The Great 'Dads: what would you like for Xmas?' Hunt

A question about : The Great 'Dads: what would you like for Xmas?' Hunt

Great 'Dads: what would you like for Xmas?' Hunt


Dads are notoriously difficult to buy for - ask Mrs MSE and 6 week old MSE Junior. So, Dads, here's your chance to get something other than socks and fancy-looking jam...

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Best answers:

• We used to spend weeks watching my father, listening intently to every word, & just as we got an 'A-ha' for a gift idea......he'd go buy it himself
  The Offspring are pondering possible prezzies for their paternal parent, so I'll be watching the thread with interest but some past gifts that were very well received included:-
  a/ A sandwich sized snack box filled with a couple of emery boards, few plasters, one of those pocket sized hand gel thingies, a little nail brush to use as an emergency clothes brush, packet of tissues, some peppermints & a strip of headache tablets. He could leave that in the boot of the car he drove for work.
  b/ A selection of the mini bottles of wine--about Ј1:50 at the time or X for Y amount--& a voucher to get some more of the one/s he liked best.
  c/ A diary with the important dates filled in! eg family birthdays
  HTH someone, & I'll definitely be back to gather ideas for my lot
• If your husband/dad is a DIY enthusiast and spends hours in the garage or shed (in my case, barn) if he's got no music, a Makita site radio is a nice gift albeit a bit expensive. You can hook an iPod up to it as well. Just got one for my hubby and it's nice and robust so perfect for using outside generally in the summer rather than risking taking out the delicate interior stuff.
• I'd settle for some peace and quiet if I'm being honest. Bah humbug!
• My kids are at Uni, so I miss them lots! For Christmas I'd like a recycled advent calendar with pictures of them inside, not to count down to Christmas, but to count down to the day they come home for next year.
  Oh, and a hug would be good!
  (Dads don't need expensive gifts, as BigMummaF found out, if there's something we want we go and get it.)
• Now that my kids are older, I've said no more socks, ties or underwear. I've hinted around several decent quality (~Ј30 a bottle) types of sipping bourbon. Now three times a year, birthday, father's day and christmas I get a present I really want and am truly thankful for. My youngest showed creativity, went and found a good bourbon I hadn't tried before. It was excellent and there was much rejoicing.
• My dad loves cooking and cooks for all of his friends, even weddings sometimes, so to save him some time I bought him a Kenwood food processor. He'll love it when he opens it (I hope!).
• My father-in-law has recently had to take over all the cooking and shopping due to progressive dementia of my mother-in-law. He loves Haynes manuals having always maintained his own cars until recently. He claims not to want anything for Christmas, but this is what I have got him.
• It's becoming extortionate to post anything to my folks back home so I would tend to order things online that can be delivered there (and that dad can share with mum): hamper, voucher for a B&B night away. Ebay is also great for collectors' items (stamps, postcards...).
  A few presents that were also a hit with hubby :
  - vintage shaving mirror and cream from Ebay
  - subscription to Private Eye
  - "Life on Mars pack": dvd, Philip Glenister book on the 70's, favorite "vintage" sweets
  - RSPB subscription (bit of fan of those!) and bird house
  - Italian food cookery course. He's so proud he can make fresh pastas now I am getting him a pasta maker and the Two Greedy Italians book (bought from the discount book shop)
  Hope this helps!
• Rather than receiving cheap socks, pants or a presentation box of aftershave/deodorant, I'd be happy with a bottle of wine or maybe an 'interesting' bottle of beer.
• My dad is the same where if he finds anything he wants he buys it himself! Really unhelpful for us! But he now says rather than receiving 'things' he'd rather spend time with us and make some memories. So we tend to go for dinner or experiences (we went to Go Ape for his birthday!) however these aren't usually the cheaper options.This year for xmas we are only doing little presents so I have got him a lap tray which you personalise with your own photos. Approx Ј12 from various places, I got mine from Amazon (and have bought a few for various family members!). Has the 'memories' aspect but also shows a bit of thought and effort has gone into the gift with the time taken picking out favourite photos etc.
• I am at a loss what to buy my dad - as with most he buys what he wants or needs before Christmas, and has everything he wants to do with his hobby's i.e. walking gear, video equipment. He has read everything ever written on WWII, watched every DVD and documentary on it, and only likes anything factual to read or watch.
  He never wears a tie, likes one style and colour of sock, hates sports and rarely watches TV.
  He joined the RSPB because I was in it, but isn't really into bird watching, and has no interest in 'trailing round' old houses etc.
  We used to buy him beer and whiskey, but he rarely drinks now. He has no interest in cooking anything fancy, is never getting another pet, subscribes to 2 magazines himself.
  In the past we bought him a tank driving day and a balloon ride - which he loved, but wouldn't do again.
  He has hundreds of photo's of his children and granchildren, hates clutter, doesn't really eat chocolate as he has type 2 diabetes. He NEVER has any suggestions when asked "what would you like?"
  This year I have splashed out Ј1 for a pair of Christmas washing up gloves for him because I GIVE UP! Plus he is a real martyr when it comes to washing up after Christmas dinner - but won't let anyone help him.
• (I'm the Dad.) My daughter has moved to Australia - which makes sending presents (in either direction) more difficult. Last time she sent me a small book of photos of the 3 grandchildren, who are growing up rapidly. I was very touched.
• Last birthday I got my astronomy-mad Dad the right to name a star. He was initially mocking but soon decided he loved the idea. He tried to think of a clever name but decided anything would eventually sound pompous so, just to the left of Orion's belt, invisible to most home binoculars and telescopes, there is a star named forever "Harold" :-)
• I gave my Dad a "blank cheque" from MoneySavingExpert.com which he could cash anytime that he needed some DIY doing. As he was not well he could get us to help without the embarrassment of asking. He loved it - what else do you get the Man that has everything?
• Best gift ever for my Dad was a handmade Monopoly. Asked my grandmothers for all of the addresses my Mum and Dad had ever lived at, with Park Lane and Pall Mall being the two homes they'd had as a married couple. The stations were four cars he'd had - Haynes Manual covers as the image for the stations. Pieces to move around the board were to do with Mum and Dad - bobbin, lego brick etc. Chance and Community Chest cards followed the pattern of the original - all money stayed same so the game worked - but the things done linked to M & D. I was shaking when I gave it to my Dad, it had taken hours. He loved it and it had so much more value than any bought gift.
• Love the Monopoly Idea My Dad moved so often as a child he'd love this...now if only we can remember ALL the places!!