Birthday gift for my dad - inspiration needed!

[trekkiedane]

My dad's birthday is coming up (on the 2nd of November - he's from 1944) and I seriously can't figure out what to get him this year.

He's got all the ties and tools, bottles and books, CDs and DVDs and whatnots a man of his age wants. -Or he buys it for himself without ever thinking it could be a good idea to just wish for it on his birthdays
I live less than a five minute walk from my parents so we see a lot of each other, he's not the kind of guy that goes a lot to the cinema or concerts nor does he have any hobbies or 'special interests'

I would really appreciate it if someone here could give me a little inspiration!

It doesn't have to be very expensive (~tie/DVD price range) as we never 'give till it hurts' on these occasions; unless I'm lucky with this thread he'll get a couple of bottles for his current project of making his own ketchup. -But with my luck, he'll have bought those before his birthday.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

If his "current project" is making ketchup, it sounds like he does have hobbies. But... ketchup? I thought that was just an American atrocity! Seriously, how about getting him the ingredients or materials for some other little project?

Or would he maybe enjoy being taken to the cinema or a concert just because it's something he doesn't do much? I know I like to be treated occasionally to something I wouldn't normally do on my own.

None of which is very inspirational, but it's the best I can do.

 

[bbailey861]

There's no other kinds then Heinz. On a serious note, if he is a drinking man, it is always nice to get a 'quality' bottle of something.

 

[trekkiedane]

^He's got plenty of bottles -even of the good stuff! (be it booze or wine) and isn't a collector of such things

I wrote current project because dad and I have been pickling a bit this season and he found a ketchup recipe in the ol' pickling-book he would like to try, basically a tomato-salsa

The thing about taking him to see a film isn't a bad idea -but he's reached the age where the films made aren't made for people of his age and where he'd much rather sit in the comfort of his own home watching it whenever it comes on TV (I think the last film he vent to a cinema to see was Sphere). He does go to concerts every now and then -but that's usually with my mum and because they have a nice time together when they go to concerts with artists from their youth

But, yeah, I could get him a bushel of tomatoes

 

[sojourner]

Hookers and Blow man, Hookers and Blow.

On a more serious note. If he's interested in ketchup at the moment, maybe steer him into making his own BBQ sauce? Seems to be popular thing here in the states to have your own personal sauce recipe.

If nothing else it may lead to better meals at your parents than ketchup will.

 

[Kestra]

I like giving experiences over material goods. Or something that is sentimental, but I don't know if your dad is that kind of guy or you have that kind of relationship. My Dada's birthday was at the beginning of this month and I made him a little book from his kids. I went through family albums and took different pics of us through the years. Then I scanned and printed them and the beginning of the book said "To the dad who ..." and every picture had a caption like "... taught me how to drive."

Really sappy and doesn't work for everyone but I think memories are a good gift. Either recalling them or creating new ones!

 

[trekkiedane]

^Nice

And something I could see myself doing (as a mum-gift though), except; it would only open old wounds as my sister turned in her family membership-card

 

[An Officer]

If he likes condiments... I recently saw a foodie show raving about the flavour of pumpkin oil! Big deal in Austria apparently, but a well kept secret otherwise. I want to try it myself!

I think you cannot go wrong with gourmet foods... unless it is someone who is not a foodie, but really, are there people like that?! I file them with unicorns and leprechauns except not as cute.

DAB radio? I noticed older people seem to be more into radio...

Tickets to an exhibition, or some kind of class, maybe a foodie class if he's into that...

 

[trekkiedane]

He did take a couple of Finer cooking for men(!)-classes* when his buddy (for that sort of thing) was still alive, and while he does have all the tools he's likely to need in a kitchen, getting him some 'ingredients' could actually work!



____________
* Or was it Cooking for finer men???

 

[An Officer]

Have you tried sweet tamarind paste? I cooked some chicken cubes with it, and goodness, amazing! Sweet and super tangy at the same time.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I've been buying toys from the 1970's the last couple years from ebay. Stuff I had back in the day, but lost or broke.

Anything from your dad's youth he might like to have? Or at least something from a few decades ago?

 

[Captain Ice]

He did take a couple of Finer cooking for men(!)-classes* when his buddy (for that sort of thing) was still alive, and while he does have all the tools he's likely to need in a kitchen, getting him some 'ingredients' could actually work!



____________
* Or was it Cooking for finer men???

You might consider doing the classes with him, then. Make a gift out of doing something father/son. those were the things my Dad really liked for Father's day or a birthday.

Also, you mentioned that he liked going to concerts, but only with your Mom. How about buying two tickets to whatever upcoming concert they would like and giving them to him. Maybe with a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant near where the concert is being held?

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Lots of good ideas here! I always have the same prob as my dad never writes a wishlist *sigh*.

Since your dad likes to cook, maybe you could re-use an idea my brother had when I moved out, 30 years ago: he gave me some 15 or 20 jars with condiments.
My mom always keeps those dark glasses in which chicken or veggie stock comes (the instant powdered stuff). They are perfect for spices. If you don't have any, you could buy small brown glass jars with a tight-fitting lid. Just label them nicely and fill them with whatever condiments you think your dad might need. For Ketchup it'd be cinnamon, cloves, allspice, pepper, coriander, chillies, ginger (unless he prefers to use fresh one), perhaps turmeric, paprica, cumin, caraway, bay leaves and if it's going to be a spicy ketchup perhaps star anise and cardamom.

 

[Rhaven]

Your dad likes to cook and experiment with making condiments. What about a cooking class lesson or a cookbook from one of The Cooking Network's chefs? Alton Brown has some really great books about cooking and the why of it.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

...a man of his age...

...he's reached the age where the films made aren't made for people of his age...

Would you please stop making this man sound like an antique! He's only six years less young than me. And, btw, I don't limit myself to movies that are made for people my age. Are you sure he does?

 

[B.J.]

I like giving experiences over material goods.

Same here, especially if the person doesn't really need any more stuff. For my own dad, I'd probably get him something like a flight in a biplane or some flying time.

 

[John Mason]

He would have been in his early 20's during the mid sixties, so
get him a bong...

 

[ngc7293]

Does your Dad have a Record collection (LPs)? My Dad has a ton. This is a gift that you can do if you have the hardware. I got an ION Turntable and then I converted the music to MP3s which I burned to CD. Sometimes you can find the record cover online. A lot of DVD players will also play mp3 CDs or new cars will play them. The ION Turntable came with a program called Audacity. It's a little work, but it is free.

Alternatively, you could get a regular Turntable and and plug those Left/right audio plugs into the Audio In port on your computer and do the same. Audacity is a free download.

 

[trekkiedane]

^My parents gave up on records (and cassettes) a couple of years ago (and gave me their turntable and LPs) and do well with ordinary CDs (including ones I've made for them). I can't even make them see how easy it would be to pull an HDMI-cable from his computer to the television-set... "We don't need that sort of thing, there's always something to watch on one of the many, many channels we have" as they usually say. They do have a DVD-player though, my old one, which they only used when they had grandchildren over. I think it is now stored some place along with an assortment of other things they never use.

...a man of his age...

...he's reached the age where the films made aren't made for people of his age...

Would you please stop making this man sound like an antique! He's only six years less young than me. And, btw, I don't limit myself to movies that are made for people my age. Are you sure he does?

I just didn't want to use words like demographic grouping in a thread about a birthday gift. But: point taken anyway.

No, he doesn't limit himself and is able to enjoy all sorts of SciFi (and even 'fantasy') and I am sure I could take him to watch something like Prometheus but he's not the sort that enjoys sitting in a noisy theatre, surrounded by pop-corn eating teenagers, sipping cola and watching a film. (The fact alone that he'd have to be fully dressed to go to a cinema is enough to put him off).
He doesn't mind waiting a year, or two, until that film can be found on TV, which he can watch lying on a sofa with his dog and a cold beer (and perhaps a few shots of something stronger) or, indeed, a mug of tea close by. (We're very alike in that way actually ).

 

[Avalon]

You've taken some gorgeous photos -- how about a nice album filled with those?