Among Friends

[ThinkingOutLoud]

I suggest something more personal. For instance:

 - get as many people as possible to write or record memories of him (they don't need to be long) and put them in an album, etc

 - 90 reasons thankful for him framed

 - 90 things admire about him

 - a family fan chart

[Sooner]

@Mz iMac Simple answer!  Ask him!  If he says he doesn't want anything then a sweet card and letter.  Maybe frame a handwritten note about what he means to you.  Otherwise, do what the man says!

If you need something, I'll suggest this oddball gift:  We got some little bee lights that are solar operated, and blink on and off from dark to almost dusk.  We just think they are so cute.  

So maybe some little string of some kind of solar powered lights for a deck rail or a plant outside?  Got them from Amazon and they lasted for years on the patio.  Until the softball sized hail took 'em out!  We bought more!

[Mz iMac]

@Sooner  I don't think your comment was meant for me.   The original OP maybe?

[LizzieInSRQ]

Tom Brokaw's book The Greatest Generation

Otherwise I'd need to know more about him. What his favorite hobby is/was. Is he into the arts? Theater? Can he walk for long periods? Zoo? Hard to think of things when we don't know him.

I knew a history buff that I literally bought a dinosaur Toth for in eBay for about 50 bucks. Certified. I wrote on the card I got him something that was older than him lol

But I agree, they don't want more stuff. 

[BunSnoop]

@LizzieInSRQ, I looked on-line about the book and it looks like that may be a great item for him - thank you!!  Maybe the book, a box of nice chocolates will work.

He was in the air force (we've purchased many related items for him over the year) and a retired pilot (we purchased over the years air plane related items too).

He does not have any hobbies that I know of.  He can walk a little, but not too far - he has to push his wife (my husband's step-mother) in a wheelchair.

I've never heard them mention going to theater or concerts.  In the past they loved to go on cruises; however, the last one did not work out well, and he said it will be the last one, as his wife had a difficult time breathing.

He does not drink alcoholic beverages.

[colliemom4]

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@depglass wrote:

There is a great lesson in this thread.  If you are the recipient of a gift you postively don't care for, don't leave it hanging around for your heirs to find.  I remember my mother's stuff, there was a turquoise sweatshirt I had given her, never worn.  Obviously she didn't like sweatshirts, the color was OK.  Also found an unworn screaming chartreuse cable knit sweater from my sister.  I wouldn't have worn that one either.

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@depglass  I found some things I had given my Grandma in her house after she died. They were unused though she claimed to love them. It didn't hurt my feelings but I definitely learned the lesson you are speaking of from it.

[gnomie1]

When my mother turned 90, I gave her a book that I had ordered from The New York Times store - it is a coffee table book and included the front page of the day the individual was born and the front page for every birthday afterwards. It is a very impressive gift, esp if here are 90 front pages.

It is not inexpensive, about $145, however the NYT store usually has sales (20% off) around "gifting" holidays and Mother's Day is coming up.

My Mom keeps the book on the coffee table and guests enjoy reading it.

Another gift she has received and enjoyed - a one year subscription to StoryWorth. She enjoyed answering the questions and the finished book will become a family heirloom. How it works is that the receipient is provided a question about themselves every week and then the stories are bound into a book.

[sktchy]

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@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:

When our Mom turned 90 the kids got her a case of wine w/a Happy 90th birthday,Grandma on the label. When she passed we found the the wine bottles hidden in the back of her closet. She didn't want anyone to know she was 90.

This was 8 years later and the wine was ruined.

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How long can you keep wine ?  18 months ago I had 2 cases of wine sent to me over the Holidays.   I still haven't broken into either one. 

[on the bay]

@BunSnoop,

The most memorable gift we gave to my 90 year old step father and 90 year old uncle was a note from each person about how much they meant to them. We tied it with ribbons and put pictures in too.

And other than that, I agree about asking. Sometimes unless it is something you absolutely know they will like, its better not to get something just to get something.

Sometimes too, I know with my mother, the cards and calls, flowers were the most treasured "gifts" to her. We took her out too or celebrated at home. Mostly she loved having everyone there.

[debfau]

@BunSnoop 

You could make a donation in his name to a local charity or you said he was in Air Force, you could donate to Air Force Aid Society (The Air Force Aid Society is the official charity of the U.S. Air Force and has been meeting the unique needs of Airmen and their families since 1942.)