I like consumable items for the older people who don’t need stuff. Is he supposed to eat less salt? Penzey’s has great spice mixes for sprinkling on eggs. I forget which are salt free, but Arizona Dreaming or Fox Point are popular.
Or a gift certificate to get the car detailed.
Suggestions for the OP’s dad (also you have my sympathy)
for the computer, they make thumb drives with all sorts of cute/quirky designs (like little guitars or whatever) and these aren’t expensive. Even if someone doesn’t use one often it’s the kind of thing where if a need comes up even once a year, it’s convenient to have one on hand, and even if he never uses it, it can sit in his desk drawer and not take up much space.
does he have any sort of attachment or nostalgia for where he is from, or where he went to college? If so, maybe a framed print or even a map of a city, especially from an earlier era. I also like framing random stuff, so maybe a schematic of the type of car he was most interested in. Or a vintage ad for a car that he owned (his first car?)
My dad will be 70 in January and he’s impossible, too.
Every year I get him an Uncle John’s Big Bathroom Reader, they publish new every year. I’ve been giving them so long I think Dad would think something was seriously wrong if I stopped.
Also, pistachios. He loves them but doesn’t really buy them on his own. So I gift a few pounds every Christmas.
After that, I’m always at a loss.
Oh god I’m in the same boat with my dad. Old, no hobbies (my mother and I have tried for years, believe me) well-off enough that he doesn’t need me to cover a landscaper or car detailing or something, plus no grandkids cuz I don’t want children and am an only child. Dislikes animals, never took up golf and follows no sports, mostly just grumps at Fox News or in front of Google all day. (Couple years ago he had prostate cancer, and temporarily took up the hobby of reading online about cancer stuff - all cancers, not just his own - but is in full remission.)
Plus my parents are going out of town for Christmas this year (one shining bright spot) but the downside is my mom wants to do a makeup Xmas early, so now my deadline got bumped up.
This is the third thread in which I’ve made this suggestion…maybe I should change my user name.
Consider giving a flashlight(s).
This is one of the few gifts that always seems appreciated. You can go for a keychain flashlight, a small handheld, a fancier one with different functions and a beam that can be focused, a set of matching flashlights, one that can use three different types of batteries, or just about any other type you can imagine. He might put it in his pocket, in his toolbox, in his bedside drawer, in his kitchen drawer, near his favorite chair, or someplace else.
I only came to appreciate the power of giving flashlights when my company had some high-quality Mini-Maglites laser-engraved as promotional items for a trade show. You would have thought we were giving out gold bars. I’ll meet someone who attended the show in 2004 and they will say, “Hey! You were the company giving out the neat flashlights at that trade show. I’ve got mine out in the car right now.”
Dammit, I got all excited reading the start of that post. Alas, my parents keeps flashlights on the stairs, in each car, in the garage etc.
Good idea, though, for others who aren’t as obsessive about worrying and pre-planning.
Ok, that brings me to a thought. Any ideas for the constant worryer? (Maybe I’ll just get him one of those Thundershirts they sell for nervous dogs. Think it would fit? :D)
^A few xmases ago we gave everyone power-failure flashlights. You crank them to use the flashlight/radio/usb etc. You can charge a cellphone during a power failure!
Every time we have a family get-together people have stories about how they used their crank light during a difficult situation.
purplehorseshoe, do they have keychain flashlights? They sound like they are planning for everything, but they might not have flashlights in their pockets or purses.
I’ve found that Streamlight Nano flashlights work great for most people. They are inexpensive, made of aluminum, and have a recessed LED that doesn’t scratch easily. Plenty bright. The only downside is that they use unusual button cells, but you can buy them a dozen at a time from Am****.
As far as crank flashlights go, they never seem bright enough for the work involved. I prefer using using alkaline or lithium batteries, which have a long shelf-life and don’t seem to leak.
I have no financial interest in any flashlights I may mention…really.
Disaster food? Freeze dried, comes in boxes, spend as much as you want.
If they have flashlights what about MREs? I’m a low-level prepper and is love to get a box of MREs.
But yeah, I’m the tough to buy for in my family. Throughout the year I usually just buy whatever I want. Plus, I put a lot of effort in people’s presents and I hate getting gift cards the Christmas.
This may not be helpful for the OP, but over the past few years I’ve found that a respectable gift for many people I know who are hard to shop for is Fiestaware. It’s practical, comes in lots of colors, straddles the line between “classic” and “kitschy” and thus suits a variety of tastes, and is available on Amazon and in department stores.
An older person probably does not need full place settings, but there are Fiesta mugs in several sizes and styles and most people could use a decent mug (or set of mugs). You can add a coffee/tea/cocoa/Keurig cup sampler depending on what they like to drink.
Something I gave my folks as a thank you gift when I got married was a letter to each of them telling them how grateful I was for everything they’ve done for me, including my all-time favorite memory of a time with each of them. (Interestingly, neither remembered the occasion that I’d chosen.) It went over big.
My mom is the hard to buy for person on my list. She doesn’t wear makeup, perfume, or jewelry and her main hobby is watching hockey. My nieces will abscond with any toys or gadgets you buy for her. Anything else she wants she just goes out and buys for herself.
I’m buying her a tea assortment this year. She doesn’t drink coffee but she does like tea. Probably some fancy honey to go with it. And I just gave myself an idea while typing this. I’m quite sure she doesn’t already have an LA Kings mug. Kings stuff is hard to come by in this part of the country, it’s all Blackhawks and Red Wings.
Speaking of tea, I had tennis elbow this year and realized that a regular coffee mug was heavy. Lightweight mugs really might be helpful for older folks.
Spend the day with your dad if you aren’t able to see him a lot . Does he like movies or have old TV shows he would love to watch again ? You could buy some DVD of his favorites old TV shows .
Of the many great things about Kiva, I’ve found that its wide range of loan types to choose from make it a great gift card to give; the recipient can search through and find people looking for loans by so many criteria and at the same time they get a bigger picture of the micro-loan world. Each loan starts around $25 so I try to give enough to fund 2 or more. Plus your recipient can cash out the bulk of the money one it’s repaid if they wish. If you have a person who doesn’t want things but you also don’t want to simply donate in their name Kiva is a wonderful middle ground.
For a less expensive gift, as my folks have gotten older I’ve found they enjoy books that are little more than clever and funny picture books; Cakewrecks has a few now, there’s Terrible Real Estate Photos, that sort of thing.
How about a subscription to Netflix? (Amazon Prime? MLB.com?)
Donation in his name to charity/library/organization?
Would he enjoy a computer game? Something puzzle-like and not with a million options that are hard to learn…or you have to react quickly.
I like getting stuff for the house I’m too cheap or unmotivated to shop for (new sheets/towels/warm throw blanket)
Good luck!
I’ve been buying my MIL a tea assortment as a Christmas gift for a while now. She enjoys drinking one after dinner.
Hey guys, I’m in my 70s now. I will happily accept any and all gifts, especially cash. 
You’ll only blow it on Ice-melt for your porch and driveway.