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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Is this a good idea? Presents for Grandparents to enjoy with little grandsons

11 replies

MrsOgg · 12/09/2013 22:30

I'm getting organised well in advance this year!

I need to get some presents for my dad and stepmother. They are impossible to buy for, but I've hit on the idea of getting them activity type gifts that they can then play with their other two grandsons and my son - kids range from 7 and 4 years (other grandkids) to 1 (my son). As my son's younger it's fine if he can't take part for a few years, he's happy just playing silly faces for now.

They're spending Christmas with the other grandkids and seeing us just before, so I think I'm getting them the Christmas mould from Lakeland here www.lakeland.co.uk/16789/Fairy-Tale-Cottage-Mould - that seems like something that can be enjoyed every year for a while yet, don't know if the other grandchildren are into baking but surely every little boy will want to join in decorating a chocolate house?! And if not they can do it themselves and present the finished article as a present for the kids? I think my dad and stepmum will enjoy it.

I've never met the other kids, and I've no experience with children over a year old, so tell me... is this actually a rubbish idea?

OP posts:

birdofthenorth · 12/09/2013 22:42

Does your dad bake? My dad would not enjoy it tbh, and my mum would find a 4 year old near a hit oven stressful, but I equally I know people who would love it. I like the idea of presents they can enjoy with the grandkids and have gone down that line myself in the past

HeySoulSister · 12/09/2013 23:03

Gosh that's a brave thought! Buying a present for someone so you can benefit from it too. No. Don't think I'd appreciate being forced to bake with kids...

Nanny0gg · 12/09/2013 23:08

If I'm honest, I wouldn't appreciate it. I think presents should be about the person they're for.
If I wanted to do your suggestions, I'd buy them myself.

Sorry.

Bumpstarter · 12/09/2013 23:15

It's a cop out. If they are impossible to buy for, I understand it might be tempting, but I think the best way to find out what to buy for your dad, is to ask his wife, and vice versa. They will appreciate being asked, I'm sure.

Graceparkhill · 12/09/2013 23:21

How about a game that they can play together ?www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3904323.htm
Was always a favourite in our house. Or Christmas stories they can read to GCs?

jamtoast12 · 13/09/2013 07:00

Agree you can't buy them something for them to do with the kids. Needs to be for them only or for them to do together.

Original poster

MrsOgg · 13/09/2013 12:58

Ok back to socks then! I've tried asking what theyd like and they can never come up with anything- they buy anything they want as soon as they want it. Oh well!

OP posts:

becsbornunderadancingstar · 13/09/2013 13:07

My dad is like this - buys everything as soon as he wants it... The best success I've had is buying him things he wouldn't even think that he could get thanks to The Power Of The Interweb which he doesn't understand. I had to do some careful (and somewhat sneaky) interviewing - eg about stuff like music he liked listening to at different times in his life 'why don't you listen to that any more? Oh, the record/tape wore out? That's interesting...' He was amazed when I tracked down an old Bob Dylan recording that he'd loved when he was younger. He didn't think it would be possible to still buy it. And I managed to get him an identical edition to a book he'd read when he was a teenager that really influenced his life - he couldn't believe I'd found one exactly the same as his old one which had been lost. I now have a terrifying rep for 'finding the perfect present for everyone' which is a bit daunting as Christmas draws nearer...

RedPencils · 13/09/2013 13:16

My MIL loves baking so might appreciate as a gift for herself. I wouldn't present it as something she could do to entertain the DCs though.

cheekycherryza · 13/09/2013 16:45

We are doing printed canvas pics of the kids for grandparents this year. DH is a total geek and bought one of these fancy schmancy printers that prints on canvas - yes my house does look like a tech shop!

But basically, it costs under £4 to print one of these canvases with this printer and materials plus wood to mount etc so we're printing a picture of each of the two grand kids and giving them to grandparents. Cheap but expensive looking. Darned things usually cost upwards of £40 to get them done professionally.

Oh and both sets of grandparents will be getting a treat hamper of the things we have been making - blackberry and apple jam, mead etc and come christmas there will be biscuits and truffles, mince pies etc. Grandparents don't bake that much anymore as it's too much faff so they enjoy receiving these goodies.

Original poster

MrsOgg · 13/09/2013 22:58

Those are great ideas... except my dad is king of the geeks and already has everything that can be bought over the internet, and when we last went to visit my dad had basically plastered the house with pictures of my son - I really hope they got some more of their other grandchildren up before they come to visit! And I did hampers of homemade stuff in the past and I'm not sure they were that keen really.

Good news though, just went made on the book people website and think I have actually managed to find them some books they'll like. Thanks for the input everyone! I am soo glad I won't be stressing about this on the 20th of December.

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