# Gift to dad on the other side of the world **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-to-dad-on-the-other-side-of-the-world/272214 "2004-11-01T00:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-to-dad-on-the-other-side-of-the-world/272214/1 "2004-11-01T00:18:04Z")
Wife and I just realised that my dad’s birthday (92nd) is later this week, and we haven’t organised anything: no card, no present, nothing. This wouldn’t be so bad, except that he’s in Australia and we’re in the US, and at this stage even Fedexing is probably dubious in terms of getting there. So we’re probably reduced to what you can get delivered by ringing up a place in Australia. I thought of flowers – he’s not really a flowers person, but I think he’d appreciate it, since he wouldn’t get flowers very often. In any case, he’s not that easy to buy presents for: he’s really got pretty well all he wants. So any suggestions, before I ring an Australian florist in desparation tomorrow? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-to-dad-on-the-other-side-of-the-world/272214/2 "2004-11-01T00:33:24Z")
Maybe you could exercise your visa card at an Australian online store. That way, it could probably be shipped overnight. I know Angus & Robertson has online shopping (because my sister-in-law ordered books there for my son’s birthday so that she didn’t have to do international shipping). [Site](http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/) There must be other companies that do this, too. Grace Brothers? David Jones? Or, if they don’t have online shopping, you could even call them, explain your circumstances, and give them your credit card information over the phone. I’ve never done that here in Australia, but I did that several times in the U.S. Once, my husband saw something he really wanted in a store in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.). He mentioned it on the way home. When we got home, I called them, described the item (I hadn’t seen it myself, so that was a lot of fun), gave them my credit card number, and had them ship it to me so I could surprise him. I just had them put the shipping costs on the credit card. Even if a store like David Jones doesn’t do this as a regular service, they may accomodate you because of the nature of your request. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-to-dad-on-the-other-side-of-the-world/272214/3 "2004-11-01T00:36:07Z")
[Gowings online store!!!](http://www.gowings.com.au/index.asp?strItem=) You’ve gotta be able to find something here! ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-to-dad-on-the-other-side-of-the-world/272214/4 "2004-11-01T00:37:16Z")
What about a gift basket **Giles**? There are plenty of on-line companies that would provide a gift basket with things your father might like e.g. wine, cheeses etc. That’s how I always did my parents’ birthday presents while I was living overseas. Or just phone him on the day and have a nice long chat. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-to-dad-on-the-other-side-of-the-world/272214/5 "2004-11-01T00:41:18Z")
We will be phoning him – international calls are cheap these days – but a gift basket or Gowings look like good ideas: I’kll check them out. Thanks!