford or such like)

Thanks for all the suggestions, unfortunately they have a lot of those things! The gardening trowel knife looks excellent though and I think that could be the winner! I might get one for myself too!