What have you bought your 80-something Grandparents?

[cakesloveme]

I left DH to sort his Grandparents and he hasn't come up with anything! I leave him ONE job to do

Both Grandparents are in their 80s but very 'with it' although don't go out much due to reduced mobility. I'm really stuck for gift ideas. Recently done photos of DS in a frame as it has been both of their birthdays.

Nan likes knitting and they both like gardens...I've considered a magazine subscription but can't seem to find one which sort of suits them. Also considered a homemade voucher to take them out to lunch/afternoon tea but this wouldn't be for sometime as DS2 is due in the next month!

So, what have you bought elderly grandparents?? I really need some last minute inspiration and I won't leave DH to organise anything in future

What about a box set - mad men went down well with my nan, as set in 50s,she loved the fashion. Also got them the world at war in colour one year which seemed well received.

My local family florist does a really nice arrangent of planted-up flowering and foliage pot-plants of my choice.

They live much longer than cut flowers and can go in the porch or patio when they've had enough of the indoor life.

It can be a size suitable for a table arrangement.

We have got both the great-grandmothers little framed copies of a self-portrait that DS1 (4.5) did, and a lovely box of chocolates for one and some yummy Italian biscuits for the other.

We got Nan a scarf and Grandad a crossword book.
I find them quite hard to buy for tbh.

My grandma has loved one of those lap tray things with a bean bag type cushion to keep it stable. Think I got it for her a couple of years ago.

Have also got her a Saga mag subscription once which was okay - it's not as old fogeyish as it sounds so might suit them if they are with it.

This year I've got her a lovely wide wrap type scarf from John Lewis. It can function as a scarf or shawl but isn't 'grannyish'.

Little jars of preserves. Utterly boring but I've been ill so unable to think about such things & we're strapped for cash this year so can't afford anything overly exciting anyway!

We used to do my Grandparents a hamper of sweets/chocolates & baileys for my nana and when she died we carried on for my Grandad.
He's currently refusing food :( so this year he is having PJs :(

How about national geographic subscription?

Ooh get the knitting grandma some scarf yarn along the lines of Rico can can-a sort of soft ruffle stuff you knit into the top edge of. My mum is 84 and has poor eyesight but can knit this and emboss it.the frilly ruffle scarves are an aquired taste but her elderly friends love them!

I got my Granda a suki teapot and tea leaves as he really liked it when my parents took him out to lunch. My Granny will be getting Thorntons and some trousers and a photo of the dcs (she's in a home with dementia so thought the photo would be good).

Otherwise I knitted my 89 year old dad a lap blanket and got a huge jar of pickled onions lol

Mum had scarf yarn hat and scarf sets, marzipan and I can't think what else.

One year my mother got ME a saga mag subscription and had it sent to my work......12 while months of hillarity for my team I guess!

I've just I finished wrapping my GMs gifts. Went to sainsbos and bought £20 each worth of taste the difference biccies, Choc, scicilian lemonade, soup, porridge and preserves. wrapped my own hampers (and although I'm not creative) they don't look too bad.

I struggle to buy for them as they will buy themselves anything they need.

I know you said a recent gift had been photos, but what I got my 85 year old Dad last birthday was an electronic photo frame, and then scanned a load of old family photos and loaded it with them (plus some up to date ones of us and where we live etc.). It can be set to change pictures every few seconds/minutes/hours or days, you can add music to it, it can be set to turn off at certain times and on at others, and it's an altogether wonderful thing :)

Sadly grandparents no longer with us, but have in the past bought... VHS films for my Granny (which became increasingly hard to source!), a hamper made up of the nice small portion food things they wouldn't normally buy themselves (tinned crab, potted shrimp, nice biscuits etc.), magazine subscriptions (BBC Gardners World and Gardens Illustrated), books of knitting patterns for my Gran (books were good choice as there would normally be at least one thing she'd like to knit), indoor bulbs in nice pot, crossword/puzzle books, calendar we made from family photos though it migth be a bit late to order this now. Maybe one for next year?!

My grandparents are in their 90's, and the list of things they don't want/need is a great deal longer than what they do! This year and last they have had a homemade food hamper. Audio books have also gone down well in the past.

We're clubbing together to get my nan a galaxy tablet computer. We were going to get her a kindle fire, but it had mixed reviews.
I got her a microwave and a lavender wheat bag last year.

Thank you all, I knew I could count on mumsnet for a quick response

Love the ideas. Some we have done before like the electronic photo frame. The hamper idea is really popular and I think because I'm short of time this is probably the way I go....I'm thinking some magazines, crossword books, biccies, preserves, sweeties and a plant on all your advice.....maybe a ball of wool for nanny too!! We do have amazon prime so will have a quick peruse of amazon to see if any appropriate DVDs.

Totally agree that their lists of what they wouldn't want is bigger than they would and tbh at their age, company is what they would rather have. They are the lovliest grandparents (in law!) though :)

Biscuits!

My nana also really likes a build a bear that we recorded a message for.

My parents are 80 - have bought them thermals and an artisan sheep's cheese selection.

MIL is 80. I have got her:

Box of Celebrations
Molton Brown gift set
Earrings handmade by me!
Smelly candle from Ikea

My mum subscribes to Saga magazine and she's only in her 60s!

I'm making mine a little Christmas cake.

My GM is 96, and really hard to buy for- she doesnt need anything! This year ive got her a lovely silk thermal long sleeved vest from M&S. She really feels the cold.

Audio books and red wine for my 92yo grandad who is almost completely blind. My nan used to love watching the birds on her bird feeder outside her window too, so a bird table/illustrated book of British birds maybe an idea for those grandparents who may like it?

Also, a fabulous idea if you have the time to follow it up...there is a software package that lets you create a book, a friend of mine did it as an 80th present for his dm, she spent a year writing down all her memories since childhood - the street she grew up on, her family, school, where she lived and worked etc. Friend typed it all up (took some discussion to get it all in order and added dm's old photos. The story of her life...all in a book. They said it was amazing to hear all the stories that came out...

Blurb.com is the thing you do the book with.