Christmas

Dads are really hard to buy for, but here at Christmas.vg we’re going to help you go beyond the socks and handkerchiefs. Remember, if you’re stuck for something to buy as a gift, just pick from the following three categories; something to eat, something to wear, or something to play with.

1. Christmas Books

For Dads, you’ll probably be looking at biographies, travel books and humour. In terms of biographies for Dads to read there are the following contenders:

• Sean Connery’s “Being A Scot” £17 - according to reviews, it is doesn’t reveal any juicy gossip about the Bond girls, but it does paint a vivid picture of the Scotland of Connery’s childhood.
• William Hague’s “William Wilberforce” £7.59 – the former leader of the Tory party and MP for Richmond, examines the life of William Wilberforce, MP for Hull, who campaigned against the slave trade and moved in the most powerful circles of British political life.
• “Lord Levy” £16.14 – the man at the centre of the cash for peerages scandal under Tony Blair, tells his own story.

For travel there’s “Pies and Prejudice” £6.99 – a humourous trip round the North of England and “Great British Journeys” (from £8.99) – recreating eight epic journeys made by British Explorers, amongst others. In humour, there’s the “QI: The Pocket Book of General Ignorance” (from £6.99), which will be a favourite for any fans of Stephen Fry.

2. DVDs

There’s nothing better than sitting down on Christmas afternoon to watch a DVD with a whole selection box ahead of you. Get your Dad a DVD or, even better, a box set, so that everyone can join in the fun. Here are our Dad’s DVD picks:

• Planet Earth 5-disc set £20.49: “This series will take you to the last wildernesses on Earth, and show you the planet and its wildlife as you have never seen them before.” The series is narrated by David Attenborough and took four years to make.
• Clarkson Thriller £12.99: Just out, this DVD is making the headlines as the latest hit from TV’s favourite motoring journalist.
• The Ultimate Bourne Collection 3-discs £17.99: “A man who may or may not be Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is found floating in the Mediterranean Sea and is hauled onto a fishing boat. When the ship’s doctor examines the unconscious castaway, he discovers two bullet wounds and an implanted device that displays a Swiss bank account number.” And so begins the series of Bourne thrillers, that twist and turn with every new discovery made by the amnesiac assassin.
• Genesis – When in Rome (Live 2007) 3-disc set £14.99: 2 discs of concert and one disc full of Genesis documentary, this DVD will take your Dad back to his glory days!

3. Magazine Subscriptions

Does your Dad like fishing? Watching Countryfile? Or fixing up his motorbike on a weekend? Why not get him a magazine subscription so that he will keep getting a Christmas present every month without having to go out to the shop. Generally speaking, a six-month subscription will be £15 or above. There’s something for everyone so just choose from these magazine producers:

• BBC Shop: Top Gear, Countryfile, Sky at Night, Gardener’s World and more…
• Lonely Planet Guides: Language guides, diving guides, country guides and more…
• Great Magazines: Golfer, Bike, Practical Photography, Trout & Salmon

4. Golfing Days

PGA Golf Day £99

Club together with your brothers and sisters to get your Dad’s game into full swing. The day includes instruction from golf professionals as well as coffee, lunch and a programme to take home. Nothing too strenuous, just a relaxing day spent improving on a hobby. Check the locations before you buy. If you find that the locations listed are not suitable, there are similar golfing options available from Activity Gifts (starting from £45) and Activity Superstore (prices start at £30).

5.  Taxi Meter £9.95

Taxi Meter for Dads £9.95

Is your Dad always complaining that you treat him like a taxi? Get him a taxi meter so that he can count just how much you owe him and give you the chance to earn those inconvenient rides. You might think twice about asking for a lift to school, but at least your Dad will find it funny. The cab meter works on a system of novelty cards that say things like “make your Dad a cup of tea”. Kids have to build up these cards in order to get a lift. If the novelty wears off, you can put the meter in your bedroom where it doubles up as an alarm clock. Can also be used for “Mum’s Cab” and “Family Cab”.

6. Tie & Cufflinks Sets £30

Savile Row £30

Beautifully presented in an easy-to-wrap box, these tie and cufflink sets come in seven different designs.

• 100% silk, hand-finished tie
• Exquisite Savile Row Company jacquard tipping on tie
• Wool inter-lining to perfect tie body and shape
• Matching round silk cufflinks in white metal setting

Fabulous gift idea. Pure silk Savile Row tie with matching round, silk cufflinks. In a beautiful little black box.

Savile Row also do gift boxes for shirts and ties. Online orders benefit from half price delivery. Skinny ties also available.

7. Scottish Malt Whisky

Every Dad is different, so if you’re buying him a nice drink for Christmas you may be better off getting him a cognac, bourbon or sloe gin, but at The Wine Blokes UK and Australian shops, there are a great number of boxed spirit sets which include glasses and hip flasks amongst other accessories. There’s a 50 year old Glenfiddich with tasting notes and a certificate for £4750 and a Highland Park 1958 with hand blown decanter for £1290. For those with a shorter budget there’s the Royal Naval rum, Pusser’s, – otherwise known as Nelson’s Blood – in a special hip flask with naval toasts written on the back for only £13.39.

8. The Cadbury’s Gorilla Gift Set £30

You must have seen the advert by now, if not, watch the youtube video above. It doesn’t make sense, but if your Dad thinks it’s funny, get him the Cadbury’s gorilla gift set (£30), complete with 12 inch Cadbury Gorilla, 1kg Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar, 1x 200g Milk Tray, 1x 230g Fruit and Nut Dairy Milk Bars, 1x 230g Bubbly Dairy Milk Bar, 1x 230g Caramel Dairy Milk. The gorilla is playing along to “In The Air Tonight” (1981) by Phil Collins – the drummer / singer who used to be in Genesis before he went solo.

9. Bose Audio Systems from £499

Bose are the Rolls Royce of audio systems. They have a simple remote control (no swearing at the mulit-lingual instructions) and set themselves for optimum sound quality depending on the shape and acoustics of the room which you put them in. If you buy the WAVE® music system – DAB, you get a free portable DVD player when you order (the WAVE® music system – DAB) by the 31st December 2008. So a new sound system for Dad and a DVD player for you. It has full digital DAB, AM/FM tuning and CD, CD-R/RW and MP3-CD playback. It’s £499, but there are many other options to choose from if you want something cheaper.

10. And if you really must… Luxury Socks

Some Dads rely on getting new pairs of socks at Christmas time, but you can treat him with luxury socks from “Sheer Luxury“. Choose from cotton and wool, diamond pattern or polkadot. Your Dad will be in sock heaven after receiving these luxurious accessories.