Sorry - Christmas first world problem

[hohohumbug]

So - gifts for grandparents have been a point of contention (internally) for me for the past couple of years. In laws have said they don't need specific gifts but some keepsakes from the grandchildren would be nice. DH's sister in the past years have pretty much monopolised the gift ideas - they've done mugs, calendars, photo books, ornaments, hand/ foot prints, aprons, cards, canvases, you name it, they've done it. In laws don't really like clutter, so couple of bits we've made/ bought haven't seemed to have been displayed. But theirs have been. The calendar that she makes only have their family in it. I would also love to give them a calendar with our kids pics but it's become their thing now so don't want the in laws to end up with 2 calendars?
It's obviously up to In laws what they want to keep/ display, but aibu to not bother as it's just our stuff that are put away, and I don't want to give them more clutter. In my opinion, the gifts were tasteful/ at least similar to what SIL have given. We all order from the same online retailer pretty much.
More important issues in life than this obviously but it does make me a bit sad.
Has anyone got any unique ideas for mementoes that I might be able to get? Thanks

Some more great ideas! Thanks!

My fil is in his late 80's and anything moment wise we buy him gets put in a drawer and forgotten about.

We now do him a food hamper with lots of treats etc and home made bits, so hone made biscuits, chocolates, scones, Xmas cake the kids decorate etc

There's only so much crap momentos Grandparents can take. We give ours the latest school photo in a frame, tin of biscuits, bottle of wine and a £50 M&S voucher.

my inlaws have everything. So I get my kids involved in "helping" (that special sort of help) make several types of treats to put in christmassy bags and make a hamper.

they can't moan at me because "the kids did it"
it's a big present
it's something they can't buy for themselves.

I'd ask SIL if you can go in on the calendar. For something extra, if DCs are still small, then get them to make a tree bauble with a handprint on or something. If they're bigger, bake shortbread Christmas trees.

If you want to spend a bit more, then panties tickets for everyone, or theatre vouchers for the ILs are handy.

All quite simple and gets used!

If you want to hand over a wrapped gift, it could just be a photo of your dc

Are they gardeners? I remember giving my grandad a small bag of compost and several packets of seeds once he was delighted with it.
Later my son did the same for my parents but painted a large pot and bought a bag of bulbs and a couple of other garden bits from the £1 shop which he popped inside before wrapping them.

My MIL is just like yours. This year we have made tree ornaments. Our local pottery painting place does them so we've also filled an afternoon during half term. It's more clutter but she can hang it on Christmas Day and then put it away with the other decorations.

I did a calendar for an elderly relative one year and it was really well received. No current photos but some old ones of their parents and husband's parents, photo of them as a child, their wedding, family one of nieces and nephews, a couple of much loved and long departed pets. Some of the photos were nearly 100 years old, some she couldn't remember having seen before (I'm sure she had) and they all caused great excitement as she went through them. Might that work?

Tshirts. With your faces on.

How about. Masks of your heads?

Was coming on to say tree decorations, and see other have had the same idea! You can make this a Christmas tradition and add to them every year - be sure to write your dcs name and the year on it, so each year they can see the collection increase.

By the time your dcs are adults, it'll be their family tradition thing.

Gift voucher from the local tattoo parlour for his n her's portraits of your children?

Panties tickets sound interesting!

How about something like this?
www.notonthehighstreet.com/pepperprintshop/product/personalised-grandchildren-family-tree-print

or these?
www.notonthehighstreet.com/kutuu/product/love-you-grandparent-keyring

Something like a tea towel or peg bag with the DC's pictures on (ones they've drawn)? Not really clutter as it's something they can use ever day.

last year we did a photo collage for both sets of parents - different photos for each of ds and some of us. They loved it and its on the walls to see but not to clutter tables etc (which I also hate)

My parents are the same, they hate clutter. Last year I got them both fleeces and a box of chocs each. They were oddly thrilled. This year dad wants another fleece exactly the same and I'm thinking of getting my mum the Westworld box set and of course chocolates.

If I were you, I'd ditch the mementoes and get them something practical instead. They probably inwardly groan every time they get more personalised stuff.

Buy some bottles of wine, soak off the labels, and have the kids make new wine labels for them with their drawings.

Give the wines funny and creative names.

We got frozen T-Bone Steaks from the Butchers..
And some expensive cheese.. and they loved it.

Sorry, I need to proofread! Or you need to buy panties tickets and film the opening!!

Why don't you get the children to make the stuff themselves? They could always make cookies/fudge a decorate a tin.

My minimalist inlaws have 3 calendars hanging next to each other in the Kitchen so already getting a calendar doesn't rule out wanting another one.

I like the hamper idea.

A voucher for a couple's afternoon tea never fails to impress!