My dad never went anywhere without his Filofax.
Even when they stopped being fashionable, he stuck with it. Every year he'd hunt down the refills like they were gold. Birthdays, reminders, phone numbers, notes from meetings — everything went into that Filofax in his neat handwriting.
And if someone ever questioned something he'd said, out it came.
He'd flip through old pages, find the exact note, and loudly prove his point - if he was right, a little quieter if he wasn't .
But what I remember most is that even though he loved the familiar things, he was never stuck in the past. He genuinely enjoyed technology. He spent hours on the computer teaching himself how to add music to videos long before apps made it easy. He liked learning new things and figuring things out for himself.
Another favourite was his little retractable computer mouse.
That's probably why something like a power bank or a good tech set would've made perfect sense for him. Not because it was flashy, but because he would've actually used it.
I think that's where Father's Day gifts often go right, in noticing the small things they already carry through life with them.
The things they use.
The things they rely on.
The things that become part of who they are.
Same same. But better.