re: Impossible to buy old men gifts

I’m at the point in life where all I want is my kids to spend an afternoon watching a game and eating a burger that I make out on the grill with me.

This is partially the issue. He doesn’t spend money often so just can’t do it

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If I took my dad to a steak house, I’m not sure he would be able to bring himself to order anything at modern prices.

He still thinks hotels should be $25 dollars a night max and sit down dinners out shouldn’t be more than $10.

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I got served a random instagram video where they interviewed geriatrics about what they thought the prices of items/rent/etc were.

Could have just been fake rage bait, but these old bats were estimating that rent on a 1500 sqft condo was a couple hundred bucks and a 2,500 sqft house's asking price was like 80k

Screw setting him up with a charter boat trip. Send his old arse up to Montana, Wyoming, or Idaho for a trip in April or May to fly fish with a guide up there. (If you're really wanting to spend some money, that is.)

Being that I'm getting to be a bit old and cantankerous myself these days though, let me recommend getting him a couple nice flannel shirts. We old men can never have too many of them and they only get more comfortable with age and wear.

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He doesn't want to spend all day trapped on a boat with you

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I don't want to spend all day trapped on TD with him but here I am.

I'm sure I'll be labeled a fig, but whatever.

I have 4 sons. Usually, if I want or need anything, I get it. At his age, I'm sure he does as well. I don't care for anyone to spend their hard earned money on me, or stressing to get me something. There's nothing I can think of that I need as far as material gifts. Real talk.

The best thing I can ever get, is a handwritten note, telling me that they love me. Not even a card, just a note. Or a heartfelt card thanking me for raising them. A phone call works as well.

As a father, getting older, nothing makes me as a happy as one of them thanking me for being their dad, or telling me something that they appreciate about me when they were growing up. It's honestly the most important job I ever had.

Now, let the gay bashing begin.

I used to be like this, maybe not as bad, but in the same ballpark, then I figured out that it gives some people great joy to give others gifts (even if it's something I'll never use) and I don't want to take that joy away from them. So I happily open the present I'll likely never use and am very grateful that someone was thinking of me.

It's not lame at all and I 100% endorse it from the other end. I wrote my dad a lengthy letter for Father's Day this year, on the premise of things I've learned/appreciated since becoming a dad myself.

He's a simple guy at this point and I really got in my head about him thinking he may feel unneeded these days. He's tried to mention the letter a few times but can't really talk about it without having to stop - so mission accomplished.

Why does someone receiving a gift need to tell the gift giver what to buy? You should know what he likes in life by now. Buy him something you think he may like and move on. Why does the gift receiver have to be the shopper as well?

Old men don’t want surprise shite.