western australia

Gifts for my father - part one

@JudyEv (369876)

Rockingham, Australia

November 26, 2025 7:42pm CST

My Dad was hard to buy for at Christmas and birthdays. When I was little, I might have given him initialled handkerchiefs but in later years I got quite creative – in my humble opinion.

One year, my brother and I got him some writing paper that had a letterhead giving the name and address of the farm, with matching envelopes. Dad had a Merino (sheep) stud at the time. Stationery with letterheads was quite a big deal at the time. I had a friend at the local printers who helped with it all. But at the time, getting the name of the farm to curve neatly over the address was very tricky and it was just the tiniest bit wonky. Nowadays, with computers and all the technology available it would be a breeze. The photo is of one of my father’s prize rams.

19 people like this

17 responses

@AmbiePam (110750)

• United States

27 Nov

What a terrific idea! And I love the picture.

8 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

I avoided going back to our farm for years after it was sold but I've been back a couple of times lately and it's been really interesting and enjoyable.

3 people like this

@AmbiePam (110750)

• United States

28 Nov

@JudyEv I’m glad you can do that happily now.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

@AmbiePam Thanks.

1 person likes this

Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (67648)

• Centralia, Washington

27 Nov

I always had trouble figuring what to get my Dad for Christmas, too. That's quite the sheep.

7 people like this

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Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (67648)

• Centralia, Washington

28 Nov

@JudyEv Agreed. We finally got Dad a bunch of colorful socks one year. The box with the socks stayed up in his bedroom closet.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Some men don't seem to have many hobbies or interests outside of their work.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

@sallypup Oh, that's a shame.

1 person likes this

@snowy22315 (201706)

• United States

27 Nov

Poor sheep .he musta been hot in that get up. My grandparents had an aerial picture of their farm they liked quite a lot.

7 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

We had one of those too. Aerial photos were very special at the time. It was a long time ago.

2 people like this

@rakski (149372)

• Philippines

27 Nov

stationery is a good gift idea

7 people like this

@SIDIKIMPOLE (3018)

• Eldoret, Kenya

27 Nov

Very true my friend

3 people like this

@noni1959 (12208)

• United States

27 Nov

Wow! That ram looks amazing but also like he would have so much weight on him. What a clever idea for a nice gift. I'm trying to think of something for my son. Each year it gets harder since he gets so much given to him by clients. I was just getting ready to order him a tactical stick and he just excitedly showed me a photo a client is sending him one!

6 people like this

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@noni1959 (12208)

• United States

28 Nov

@JudyEv I hope so. My ex-daughter-in-law told him to make an Amazon list for the gift exchange and I'm going to peek at it.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

@noni1959 That's a good idea. Books are good for Vince but they're so expensive nowadays and you can get them for a pittance in op shops. He's be happy with second-hand.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Oh, that would have been a bit of a disappointment. I hope you're able to come up with something else.

2 people like this

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@LindaOHio (211571)

• United States

27 Nov

That's a great picture. Very clever gift idea.

6 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Thanks. It was difficult sometimes to think outside the box.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (211571)

• United States

28 Nov

@JudyEv You're very welcome.

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (51205)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

27 Nov

I remember giving my mother-in-law personalised stationery for Christmas one year. She did use it, too. That was when people still wrote letters... so long ago.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

I think it's a nice idea but probably not very sensible nowadays.

2 people like this

ultraman cosmos

@id_peace (16893)

• Singapore

27 Nov

That was an majestic ram.

6 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Yes, this one was quite valuable.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (491348)

• Italy

27 Nov

The writing paper with a letterhead was a big thing in the past and I am sure your Dad appreciated. I love this picture, a lot of precious wool.

5 people like this

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@LadyDuck (491348)

• Italy

28 Nov

@JudyEv I will search online, I know that I loved the sweaters made with Merino wool.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

@LadyDuck With modern technology they can create very fine material from wool.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Merinos look totally different now. They breed them much 'plainer' now (not so many folds on the neck).

1 person likes this

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@DaddyEvil (166188)

• United States

27 Nov

I'm sure your dad appreciated the stationary and letterhead.

6 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

He was pretty pleased. It was a pretty big deal in a way. I don't know any other farmers who had letterheads. At least not small-time farmers like my Dad.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (128340)

• Marion, Ohio

27 Nov

My dad was hard to buy for too.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Some men seem to have few hobbies or interests other than their work.

1 person likes this

@RasmaSandra (93232)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

27 Nov

That is one handsome ram.I can imagine how nice that stationary was, I remember that my dad's favorite cologne was Old Spice so being little me and my mom always got hime Old Spice and a tie for holidays,

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Yes, I bought aftershave for Dad more than once.

1 person likes this

@Shiva49 (27824)

• Singapore

27 Nov

I don't recall buying presents for my parents except when we did shopping together They used to visit me in Singapore/Indonesia and bought them souvenirs. Quite a thoughtful present from you and your brother.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Thanks. It was too expensive for me on my own but with my brother's help we could afford it.

1 person likes this

@SIDIKIMPOLE (3018)

• Eldoret, Kenya

27 Nov

Wow. This is so nice

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

My father had some really nice sheep.

@jstory07 (147192)

• Roseburg, Oregon

28 Nov

That is a nice looking Ram.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Dad was very proud of this one. Merinos look different now.

1 person likes this

Anindita Sengupta

@aninditasen (17961)

• Raurkela, India

27 Nov

The ram looks like a toy.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (369876)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Nov

Yes, I suppose it does a little bit. He looks big enough for a child to sit on.

@MarieCoyle (53672)

•

28 Nov

My grandfather and two of his brothers ran a sheep farm in Canada many years ago. I loved hearing him talk about it. That’s one big ram!! Nice and fluffy!