Gifts for my father - part five - a failure
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381905)
Rockingham, Australia
December 15, 2025 9:01pm CST
This is the last post I’ll be doing about Christmas gifts I bought my father. Over the years, I tried to come up with something different rather than just buying initialled hankies or jars of cashews. He was at the age I am now and didn’t really want for anything or worry about gifts but it was important to me at the time to put a bit of thought into his gifts.
However, one was less than successful. I bought a pattern for a rocking chair. Dad had started doing a bit of woodwork and I thought it would be nice if he could make a rocking chair. We didn’t just buy the pattern; we bought the timber he needed too, against Vince’s better judgement, as it ended up quite expensive. The whole project proved too complicated and many years later, it ended up in our hands and we never got around to making it either. All I can say is that my intentions were good.
The photo is of a candlestick which Dad turned from a banksia nut.
18 people like this
15 responses
@DaddyEvil (174296)
• United States
16 Dec
The candlestick looks nice!
Intentions count for a lot when it comes to our parents. 
In my opinion, of course.
In my opinion, of course.4 people like this
@LadyDuck (502221)
• Italy
16 Dec
@JudyEv - I remember that, after I got married, my husband received an expensive wrist watch from a client. He did never wear wrist watches, so we offered it to my father for Christmas. That idiot of my brother wore it to go to the beach and lost it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (59149)
•
16 Dec
I love the candlestick. So unique and different!
Well, like you said, your intentions were good. We all make mistakes on gift giving sometimes. All we can do is our best. You put love and a lot of thought into it, that's what really mattered.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381905)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Dec
@MarieCoyle Some are incredibly hard to buy for.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (59149)
•
16 Dec
@JudyEv
It was very hard for me to surprise my Dad with a gift when he was alive. He never really wanted anything. He loved the little things my children gave him more than anything.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (120630)
• United States
16 Dec
It really was a good thought. I always tried to get inventive with what I got my dad, but of course, my budget was almost always limited. But like my dad with my gifts, your own dad must have thought it was an original gift you came up with.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208801)
• United States
16 Dec
Oh well you triied.
I remember one year I got MY dad a Danger men cooking apron..because he was into barbecuing. Hat is the most creative I got other than the sport team remote older I talked about on here efore.
I remember one year I got MY dad a Danger men cooking apron..because he was into barbecuing. Hat is the most creative I got other than the sport team remote older I talked about on here efore.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381905)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Dec
I bought books for Dad from time to time. He quite liked reading.
@FourWalls (86613)
• United States
16 Dec
Hey, the best laid plans of mice and men and rocking chairs….
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (40026)
• Toccoa, Georgia
16 Dec
Yes, it was the thought that counted.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222285)
• United States
16 Dec
Well, your heart was in the right place.
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (10111)
• Calcutta, India
16 Dec
Ahh timber gone to waste...Anyways it was a thoughtful gift!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381905)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Dec
I guess the timber warmed someone at some point. lol
