Present idea for the dad/grandad that has everything (it seems), has no hobbies and lives miles away.etc..

[lilysam]

As usual Dad is the hardest to buy for. So thought i'd see if anyone had any ideas...

He has no 'hobbies' as such, no longer works, thinks clothes are not 'presents' doesn't drink much (odd beer or wine but not whiskeys etc), isnt fussed about aftershave and mens fancy grooming...and if he needs stuff buys it for himself!

Every year he gets foodie gifts and novels.

Mum is easy - but dad is always always difficult. They also live so far away, we don't see them much so needs to be easily posted or online delivered.

Is it just mine or are all dads difficult when it comes to presents??

Oh - and budget about £30-40, unless a jount present between him and mum.

Thought about theatre/concert tickets but friends did that for them last year...

Does he do stuff round the house? Tools / garden equipment?
No music or films he would like?
And yes, they are all difficult.

i just got this book for fil bday it looks terrifyingly mawkish but actually isn't.

I buy my dad a Goodgift as there is nothing he wants or needs, and he is very happy to get them - but is quite charity minded iyswim

Thanks for the ideas - will have a look at the sites you have suggested..

BBC Radio plays - even some old ones like The Goon Show.

My dad was furious when his friends gave him an Oxfam-goat-for-Africa type gift - he said HE wasn't getting a present!

He is extremely difficult to buy for.

Any DVDs of old TV he used to like (e.g. Fawlty Towers / Monty Python)?

what about a new wallet, belt, or a night tray (gents can put their loose change, watch, cufflinks, spectacles etc on it when they undress for bed.)

Or pocket sized binoculars?

Train tickets to visit you?

"IOU" from you for spending a week end or a few days with them.

a tree?

posh cluedo

[http://www.hopeandgreenwood.co.uk/Hampers/Bumper-Box/ if he has a sweet tooth]]

sorry, here:

doh!

how about a subscription to a magazine?

Obviously you know him slightly better than I do, but my men-I-have-to-buy-for would between them enjoy Private Eye/The Spectator/The Ecologist/New Scientist

or a sock subscription!

www.socksforsir.com/

www.thesockbutler.com/

www.barringtonayre.co.uk/page37.htm

they will send him socks every months/3 months/ whatevr you choose.

Is brilliant!

Does he like family photos? I'm getting all doting grandparents calendars with pictures of the kids this year. Might get my dad a mug too.

I get my dad a subscription to Private Eye every Christmas. He loves it - it makes him laugh so much and it turns up every two weeks.

He says it's all he ever wants.

Dads can be very hard to buy for though.

Some great ideas thank you...

(Did the magazine subscription for his b'day - but was a great present idea - he loved it!!)

Am getting tempted to suggest only presents from the kids from now on as a little thank you for theirs.....gets tougher every year..

My dad is the same! He doesn't mind getting a new shirt occasionally but usually I get him books (but as a family we all read a lot so we all like getting them) and lately I've started getting him gift vouchers for a nearby theatre. I don't think it matters if it's the same thing every year as long as it's something he likes....

A good idea for older relatives who need to take a lot of tablets daily, is a pill diary. They usually look like a filofax, but inside are 7 plastic boxes labelled with days of the week, and each one has compartments labelled times of the day for doses, like morning/lunchtime/evening/night. My mum had one where the individual day boxes could be removed and taken with her if out for the day. She thought it was fantastic, as she had about 12 different medications, and it helped her keep track of whether she had had them all, at the right time.

Does he wear glasses/reading glasses etc? I got my dad a very classy metal glasses case as he's always having to change pairs, and it is nicer to carry around than the ones from the optician.
Am reading this in the hope of a good idea for this year!