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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Gifts for elderly grandparents

35 replies

LittleBallOfFur · 02/11/2012 14:52

I'm after some inspiration! I always really struggle to buy for my grandma and she ends up receiving the same things from everybody all the time. She also does't like it if we spend too much money on her, says she has enough stuff etc etc, which I understand but I'd like to get her something thoughtful.

So, what sort of things do you buy for your grandparents?

Regular (not very inspiring) gifts my grandma often gets are:

  • chocolates
  • nice wine/whisky
  • gardening gift vouchers (not great now as my grandma is no longer very mobile)
  • flowers
  • hand cream/body shop vouchers/gift sets etc
  • my DB and SIL normally steal the hamper idea
  • my one moment of inspiration a couple of years ago was a lovely scarf, but can't repeat that one again (yet)!

Ideas please!!!

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 02/11/2012 15:26

My parents are probably the same sort of age as your grandparents, and my mum is getting a slanket, and my dad will have a box of cherry chocolates, plus a photobook of the year which I always do. Mum spends hours looking at the book

Loolah · 02/11/2012 15:31

Was going to suggest photobook, which is what i'm doing for my grandma she loves photo's of all the family.
Garden ornament or rose bush/tree as it doesn't take much looking after but pretty in a nice pot.
Does she read? a book or magazine subscription

littlemissnormal · 02/11/2012 15:36

I often do a little hamper for my GPs with nice chutneys, biscuits, tea, dried fruits and things that they like. This year they also have personalised calendars with photos of the great grand kids!

TennisFan42 · 02/11/2012 16:38

I am thinking of getting audiobooks which they can listen to at home, as my grandfather is pretty much housebound these days and my grandmother doesn't like sitting him in front of the TV all day, and also a jigsaw puzzle with a photo of their new great-granddaughter on it.

georgeclooneyfan · 02/11/2012 17:18

My parents are nearly in their 80's I really struggle for ideas too.Last year I got them an electric blanket for their bed (which they use alot),we also got them a halogen heater which they use in the kitchen,they tend to feel the cold alot! They dont go out much and they dont really have any hobbies to speak off.I also give them a little hamper.Dont have any ideas for this year yet,maybe a bird table/bird feeder for the garden.

mignonette · 02/11/2012 17:21

Check out www.notonthehighstreet.com for gorgeous personalised gifts....I bought the thumbprint family tree for my DG.

Ragwort · 02/11/2012 17:28

I really, really think that people mean it when they say they don't want any more clutter gifts. When my DGM died we cleared out years' worth of presnet - nice soaps, tins of biscuits (unopened Grin), sets of pretty hankies etc etc etc - it was really quite sad Sad.

My DPs are now in their 80s and I specifically ask them what they would like, they hate to see money wasted - my DM usually asks for a magazine subsricption and DF for Port. It amuses me that they will often ask for something that costs about £5 and then give all their (grown up children and grandchildren) relatives incredibly generous cheques Grin - but they just don't want any more stuff themselves. They support various charities so also like 'goat' type gifts just so long as it is for the right sort of charity.

What about taking them out for a lovely meal, theatre trip or something like that - just a day out with someone can be nice?

3bunnies · 02/11/2012 19:57

We got our parents some memory books last year from pricelesstreasuresonline.com they are really nice and the paper is good quality, you might need to sit down and spend some time going through them together, but it is a good way of helping them to reminisce (if they need any help) and the grand children find it really interesting.

Murtette · 02/11/2012 20:22

I got my Gran (now in her 90s) a duvet cover a couple of years ago which she was really grateful for as she lives off her pension and very meagre savings so any spare money would be spent on clothes. The year following the duvet, I got her some towels and the next year some cushion covers (she had input in choosing these). I then veered off the soft furnishings and got her a voucher for cinema tickets as I realised she could walk there. She not only enjoyed the film she went to see but liked the fact that she could treat a friend.

IWantToGoToThere · 02/11/2012 20:24

Every year (at her request!) I get my GM a new umbrella - Lulu Guinness do some really cute/girly/fancy ones. The mechanisms in umbrellas to get them up and down tend to sieze up after time making it quite tricky if people are a bit frail, so my GM really appreciates a nice new one.

Waspie · 02/11/2012 20:28

I have an elderly aunt who is difficult to buy for and this year I've got her some foot duvets from John Lewis. Practical and yet slightly decadent (IMO, but then I've led a very sheltered life Smile)

ODearMe · 02/11/2012 20:33

My grandfather is in his 80's and gets very nostalgic about the village he grew up in. He has a black and white picture of himself as a toddler outside the house he lived in. It was very tatty. So I found the house, took a photo and printed it for him in colour. He said it was marvellous!

Original poster
LittleBallOfFur · 02/11/2012 20:41

Thanks for the ideas so far everyone!

I was thinking maybe a photo album (filled) would be good so a photo book could be a good option - she lives about 4 hours away so I send her photos of DS quite often and I know she likes that.

She does like reading but her vision's deteriorating - an audio book might be a goer!

Her health in general has deteriorated over the last year (lots of chronic conditions causing pain) and I think I'm a bit worried about getting her anything that might remind her what she can no longer do iyswim? she's also becoming quite nervous of getting out and about.

We are planning a trip up to stay near her for a few nights too as we don't get up there nearly often enough.

What's a foot duvet?! Intriguing!

OP posts:
Original poster
LittleBallOfFur · 02/11/2012 20:44

odearme that's lovely!

My grandma doesnt have many happy memories of her childhood unfortunately, and she's quite unsentimental, very unlike me!

OP posts:
dementedma · 02/11/2012 20:45

Tickets for a show at the theater?

Waspie · 02/11/2012 20:49

foot duvets

I know, I know, I'm getting old but these just look so snuggly!

Photos/photo books are great. I get a photo calendar for my parents every year with pictures of their 3 grandchildren. My aunt will also get a nice frame and one of my son's first school photos. I know she will like this as the house is covered in photos of her nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews Smile

glentheflamingbattleostrich · 02/11/2012 21:09

A photo calendar. I started doing this for DGM with all the important dates in it. We put pictures of whoevers birthday it is in that month and make them dress up if it is a 'special' month (i.e. Dad's, Mam's and DNeice all born in December so we make them dress in Santa hats for a nice group photo :))

If there are no special dates we do nice / fun group shots. They are pretty cheap from likes of vistaprint or if you look out for groupons

soaccidentprone · 02/11/2012 21:26

Last year I did DH's gran (now 98!) a small hamper containing little pots of jam, individual boxes of nice cereals, small tins of soup etc, 'cos most of the time she doesn't have much of an appetite nor much motivation to go shopping. She has now (today) eventually gone into a home. This year we have got her a pair of bed socks and a box a fruit jellies. Previously we got her a special 'thing' which makes opening tins and can easier Smile

Last year also got ExDH's mum a bird feeder and some seeds.

It is difficult to buy for some elderly relatives, and it very much depends on how mobile they are etc (and how much money they have and are willing to spend).

DH's parents are a nightmare to buy for. They are both in their mid 70's and
are reasonably well off ie 2 foreign holidays a year (last year they went to India and to France), a flat (luxury) that's 4 times the size of our house etc

I mean what do you give people who have enough money to buy whatever they want? (within reason obviously) and have very comfortable lives?

We bought a digital photo frame for DH's father's 70th (but he used to work in IT)

Hope some of these ideas help?

trumpton · 02/11/2012 21:46

We bought MIL (89) a good reading lamp. here She loves it and says it makes a huge difference .

LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 02/11/2012 21:51

How about planting a couple of pots of bulbs now, keep them in the shed/garage until Christmas then they will be fine in their house until they bloom c 6 weeks after that.

Pluto · 03/11/2012 14:19

TV box sets. MIL got Downton series 1 last year, even though she had watched the series she was really pleased with it.

LadyLapsang · 03/11/2012 14:40

Digital radio; leather gloves lines with cashmere or sheepskin; another vote for the photo calendar with pictures of the family or places with good memories; half bottles of wine or bottles of their favourite spirits; good coffee, tea, biscuits from F & M; hand and foot cream - L'Occitane shea butter is gentle on frail skin; voucher for Boots so she could get some new glasses; tickets to the ballet / theatre and then take her and treat her to lunch/ afternoon tea / dinner; merino wool throw for the sofa to snuggle up and keep warm.

moajab · 03/11/2012 19:50

I do a photo calander for my grandma every year, with photos of her great-grandchildren in it. Her flat isnt big enough to display loads of photos, so a calander is a way to give her lots without it taking too much space. I use Snapfish and am always really pleased with the quality. They usualy have an offer on some time in November!

moajab · 03/11/2012 19:52

Disclaimer - my Grandma is a JW so doesn't really do Christmas, so a calander is a way to give her something without causing offence!

LadyLetch · 03/11/2012 20:17

We also do the photo calendar every year and my grandmother loves it. I also love it because it needs replacing every year Grin