# Help me be a good son! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 29, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583 "2006-05-29T01:05:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/1 "2006-05-29T01:05:30Z")
I’m headed back to Casablanca soon and I’d like to bring back a gift for my 61 yo father. Unlike my mother, he didn’t send me a list 🙂 I’m looking for something that says “Dad, I love you and I didn’t need to post in a forum to figure out what the perfect present for you is”. My ceiling is $100. Perfume and clothing are a last resort. About half of you are or might become fathers. If you help me out, I promise I’ll help out your children when _they_ come here asking for help. As for you ladies, I have nothing to bribe you with. You’ll have to do this out of the goodness of your heart. That goes for everyone else as well. Thank you all for your time! ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/2 "2006-05-29T01:34:58Z")
Help us out here. What does your dad like to do? Is he a reader? Does he like movies? Is he a handyman type? Sports? Fishing? ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/3 "2006-05-29T02:34:45Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Help us out here. What does your dad like to do? Is he a reader? Does he like movies? Is he a handyman type? Sports? Fishing? He rarely reads. He sometimes watches movies on television. No more handy than your average male. No sports. No fishing. No hunting. I know it’s hard. That’s why I’m here to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/4 "2006-05-29T02:51:23Z")
How about something basic, but high quality basic? Like cashmere socks, or a gold key chain. Does your mom have any suggestions? Hey. I got it. Get something from your mom’s list and wrap it beautifully, with a nice card that says “Love from your husband.” Your gift to dad is his gift to mom! He doesn’t have to shop! No? Okay then. I got nuthin’. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/5 "2006-05-29T03:29:34Z")
Maybe instead of getting him a gift, perhaps you could take him out to lunch or dinner-anywhere he wants to go, your treat? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/6 "2006-05-29T03:44:04Z")
Casablanca? As in Casablanca, Morocco? Well, I think there’s only one thing. Letters of transit. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/7 "2006-05-29T04:06:02Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Casablanca? As in Casablanca, Morocco? Well, I think there’s only one thing. Letters of transit. Heh. Good one! Guinastasia: Nah, that’s not an option. It’s gotta be something that he can’t get in Morocco. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/8 "2006-05-29T04:09:14Z")
Are there foods he likes? High quality chocolates, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/9 "2006-05-29T04:22:59Z")
A nice bottle of wine / scotch / rum / your father’s choice of alcohol makes a classy gift… ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/10 "2006-05-29T04:53:45Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > A nice bottle of wine / scotch / rum / your father’s choice of alcohol makes a classy gift… Ah, my father doesn’t drink. Heh. He would’ve laughed if he had read this 🙂 Foods he like…I used to take beef jerky back with me. He definitely liked that. But then the issue of them not being halal came up so my brother is the one who’d end up eating it. And he’s already got HIS gift (a pc graphic card). The food thing is not a bad idea. But my father would probably think it wasteful for me to spend $100 buying him food. It could be part of his gift though. Like $20 in food of some kind (what kind is a good question…) Keep’em coming gang! I appreciate the help! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/11 "2006-05-29T10:27:39Z")
If he’s a Muslim, how about a very good copy of the Koran? Or a commentary on the Koran by an American scholar? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/12 "2006-05-29T10:33:20Z")
A pair of binoculars and a “birds of Morocco” book. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/13 "2006-05-29T10:47:25Z")
Big books of pictures work well with most people. In Morocco they do lots of beautiful leatherwork and metalwork. Most people bring back tiny mirrors, boxes, or leather stuff. Even if he doesn’t need a new wallet right now, one brought from Casablanca, all engraved, would be special. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/14 "2006-05-29T10:48:38Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > A nice bottle of wine / scotch / rum / your father’s choice of alcohol makes a classy gift… From Casablanca? _passes the Atlas around_ ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/15 "2006-05-29T11:10:36Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > From Casablanca? > > _passes the Atlas around_ The dad lives in Casablanca. The question is what to bring him from America. A watch? A leatherman multi-tool/knife? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/16 "2006-05-29T11:15:04Z")
> [@Manda JO](#): > > The dad lives in Casablanca. The question is what to bring him from America. > > A watch? A leatherman multi-tool/knife? _slaps self with Atlas_ Heck, then the big book with pics is a sure bet. Worked even for my SIL. Worked even for her Mom! I like bringing the ones that aren’t something people are used to (consciously) seeing in every movie. See if you can find one about the town you live in. Makes for great conversation, everybody asks “have you been _here_?” ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/17 "2006-05-29T18:13:23Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > How about something basic, but high quality basic? Like cashmere socks, or a gold key chain. > > Does your mom have any suggestions? > > Hey. I got it. Get something from your mom’s list and wrap it beautifully, with a nice card that says “Love from your husband.” Your gift to dad is his gift to mom! He doesn’t have to shop! > > No? Okay then. I got nuthin’. Those are all pretty good ideas. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/18 "2006-05-29T18:20:26Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > If he’s a Muslim, how about a very good copy of the Koran? Or a commentary on the Koran by an American scholar? Heh. Nah, he has one of those already. > [@jjimm](#): > > A pair of binoculars and a “birds of Morocco” book. He probably wouldn’t use that. > [@Manda Jo](#): > > A watch? A leatherman multi-tool/knife? Not a watch because the good ones are too expensive. The leatherman multi-tool is a possibility. I’m just not sure he’d get much use out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/19 "2006-05-29T18:31:49Z")
A CD of his favorite music. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583/20 "2006-05-29T18:35:25Z")
> [@Gozu](#): > > I’m headed back to Casablanca soon and I’d like to bring back a gift for my 61 yo father. Unlike my mother, he didn’t send me a list 🙂 So ask your mother to send you a list for him! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-be-a-good-son/358583.md?page=2)