Present for a complete stranger

[Xochiquetzal]

5 year old DD's class are going to visit the local nursing home and have been asked to bring a small Christmas present each to give to one of the residents, which is a lovely idea but what do you get someone you've never met and know nothing about?

The school do it every year and most parents apparently go with tins of biscuits so i'm guessing they are probably pretty sick of shortbread by now.

A pretty little picture frame?

Hot water bottle, hand warmer gels, cosy socks, nice tea & mug & rich hand/body creams.

Be careful you don't get anything too feminine or masculine. Hot water bottle is a good idea or you could get them some naice chocs!

We give presents to a nursing home through work and apparently puzzle books (crosswords erc) go down really well. Just make sure they're quite big in case residents are shortsighted.

Yes agree with puzzle books or maybe set of nice notecards for writing in. Hand cream or nice bubble bath or shower gel. Talking book on cd? My grandma and mil would have loved any of these.

Bloody hell! If anyone dares to bring me a PUZZLE when I'm 80 I swear I will knock them down.

It's Christmas for Gods sake, wrap up a tiny bottle of whisky.

Ah yes my grandma liked a little whisky but my mil liked a puzzle book....

We're asked not to bring alcohol. I guess some residents will be on medication that isn't suitable with alcohol.

The puzzle thing makes sense to me as most elderly people I know like doing crosswords (grandparents etc)

Ok - I accept that...

But as someone who very much hopes to live into old age I pray that I will not be patronised or receive gifts that are basically a pat on the head. The elderly people I'm related to are all rather fond of their iPads.

It's more difficult if you don't know if the recipient will be male or female.

I was going to suggest a nicely wrapped tin of homemade biscuits or cakes, but probably banned on health and safety grounds, since most schools will only let you take in shop bought for birthdays etc.

What about a nice warm scarf in a neutral colour? One of these tea pots for one with the cup and saucer underneath and some tea? Posh chocs?

The retirement complex my nan lived in had an entire room dedicated to jigsaws! Pretty much all of them loved it so they were always a winning gift that'd be shared around. My nan used to go every day, and also did loads of logic/number puzzles, crosswords, sudoku etc, right up until a few months before she died when she became too ill to do anything at all. It was VERY important to her to keep her brain active. I don't think it's a pat on the head gift at all, at least among the elderly people I know.

Thanks everyone. I might do them a little box with a few of those bits. Like a puzzle book, a nice pen (DDs quite good at making little pen toppers so that could be quite cute) some posh tea bags/sachets of hot chocolate and a little box of chocolates and maybe a miniature bottle of whiskey if the teacher says alcohol is ok.