Gift ideas - 88 year old grandad

[superstar84]

I'd love some gift ideas for my very special grandad

The doctor thinks he's got Parkinson's, he used to be very able but in the last 18 months has declined

He is very set in his ways (always has been!) so new mugs etc won't be used

In the past a blue badge holder and bottle of baileys went down well

Usually spent £25ish

The best present I bought my dad in the last 10 years was a lovely warm (acrylic) blanket in a colour/pattern I knew he would like. He was very unwell - slept a lot and dribbled due to injury so clothing stained. So the polyester/acrylic was easy to wash in a machine (by my mum).

I would often pop by and he would be dozing in the chair covered by the blanket. It's one of the very few things we havent got rid of after he died. It made him content - not much did.

It was only from Sainsburys - not expensive. But did a treat.

Did my dad a calendar with photos of his grandchildren. He loved it.

My 88yo grandad likes photo stuff of the kids and books!

We got my ex's grandad an Xmas jumper and he loved it. He wore it all Xmas and every year after.

It's maybe a bit over budget but a plug in electric blanket? One that you can put in the wash

Or a plug in hand warmer?

@JayAlfredPrufrock

Did my dad a calendar with photos of his grandchildren. He loved it.

Yes I always find photo gifts go down well with older relatives. A photo calendar or just a lovely frame with photo(s) in.

Otherwise, cosy slippers, nice chocolates (my grandpa loves the hotel chocolat sleeksters) or audiobooks

Just give him the gift of time, take him out for a pub lunch or afternoon tea .. my DM is the same age and there is nothing she wants, she actually doesn't even like receiving gifts as she then has the worry of 'what to do with them' ... she's so polite that she won't immediately pass stuff on to a charity shop as she thinks people will want to see her using the gift. Her goddaughter sent her a really hideous ornament for the garden ...I looked it up, cost over £50 ... eventually she let me take it to a charity shop.

He comes for his lunch once a week and we pop over in between so we are fortunate that we do see him quite often

It's sad to see such a change in him

I love the blanket idea but I don't think he'd use it, we lost grandma 2 years ago and he's incredible attached to anything in his house and doesn't really use new things as he likes the things she used to pick 🥰

He's a very special man!

I'm wondering about a hamper but filled with individual small portions such as those small bottles of merlot, small box of Lindt etc so it's all suitable for one person

I think a hamper you make yourself full of things he likes and would actually consume is a great idea. Buy a nice basket and stuff it to the gills with his faves. I find that pre-prepared hampers always have a few items that get shoved to the back of a cupboard and forgotten about.

My elderly Dad loved a delivery of lots if small individual pies (ordered them online). Lots of different fillings and could be frozen. They were delivered just before Christmas

Hamper sounds nice.

Or one of those photo cushions with a picture of your grandma on?

I looked at the pre filled hampers but they aren't really what he eats!

We have a good delivery from Asda every week so I could start adding some bits and maybe give it to him mid Dec so he uses them in the run up to Xmas and give him a smaller gift for Xmas of the wine he enjoys