FIL _ Pressie Help

Cranny44

Hi

My FIL has a birthday shortly (72) and then obviously xmas :rotfl:

I have no idea what to get him anymore...

He does nothing, has no hobbies (he says he does but doesnt do any) and is an old fashioned 72.

He likes fishing - has everything but doesnt go fishing - even has a magazine subscription and brings it round for DH unopened as hes too lazy to canx it. Has stuff to make wooden things in his shed - which he doesnt do, keeps budgies but doesnt do anything with them but the bare minimum, doesnt read or watch movies, or DVDs., has a gun but doesnt go shooting anymore.

Does not use aftershave or anyother smellies, and it is noticiable :eek:

Does not wear new clothes or pjyamas (tried this several times) as has MIL.

He usually spends his days watching GOLD on sky and complaining about them being reruns and smoking as many as he can in a day.

He goes out religiously twice a week - once for shopping and once for sunday lunch and will not deviate from the usual haunts although MIL has tried in vain.

He reluctantly goes on a couple of coach trips a year but no longer than 5 days and he hates being away from home and that you cant smoke on coaches or in hotel rooms :eek:...

Doesnt do sweets or chocolate and is diabetic anyway and only drinks mellow birds coffee :rotfl:

Ideas gratefully received

Usually spend £10 -£20 on birthday and up to £30 on xmas

whitewing

He sounds like fun!

Would he go to his Sunday roast venue for a birthday meal? Maybe you could arrange with the venue for a birthday cake and banners and balloons.

Holdalls/suitcases for coach trips.

Limo to drop him off on the shopping trip?

Mellow birds coffee cake?

KateBob

Does he enjoy a particular type of alcohol?

Whisky or brandy?

I have a FIL who's a similar age and equally difficult but more because he has everything.
We have therefore taken to hunting out unusual/rare drinks.

Ms_Chocaholic

Your FIL sounds a bundle of laughs.
Do you have children; a photo frame with a nice pic of the grandchildren maybe.
200 Lambert + Butler ???
If anything else comes to mind I'll pop by.

LalaGomay

It sounds as if the only thing he'd appreciate is a massive carton of cigarettes, maybe with a nice big bow on it?

Cranny44

Lol thanks for the replies..

Forgot he doesnt drink - or very rarely

And DH refuses to buy cigarettes as he hates him smoking, I have already done the photo frame and they have a digital one with holiday pics and another memory card with family on.

He wouldnt eat any cake and probably go outside for a fag when they brought it out....

My SIL no longer buys him stuff cos she cant think of anything but he does moan about her not getting him anything....

SCFC1961

"and only drinks mellow birds coffee "

just like my MIL - it's NOT coffee, it's the scrapings off the floor!

wik

Hi.... For my Dad's 71 birthday this year I was scratching my head trying to find something for him! He is very hard to buy a pressie for!! I bought him one of those silly Laird of Glencoe titles, and also had a tree planted in a forest in my late mothers name.
He was quite chuffed with it all..
wik x

recoverydust

Donate in his name to your favourite charity, or buy him a goat for oxfam. They sell desks, chickens, all sorts that are given to people who need them in developing counties. The gift comes as a handy fridge magnet and gift certificate. I once gave a dear friend who had everything and also moaned about all gifts a llama one year.... She was delighted when she realised it was in Guatemala and not being delivered to her.....
Xxx

whitewing

My brother has comfort clothes and didn't wear stuff I bought him (did eventually. Now, I buy it in the sales, get him to try it on then, and then take it away to wrap up. His birthday is months later, so he knows what he's getting but has forgotten exactly what it is like. He uses it straight away then.

The other method is to announce what I am getting him (e.g. socks). Again, if he has had prior warning he is quite happy. Works if I stick to similar clothes or colours that he already wears (a new version of the same thing).

If he goes shopping you could give him/MIL £50 and tell him to buy whatever he wants by x date, and give it back to you to wrap up. (Wrapping up is good if you have children who get excited. My relative is very, very frugal so if we do this for her, she will buy the next brand or two up from her normal grocery shopping or try a posher variation, and she is really pleased.

Bit of funky wrapping and it will look personalised and effortful,

C_J

He sounds a lot like my FIL, who is also really difficult to buy for. I always put so much effort in, and it is seldom appreciated. Harumph.

One present which he *did* actually like was a small CCTV camera which you can install in a bird box. It connects to your TV so you can watch the wildlife - perhaps he could set it up in his budgies' cage to watch them from the comfort of his own sofa? I think the kit cost around £30 and it was from Maplins.