Dad's 60th Birthday, Creative Free Ideas

renielou
  • By renielou · July 3, 2010 at 10:22 pm · 23 replies
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My Dad's 60th birthday is on July 16th and I am, pretty BROKE. I know the whole, oh "all I need is love" crap, but I want to do something special for him. He is letting me live with them [my folks] and has sat by my hospital bed many, many nights. He loves Harleys, cigars, 60s and 70s rock bands, country, Dallas Cowboys, and Sees Candies.
So help me think of something, please. Coupon books don't work, I can't do much of anything for him that way..and going out to eat is a no.

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23 replies   

Lauren2006

Hi, I know about being broke these days. I know there are def ppl that have it worse, but b/t my medicine copays, and my husband's hrs being cut, I am barely making it. Our cable package got reduced, we are looking at other things (want vs need) and to top it all off, the rent went up! But I do know there are ppl who have it harder.

My FIL likes cigars, and my husband often goes to this store nearby that has some speciality cigars for not a lot. DO you have any such places near you? There are some online ones too, but I do not know of any offhand. Also, do not discount Amazon.com. You can get A LOT of stuff there cheaper. See if there are any collector editions of 60s and 70s bands he likes, (greatest hits), any movies from that era? Maybe you can find some Dallas cowboy stuff he would like discounted too, maybe a t-shirt, pen, or a collector's item! Give it a shot, have a price limit in mind ( I always have to, and use it as a guide) and I know you will find something somewhere! Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

Love,

Lauren

Peggypeg

Hi! you have internet access so why not start by downloading some free images [ search for them and the ones you can use etc!!] and get a piece of card and make a collage card of all the things he likes as a greeting? You could alternatively scan and paste some old photos of him and maybe you on with these fav subject images?????

As for the gift small is OK! Who said we need to spend a lot? a little gift is great! My birthday this week and I never have huge gifts because we stopped it years ago as income and money is tight for many so we chatted and decided it was silly to stress over gifts as it takes the joy out of giving!! Time and care are a milliuon times more valuable than parcels as nice as these can be too!!!

Chris

Blaster

while some people may be offended by an "Over The Hill" B-Day party....
They can be fun....
And the party allows for great socializing.

An over the hill b-day cake... Your local grocery store or Dairy Queen can make one... or Make your own...
Google 'over the hill' for ideas....

Gag gifts are not expensive....
*A plastic funnel with instructions on using... place small end near ear...
*A cane with bike horn & mirror attached....
*A bottle of prune juice....

mrsbonnell

why dont you and your dad do some thing just the two of have it has father and daughter time for awhlie then the rest of family later also you can make him some thing is a lot better than what you can buy in store tell your dad happy bd and give him hug and tell him how much you love him pam

rickibrat2

have some new harley tee shirts sitting here

but we all kbniow real men now ride BMW's nice ride :)

NanaRonnie

Make hin a scrapebook of the two of you. Letting him see all the good times you have had together. Include pictures, stories and little rememberances that you may have. Kind of this is your life. You'll have fun gathering all sorts of stuff and he will love it.
Happy Birthday to him from NanaRonnie

equesada

I remember seeing some of See's recipes online, and free music downloads too. Not sure if you can handle being in the kitchen long enough to make candy for him or not, or if you are a pretty good cook make him a nicw meal

Erica

Rickjr

As a 60 year old Dad myself and going through this FSGS thing too. I like the ideas that were suggested of making something with rememberance items with personal pictures and spending time one on one together sharing those memories would be a great birthday gift.

renielou

I love a lot of the ideas here!
I am definitely doing the scrapbook thing and the funnel gag gift....he is totally deaf.
Thank you all for so many great ideas, see's candies recipes! Who'd a thunk it? as my Dad would say.
I am a horrible cook, which is why it would be a tremondous feat if I cook anything...I shall enlist my grandmother's help.

NancyL

I think the thing he would value the most would be a heartfelt letter from you to him telling him what he means to you and why you feel lucky to have him for a dad. Include as many storys as possible from your childhood, both the good and the tough times. There is no greater gift than love and it is something you realize more and more as you get older. You could also try to get in touch with as many old friends and relatives as you can asking them to remember him this year.
You are really blessed to feel this way about your father. I had a fantastic mother, but my father has left such scars on my soul, even after intense therapy.
Nancy

Angiebug92

I say find some old pictures and take some new ones and some with the family and make him a video. you can download free movie makers and also put a song on it.
I made videos the past two years in a row for mothers day for both my mom and sister.

The-Dreamer

I Agree with Peggypeg, Nanceyl & Angiebug92...

"The Dreamer"

MaryT

Hi

Are you in the Dallas area? A tour of the ball park is cheap. don't tell him let it be a surpised. I would write to the team and ask for a perk. if not you tried.

Mary

sham1313

I see you got some good replys so i just thought i try to give you some moral support. y can do a lot on the net free or almost free if you know where to look
GB TAKE CARE

ChrisandMom

My dad just turned 80. For him we started a family tree on Ancestry. They do free trials and if you work hard on it you can get a lot done in 2 weeks. And there are a lot of free genealogy sites as well.
I know you said "free". If you have the ability maybe a few garage sales and such. You never know who might have old vinyl records around of his favorite bands they will let go for cheap.
Best of luck to you. Just knowing how much you appreciate that he is there for you is probably the best gift a child can give our parents.

anthony204

Well I do not recommend smoking but how about get him a nice cigar if you have home movies watch them and put on the oldie station and talk about the good times you had growing up, have a BBQ and cold beer, what could be better.

Shai1

It's difficult to do things on the cheap and still make it a rewarding experience but it's not impossible.

I think getting out the old pictures and taking a walk down memory lane is great. Having your grandmother bake his favortie cake?? But it doesn't take any great cooking to decorate it. Add some of his favorite things to the cake to make it personalized. Be creative, look on line for additional ideas.

You stated he was deaf??in an early post. I guess that would take away a movie night for the two of you. Pop popcorn or just have some of the favorite snacks ready to go. Movies are rentable through local libraries and their fees are appprox $1 to $2 dollars for several days.
You can also get books on tape, does he have a favorite author?
My dad would have been happy with a day of fishing and little more than that.
Can you invite relatives over for a visit, some that he may not have seen in a while. Just an open house day or night for his birthday. Explain that you have few funds but you'll have a cold tea or lemonade waiting, along with a few snacks - keep it simple, chips, cookies and of course your cake!

Please let us know how the day goes and what you were able to accomplish.

renielou

Thanks for all the ideas! I will keep you posted but keep em coming! he is not deaf, he just can't hear out of one ear (or so he says.....) It is always the ear I am talking into oddly enough.

Mizzou_mom_of_4

Here is what we did for my pastor's 31st birthday with the help of his wife. We got a caravan together and made up signs on regular paper and taped them to the cars, we had 31 black balloons tied to the vechicles and we also spray painted 31 soda cans black and tied them to the vehicles in the caravan. We set up a time with my pastor's wife as to when she should have him 'doing yard work'. We started out at the beginning of the road they lived on and drove down the street honking, beating the vehicles with our hands and whooping and hollering out the windows. We passed his house up and went around the block (we stopped making noises once we turned the corner) and once we came back to the beginning of his street we started the noises once again. This time instead of going around the block, we turned into his driveway. By this time we had the neighbors' attention and they were standing outside in their yard trying to see what was going on. I still laugh at the memory of the look on my pastor's face when he realized who was making all the noise as we rounded the corner on our first round.

Hoppytoad

When my dad was alive, I would make him a batch of cookies in several different kinds. He enjoyed that more than something bought at the store.

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