Gift ideas needed for my father

[jess_g]

I was wondering if anyone has any generic gift ideas for someone that already has pretty much everything. I need to buy a birthday present for my father and don't know what to get him. Maybe a framed pic of the kids? Thats all I can think of right now and he has lots of photos of us already. They don't live in a cold climate and pretty much have everything they need/want already.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jessica.

[overcome]

I'm always in the same boat...my dad is tough to buy for. Here are a couple suggestions..

A personalized/monogrammed shirt
My parents are boaters so I got my dad a polo shirt with an embroidered boat and the name of their boat underneath. Another year I got him a polo shirt with a lifeguard stand and the street # of the beach house we stay in every year.

Other personalized stuff
LL Bean has nice shirts that can be monogrammed. Would he like one of their totes with his name or initals? Maybe you could fill it with goodies he enjoys eating?

Photo Gifts
Most photo developers have gifts you can use your photos with...I got my dad a mousepad with a pic of my dd. He loved it! There are lots of other gifts.

Lottery Tickets
Scratch offs are fun.

Weather station
LLBean sells these too. We rely on ours quite a bit. There is a wide price range from basic to fancy.

Gadgets for the car
My parents travel quite a bit so I bought my dad a pole that goes across the back for hanging clothes. If you check the car dept at Target they have lots of little gadgets you wouldn't think of for the car

If I think of more I'll be back to edit....

HTH
Good luck

[kimbe]

How about a white t-shirt with your kid's hand or foot prints on it? Or a shirt that your kids decorated? I did the shirt with a handprint of DD on the side with #1 Grandpa written over it. It was a hit. Good luck!


Edited for spelling --- decorated not deocrated!

[ctmom]

I gave my dad a gift card to a bookstore for his last few birthdays. I also have given him dunkin donuts giftcards...

hth!

Mary
dd#1 2/01
dd#2 12/03

[elephantmeg]

My MIL gave FIL a weather forcaster thing, it's so cool, it has an atomic clock, a receiver outside and a display inside. So it gives outside temp, inside temp, and a forcast for the next 24 hours via the display dude based on barometer etc (everything from a beach chair to a snowman to a cup of hot chocolate). We all love seeing what the dude is doing. I think she paid somewhere between 75-100 for it though. But it is the coolest thing. She bought it at the wildbird center.

[Radosti]

I bought my dad a really high quality Serta memory foam mattress topper ($129.99 on overstock.com + down alternative cover for the topper $49.99) He loves it for his back pain and it's something he would have never thought would help him.

[jgriffin]

I've been getting my dad JetBlue (airline) gc's for the past couple of years, with notes that we'd like to see him more often. If he doesn't live that far away, maybe a gas card or something similar to hint that you'd like him to visit more often (if you do, that is!)

I also have a perpetual gift of an internet account for him, so we can keep in touch more regularly.

I've thought of getting him an intro Netflix subscription, but he seems to be doing fine with the local stores, and it's a bit out of his and our price range right now.

Jen

[octmom]

My parents are tough to shop for too. My mom and I got him a few lessons with a golf pro for his last birthday. He golfs a lot and the pro can help him work on his weak areas. Sounds boring to me, but he liked it. I am trying not to give my parents more crap that will eventually end up in my house anyway. My garage is full of junk they brought to my house when they moved a year and a half ago. They didn't want to throw it out, but didn't want it in their nice new house either. Now it is my problem to get rid of it.

Jerilyn
DS, 10/03
DD, 3/06

[scoop22]

i get my dad a magazine subscrition. if he likes it i renew if he doesn't and can offer another idea i subscribe somewhere else. when we run out of ideas i will have to go back to gifts again. my dad has everything or buys what he wants. right now he is getting comsumer reports. last time was money magazine. good luck its's tough

http://b2.lilypie.com/XbITm4.png

[kcimato]

How about gift certificate for the car wash?

[MelissaTC]

My parents and in-laws/outlaws are the same way and it is really hard to buy for them. I gave my outlaws mugs with Matthew's picture on it last year for Christmas as well as a magnet for their fridge and they loved it. What was really odd though was that my parents were JEALOUS that they didn't get one too. And trust me, my parents are so NOT the photo mug type. At all. I made them a calendar this year instead and they love it!

What about a photo book from one of the online places with pics of the kids and your Dad? I know my Dad would love that.

ETA what about some steaks from Omaha steaks or another food item? Anything he likes to eat?

[Corie]

The last several years I have gotten my Dad a subscription to a wine club. He loves it.

My one brother got him 4 - $50 gift certificates to 4 different nice restaurants in
the area. My Dad also loved this gift. He loves going out to eat.

One year, someone got him a gift certificate to play a round of golf at a really nice
course plus a golf shirt from the club. My Dad loves to play golf and he will only buy
a golf shirt if he actually played the course. He loved this gift too.


My Dad loves gifts that deal with food, golf, and/or alcohol.

[scoop22]

i thought of one more.. one year we ordered from omaha steaks for my FIL.. HE loved this. you could do this and then the wine club then invite yourself over for dinner. ha ha.. looks like you are getting some ideas.
http://b2.lilypie.com/XbITm4.png

[jess_g]

Thanks to everyone for the great gift ideas. I ended up buying him 2 picture frames (one says #1 grandpa on it and one can hold 3 pictures (one spot per grandchild)) and I bought him a pair of nice leather gloves and 2 cards so I think I am all set (except for putting the pictures into the frames that is).

Thanks these are some great gift ideas,

I also love Harry and David but can never get into their store since its an hour drive for me.

Jessica.