Ideas for Grandmother!

[Bigoldhag]

I’m trying to finish up my list of what to buy for who, and I am stuck for my grandmother.

She’s 85, but very young for her age, still independent, driving and doing childcare for her great grandchildren.

She’s a keen gardner, but not sure if I have exhausted the gardening gifts. I’ve done garden signage, ornaments and planters, tools and unusual seeds.

She’s not a fan of toiletries (and gets an abudance each year!) or any trinkety items like candles, vases or ‘dust gatherers’.

She does cook and is very good at it, as well as enjoying the unusual or adventurous foodwise- I’ve considered a nice cookbook or a ‘make a thingy’ type kit but nothing has struck my fancy. Food hampers of the generic biscuits/tea/chocolate/nuts kind are not her thing.

Any suggestions? My budget is around £20-25.

Thank you!

Could you make her a hamper of stuff she does like instead of buying a pre-picked one?

I’d considered it, but in all honesty, I’m trying to keep my workload around Christmas down - one present per person for the most part as I have so many to buy for and I want to retain some sanity and space this year. Plus, given the low budget, a good chunk would be taken up by the hamper packaging.

For the past few years I have got my grandparents afternoon tea somewhere. Can you buy that for her and a friend/you? Bonus time with her grand daughter if you go so like two gifts in one!

How about making up a photobox type printed photo album?
Magazine subscription?
Coffee table type book?

'Herb' by Mark Diacono is a lovely book if she likes gardening/cooking and you could get her some herb seeds to go with it

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Herb-Cooks-Companion-Mark-Diacono/dp/1787136353/ref=mpssa111?dchild=1&keywords=herb+mark+diacono&qid=1629657808&sprefix=herb+mar&sr=8-1

Depends on what she likes but there is a sale on at Turtle Doves currently with snoods, fingerless gloves all recycled cashmere. Some lovely things at your price range

Take her for a Christmassy afternoon tea

I don’t think Turtle Doves is for her, but thank you for the idea - its going to be looked at for someone else! :D

The photo album probably wouldn’t be for her - she’s got lots on walls but would probably see an album as a dust gatherer.

Magazine subscription i got for her birthday!

I love the Herb book!!

Afternoon tea is not for her (in her view her scones are better, I don’t disagree!) but a voucher for a place she does like or goes to regularly might be a good shout.

Ah good! I’m having the same struggle to find something for my mum to be honest!

Does she like jewellery? Chunky beads, nice earrings?

Some gifts I have given to people of a similar age/ profile:

• Bird bath for the garden- family member now has regular ‘visitors’ they feed.
• Cheese making kit- ingredients to make a variety of different cheeses around the world
• DVD sets of series they used to watch

History books about their local area/ childhood memories etc

Is there a family photo that is special to her? Maybe a wedding photo?

I’ve had a couple of these made for both myself and as gifts and they are absolutely amazing.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MiniArtByMadeleine

[quote AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken]Is there a family photo that is special to her? Maybe a wedding photo?

I’ve had a couple of these made for both myself and as gifts and they are absolutely amazing.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MiniArtByMadeleine[/quote]
(She recreates photos using tiny sculptures and hand paints them)

A suitably named rose from David Austin Roses.

A rose. So many beautiful ones to chose from, the name can be symbolic. But all my roses, I know who bought them an when and why, and remember this every year when the flower.

Thanks all, some good ideas!

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1907860320/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_E7T60Y5B1JTZQ3YPNZX5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks to everyone, I ended up with going for the Herb book as recommended by @rainbowninja which I managed to get for £15 brand new on ebay! Its a really lovely big and well made book, and I’ll be getting some herb seeds to go with it. Thank you!

Oh I'm so pleased you went for that! I'm sure she'll love it 😍

I got my grandmother photobooks with photos of all my family taken throughout the year. She was around 100 at the time and had just moved 200 miles away to live with my aunt and I didn't want her to forget us. A few years before that I got her a lovely soft Mason and Pearson bristle baby's hairbrush - she has a very sensitive scalp and had asked for one.

When you spend time with her, can you subtly clock whether there's anything she's got that needs replacing (slippers, dressing gown etc ) Or a new cardigan or necklace to slip over her head. Add a bundle of her favourite biscuits/sweets/ other treats.