Hey all,
I’m having some trouble thinking of a good birthday gift for my Dad for the big 7-0.
He’s the type of guy who just wants to hang out with family and for everyone to be together, which we’re planning on doing (and we do every year for his birthday.)
Otherwise he’s a little hard to shop for. He doesn’t have a ton of hobbies but I think if he wants anything he mostly gets it himself, but mostly he doesn’t want much. He’s a big reader and still works.
I’d like to get him something to show I care and love him and all of that, but I’m having trouble coming up with something good. I’m also feeling torn between doing something lower-key, which kinda sounds like what he wants, and feeling like it wouldn’t be “enough.” My family can skew a touch materialistic if I’m being honest (and I’ve had great success with bigger/grand gifts before for other family members) but I don’t know if that would work for him/in this scenario.
Any ideas or words of advice? Thanks!
33 comments
Last year i gave my mother a dinner at this sushi train place for her 64th – it is now 6 months later and she can’t talks about it.
So i guess some one on one time: you’r dad already lived most of his life, let him enjoy the last fruitfull years together with the ones he mostly loves!
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Just my 2 cents 🙂
My dad turned 82 and he just doesn’t seem to care about gifts. I think you’re doing the right thing by setting up a big family get together as that is what he really wants.
The only gift my dad really liked is when my brother and I bought and installed a cast iron stove in the garage. He sits out there in the winter with his nice wood burning stove all warm and toasty, he loves it.
Virtual reality headset.
Heh, the same problem with my father and my family has the same problem with me. We basically already have everything we need. Recently my go-to present is an extended weekend family trip to somewhere.
I aim for gifts for my parents that they would use often or use as a family or at gathering. A little less specifically for him but for him to enjoy with others. My recent trend has been lawn games. Ladder ball and… That ball game*… Throw a small ball and everyone takes turns throwing bigger ones to get the closest
Activities! Really nice dinner, tickets to a show, tickets for some kind of experience, travel, etc etc.
Most adults don’t need more stuff, especially stuff other people have picked out for them. Sometimes a “really nice gift” just turns into an albatross.
A video collage from as many people in his life as you can find. People sharing an anecdote and wishing him love. 70 year-olds typically don’t want any more “stuff”. They want the people they love.
When my Dad turned 70 my sisters and I filled a jar with 70 pieces of paper (like business card sized). On each piece of paper someone (myself, sisters, our spouses, or grandkids) would write one thing they learned from Dad, or one great memory, or one thing they love about him.
On his birthday we gave him the jar with “70 things we love about you” written on it. He absolutely loved it.
Depending on how sentimental he is, you can make a professional book of family pictures on a site like Blurb or Shutterfly. Even better if you have old pictures of his parents from when he was little or before he was born.
I had spent a lot of time recently scanning and digitally cleaning up old family pictures and slides so I did this for my dad last Christmas. My stepmom told me that he literally takes it out and looks at it every day.
> He’s a big reader
If you think he is tech savvy enough to use it (which is not very tech savvy) get him an [e-reader](https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/electronics/best-e-readers-kindle-alternatives-842785/) (e.g., a Kindle). I got my Mother one a few years ago and it changed her life! You can store a ton of material on it, and change the brightness and font size if he has any vision issues. Plenty of free books available via your local library.
We rented an airbnb for the weekend and invited a bunch of family. Then we surprised him with a slideshow one night with pics over the years. He loved it.
My father is also a reader, and instilled that in me, and I into my son – we bought him a Folio Society edition of one of his favorites and hand wrote him a thank you note in the front.
My dad hasn’t used anything I got him in the past. So I just go with gift cards if he doesn’t tell me what he wants. Sometimes he doesn’t even use those gift cards lol.
We played a family version of jeopardy based on his life for his 70th. He had a blast being the judge on correct answers plus he got to tell stories which he loves
I got my dad an xbox for christmas when he was 73. Now we keep in touch from a distance by playing world of warships, world of tanks, and sea of thieves together.
Kindle Paperwhite
or BBQ grill
If he drinks get him a jug of roasted caramel black velvet. Good sipping whiskey.
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How about stuff he uses? You could prepay car washes, barber shop visits, stamps, newspaper or magazine subscriptions, Netflix/Hulu/Amazon Prime.
Best advice I’ve heard for buying gifts for dads is to think about what he complains about, and solve that for him, whether it’s a tool, or a service, or a gift card. Anything grind his gears?
A nice custom pocket knife could be a good option. Like a Chris Reeve or a nice benchmade. A father son trip would be cool if you guys like hanging out.
You say he’s big on family being together. I don’t know if it’s possible but can you get everyone together for one day and have a professional photographer take a group family photo and have it framed for him. You could even included individual sub family group photos.
Does he have a favorite author or book? Maybe you’d be able to take him to a reading by the author. Or get him a signed copy of a book. Or find a physical location that relates to the book/author that you could take him to (something like the Hemingway Museum or the Stanley Hotel, which was the inspiration for the hotel in The Shining).
My children got together and bought me an expensive bottle of single malt Scotch whiskey for my 60th. I’ve enjoyed it several times since then and think fondly of them whenever I do.
My advice? Find something he likes and buy him a big-deal version of it.
Was he prior military? I’ve always put together shadow boxes showcasing their military awards. It’s always been a big hit and is something that can be passed down.
>He’s the type of guy who just wants to hang out with family and for everyone to be together, which we’re planning on doing (and we do every year for his birthday.)
So, what’s your dad’s cookout situation? Does he enjoy it? Have a good setup already? Someplace nice outside that you can all enjoy together?
Almost every guy I know either has or wants a grill or smoker that he can be proud of/cook for a bunch of people on. Big blowout purchase: a new grill or smoker. Plan to spend upwards of $500 for something nice. Lower key purchase: Anything that improves his outdoor cooking game/experience. From $10 up.
I like Etsy. Browse. It may give you and idea for something you might choose to make. Or something that’s unique and personal. Personal gifts >>>>expensive ones imo.
There are digital picture frames where you can send pics to an email and they start showing up. If you get the grandkids to regularly send pics along with yourself he can see what everyone is up to. Although at 70 he probably has FB.
We got my mother in law a book for her 70th birthday that was designed for her to write down important memories for her. It may sound kind of sad, but the truth is, we all know one day she may pass, and having her memories in one place I know will mean a lot to her grandchildren. If your dad might be open to this, it really is a gift to the entire family.
Forget reading, he knows best how to handle his hobby . What is he like with tech? Does he like suits and watches and cufflinks, or does he like the outdoors, or cars, or what?
The best gift I ever gave my father was a custom made bobblehead. I sent in a couple of pictures of him and chose the body (bodybuilder in a red Speedo, of course). They sent me back pics of a rough cut and I could suggest changes. It came out great and wasn’t that expensive (I also had a Groupon at the time).
He loved it! When he first opened it he was unsure of what it was, but once he realized he started laughing heartily – and this was a man who rarely had big guffaws. The bobblehead remained in a place of honor on his mantle until he passed away earlier this year. Now it is with my mother in her room at the retirement community, where I must imagine she gets some interesting questions about it.
Yeah, forget material stuff. Most older parents have attained wisdom and know what’s truly important in life. Find a way to tell him man to man, how now that you’re older, you appreciate all that he’s done for you. Let him know how much you’ve learned from him, and how much you value him in your life. Then make plans for a special evening for just you two guys.
If he enjoys quality time have the big party with the family and then do something separate just you and him.