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Christmas

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

Original poster

What to get Grandparents that have it all...

28 replies

isntbeingamummyyummy · 17/10/2006 16:04

Anyone know of a good website or good gift to get great grandparents and grandparents that always say "oh I don't need anything for christmas" but actually do expect something! Trying to get things organised this year as don't fancy going round shops with baby.

OP posts:
evilanniedividedin2byalargeaxe · 17/10/2006 16:06

Why not take baby to a pottery studio and get a piece of china with his/her hand and foot prints on?

Bozza · 17/10/2006 16:09

TBH I think great grandparents are usually very old (unless it is Audrey Roberts in Corra) so they don't need much. Unless you can do something along the photo line I tend to go with a nice bouquet of flowers. My Grandad is 94 and has two sons, various neices/nephews and and 5 adult grandchildren all buying him presents, so he gets plenty of whiskey/brandy/shirts & ties/lambswoll jumpers/daibetic chocs so I am happy to get him flowers and maybe a bottle of white wine along with the school and nursery photos of the children.

Grandparents need a bit more thought. Would they like one of those photo calendars? Cinema/restaurant vouchers?

Bozza · 17/10/2006 16:09

at all the typos in there...

Original poster
isntbeingamummyyummy · 17/10/2006 16:11

I did think about a photo calender for grandma. Great grandparents are in their 70's. I like the idea of the pottery as well.

OP posts:
nailpolish · 17/10/2006 16:12

nice wine

GhoulsToo · 17/10/2006 16:13

you'll probably not want to do this but for my parents diamond wedding gift (they didn't want one!) I'm decorating their lounge for them.

Original poster
isntbeingamummyyummy · 17/10/2006 16:13

Just feel really bad as seen the link at the top of this page for greatgifts.org and should do something like this if they have everything already.

OP posts:
Original poster
isntbeingamummyyummy · 17/10/2006 16:14

Oh god no, I do not want to do any decorating! My house needs doing first, perhaps will suggest...

OP posts:
LadyPenelope · 17/10/2006 16:15

We also find it v. hard ... although have settled on a mag subscription for 1 Grandma. I ask her each year which mag she wants so she can change it if she gets fed up with it.

TheDaVinciCod · 17/10/2006 16:15

mag sub

saltire · 17/10/2006 16:24

My step PIL is difficult to buy for, so this year am getting him a picture of the grandchildren onto a mousemat. MILk is a nightmare, because she expects a lot of money to be spent on her, but would be very offended if we got her a goat for someone in Africa, or planted trees in her name.
DH has his nan ( MIL's mum), his granma(MIL's stepmum) and granny jean (step MIL's mum). All of whom buy presents for us and the boys, but the past few years we have given them

A Poinsettia, or a basket of fruit, or in the case of his nan, a voucher for Tesco/Asda.

Lio · 17/10/2006 16:27

website for photo calendar

MrsMcJnr · 17/10/2006 16:44

My Grandpa is 84, has 5 kids and 10 grandkids plus a wife so he is pretty hard to buy for. He is not really allowed to drink and doesn't like reading so I bought him his favourite thing for his birthday last week - a meal of fish and chips for two! I made an invitation and transferred the money to their account - my Granny sent me photos of him eating his birthday present!

nikkie · 17/10/2006 21:30

My grandad is blind, doesn't really eat, doesn't wear new clothes what do we get him?

lexiemum · 17/10/2006 22:16

nikkie- a talking book on cd/cassette

poinsettas go down well with the great grandparents and photos also buy the great grandads a bottle of xmas ale (its the only time they're allowed to drink because of the warfarin!)

as for grandparents always something involving a photo - last year mousemats, this year desk top calendars. will be a sudoko board game thrown in and then probably clothes and the obligatory socks.

ja9 · 17/10/2006 22:18

rofl at nikkies post!!!

nikkie · 17/10/2006 22:41

done the cd thing before its still in its wrapper!
Ja9 -well you can buy his present then

LunarSea · 18/10/2006 13:26

Theatre vouchers? Restaurant vouchers?

USAUKMum · 18/10/2006 14:25

I get GoodWill gifts, this year have gone for a red squirel and tapastry restoration from the National Trust. The ChartyGifts website has links to quite a few of those available.
Charity Gifts

jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 18/10/2006 14:26

we do photo calenders - so much easier!!!

NotQuiteCockney · 18/10/2006 14:30

We got Oxfam stuff for them last year. I find Xmas such a ludicrous pile of poo, we get so much stuff we don't want, and give them stuff they don't want either.

NotQuiteCockney · 18/10/2006 14:31

Thanks for the link, btw, the National Trust stuff will go down well with ILs I think.

NastyNemo666 · 18/10/2006 14:35

my two tend to make things for grandparents and great grandparents. My grandads fave present was mugs from tescos that I let ds and dd decorate. Ds made his first when he was one but it broke this year so for gt grandads 80th both ds and dd painted one, he loved them. Have also done decorated tea towels, teapots and plates, calenders, photos with decorated frames.

tribpot · 18/10/2006 14:51

Charity gifts would be my suggestion as well. My grandparents have now firmly said they don't want presents at all, I sometimes get a little something for my grandmother but that's about it.

There's a book called "100(0?) places to see before you die" - would definitely not recommend this for grandparents I felt bad enough buying it for my dad!

LunarSea · 18/10/2006 15:13

We've also bought Annual memberships for English Heritage/National Trust for grandparents in the past - which solves the not wanting extra possesions thing, but does mean they have a present which lasts all year - and they get to take up to 6 kids under 19 in with them free, so you can get them to take the kids out visiting castles etc in the summer too!

English heritage is £42 a year for a pensioner couple, which isn't too bad as Christmas presents go. Or if you've got Tesco Vouchers you can get it for 1/4 of that in vouchers.