Christmas present for my dad

mel.b

Even though there's still 6 weeks until Christmas I'm starting to tear my hair out thinking of what to get my Dad for Christmas. He's coming to visit me from Australia so it can't be anything too big or heavy.

His biggest hobby is golf, but he has enough golf associated paraphernalia to last several life times. This includes clothes.

He doesn't play any computer/xbox games so that's out. Not a huge reader either. Doesn't wear a watch or wear aftershave.

He has previously mentioned that he'd like a gopro, but when we asked it about it for his birthday he said he wouldn't actually use it. Then one day he said he'd like a dash cam, but when we asked about that for Xmas he said no.

Wouldn't be huge into box sets, but has all of the game of thrones ones already.

There's no concerts that he wants to go to. Him and mum have been to cirque du soeli a number of times and enjoy it, but there are no tours coming up. Same with sporting events, i think he's reached an age where he'd prefer to watch them from the comfort of home!

At this stage I'm starting to think of just buying him a round of golf at a fancy course at home in Australia. I would have got him a round at Lahinch but it would be too dicey with the weather and there's only a few days that we have available while he is here.

Any other ideas that people can think of???

flower tattoo

My dads 80th was last week
We got event vouchers
He lives in London so we got a voucher for cheese tasting with wine afternoon in a restaurant in town
He also got vouchers for tea on the Thames and Thai restaurant
(Everyone had the same ideas) is there something similar where he lives??

elperello

A local history/photographs book?

Donal55

Does he read? A kindle or such like or maybe an annual subscription to some good magazine.

Jobs OXO

Leatherman multitool. Maybe a skeletool

mel.b

flower tattoo wrote: »

My dads 80th was last week
We got event vouchers
He lives in London so we got a voucher for cheese tasting with wine afternoon in a restaurant in town
He also got vouchers for tea on the Thames and Thai restaurant
(Everyone had the same ideas) is there something similar where he lives??

He wouldn't be interested in anything like that

elperello wrote: »

A local history/photographs book?

Again, not something he'd be into. A nice photo book on Ireland would be looked at once and then put away. What i am going to do though (more for mum) is to give her a voucher for a personalised photo book and I'll make up a book based on all of their photos from their trip over here to visit me.

Donal55 wrote: »

Does he read? A kindle or such like or maybe an annual subscription to some good magazine.

One year I did give him a subscription to a golf magazine which he liked but I think after a year or so the articles are all pretty much the same. He wouldn't read enough to use a kindle.

Jobs OXO wrote: »

Leatherman multitool. Maybe a skeletool

Something like that might be good He's a fitter and turner by trade and is handy. We are going to switzerland as part of our trip when he comes over and I could look at getting something there.

Keep the ideas coming though!

elperello

Again, not something he'd be into. A nice photo book on Ireland would be looked at once and then put away. What i am going to do though (more for mum) is to give her a voucher for a personalised photo book and I'll make up a book based on all of their photos from their trip over here to visit me.

Good idea


Something like that might be good He's a fitter and turner by trade and is handy. We are going to switzerland as part of our trip when he comes over and I could look at getting something there.

Just an aside don't put anything like that in carry on luggage or it will be confiscated.

tayto lover

Get him a couple of rounds of golf at a top club in Ireland which he can use when he's here. Most of the big clubs have offers and he can hire or borrow clubs.

Jobs OXO

mel.b wrote: »

He wouldn't be interested in anything like that



Again, not something he'd be into. A nice photo book on Ireland would be looked at once and then put away. What i am going to do though (more for mum) is to give her a voucher for a personalised photo book and I'll make up a book based on all of their photos from their trip over here to visit me.



One year I did give him a subscription to a golf magazine which he liked but I think after a year or so the articles are all pretty much the same. He wouldn't read enough to use a kindle.



Something like that might be good He's a fitter and turner by trade and is handy. We are going to switzerland as part of our trip when he comes over and I could look at getting something there.

Keep the ideas coming though!

These have a lifetime guarantee

https://www.leatherman.com/skeletool-18.html

mel.b

tayto lover wrote: »

Get him a couple of rounds of golf at a top club in Ireland which he can use when he's here. Most of the big clubs have offers and he can hire or borrow clubs.

I was going to get him a round at Lahinch as I live nearby however we only have from the 21st to the 27th in terms of dates available - take out the 24/25/26th and it doesn't leave much time and he's already said he doesn't want a game

Toto Wolfcastle

Does he drink? You could get him a nice bottle of Irish whiskey or gin.

mel.b

I spoke to mum about the leatherman idea. He got a swiss army knife years ago as a gift and it went into a drawer and has never come out again, so I think the leatherman idea is a non-runner.

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Does he drink? You could get him a nice bottle of Irish whiskey or gin.

Last yr i was actually in Portugal in Oct and he likes Port so i got him a nice bottle of Port for Xmas. He doesn’t drink whiskey/scotch/gin etc.

It looking like a jumper from the Lahinch golf shop at this rate

juke

Bit of a mad idea: Is he into his family tree/origins - you could get a ancestry dna test. MyHeritage is selling them for €50 at the moment.

mel.b

juke wrote: »

Bit of a mad idea: Is he into his family tree/origins - you could get a ancestry dna test. MyHeritage is selling them for €50 at the moment.

Lol, that is a mad idea! No interest though and the family history at least on his mother’s side has been well researched. As an aside, i’m not one for conspiracy theories or being paranoid but i wouldn’t like to give my dna to a private company like that. It just gives the heebie jeevies.

igCorcaigh

Can you get in touch with any of his friends in Australia? Maybe something he likes locally that you might be totally unaware of?
(What is it about fathers that makes present buying so difficult, I'm in the same boat).

Jessme

Is there any way you could pay for a subscription or an upgrade to a sports/golf channel on Australian TV? You mentioned that he's interested in sport but probably wouldn't actually go to any sporting events & would rather watch them at home. He might already have all of the sports channels though...
Does an Australian Open in golf exist?? He might go to a big event like that if you got him tickets? I know that my Dad would always say he'd never go to concerts/sport events etc. but once you gave him the tickets, he'd be off like a shot!

Diane Selwyn

has he any interest in horse racing? my dad was over a few years ago and I took him to the national stud - it was like all his Christmases at once! He still raves about it. He went to a race meeting at the Curragh also but I don't know that there would be any on at this time of year.

BetsyEllen

How about a night away for him and your Mum in a fancy hotel, you can easily google places in Australia on tripadvisor and find out somewhere nice that may within an hour or so of where he lives.

mel.b

Jessme wrote: »

Is there any way you could pay for a subscription or an upgrade to a sports/golf channel on Australian TV? You mentioned that he's interested in sport but probably wouldn't actually go to any sporting events & would rather watch them at home. He might already have all of the sports channels though...
Does an Australian Open in golf exist?? He might go to a big event like that if you got him tickets? I know that my Dad would always say he'd never go to concerts/sport events etc. but once you gave him the tickets, he'd be off like a shot!

Australian open golf is a good idea, but the tournament isn't until Nov 2018 and it's interstate so flights and accommodation would be needed as well.

Diane Selwyn wrote: »

has he any interest in horse racing? my dad was over a few years ago and I took him to the national stud - it was like all his Christmases at once! He still raves about it. He went to a race meeting at the Curragh also but I don't know that there would be any on at this time of year.

They actually went to the National stud when they were here two years ago and loved it.

BetsyEllen wrote: »

How about a night away for him and your Mum in a fancy hotel, you can easily google places in Australia on tripadvisor and find out somewhere nice that may within an hour or so of where he lives.

I might have a look at this, but I think it may be too $$

Nekarsulm

A day at a motor racing school? Either here or back in Oz.
Has he an interest in motors?
I think all tickets are sold for the Irish Rail Preservation Society steam train tours.
A flight lesson? Day at a shooting school, clay pigeons etc?
Interested in engineering? A day at Ard na Crusha, turbine room etc.

august12

mel.b wrote:

They actually went to the National stud when they were here two years ago and loved it.

What about horse racing in Limerick, starts on Stephen's Day.