Grandparents Christmas Gift

[cherryscone]

Hi,

After finding out some really awful news it looks as though it may be my grandmas last Christmas with us and I'd really like to get her something thoughtful and from the heart (trouble is I don't know what).

Can be joint for both my grandparents, it's my DS Great Grandparents.

any ideas? TIA x

Is there somewhere she would like to go or something she would like to do that you could take her to , create some memories ?

She's not very good on her feet and going anywhere is growing increasingly difficult (have to wait till she's up on the day to decide) - she had COPD and chemo for cancer which is making planning any outings very difficult.

perhaps something sentimental. A special type of food she had as a child at Christmas that you all can enjoy together and maybe a slideshow of pictures of birth to now, with all the big milestones.

Sorry to hear about your grandmother! I hope you are coping okay!

I very much doubt that 'things' will appeal to her? But what about doing a video of little messages and funny stories or a photo book of memory's for her to look over?

I also like the idea of doing something, but maybe get posh cakes, sandwiches, a nice tea set (charity shop?) And do a big afternoon tea with as many family as you would like! Ask people to dress up nice and really enjoy a fun afternoon! Piglets pantry etc can do order in afternoon tea so it would be low key for you too if you wanted it to be!

Good luck with whatever you decide!

My dd make a beautiful scrap book for her grandparents with photos of the family and them over the years. She added stickers and ribbons and lovely captions. It was from The Works so not very expensive. She spent ages on it but it was a work of art and so touching - they cried.

A photo blanket?

A lovely hamper of treats from Bettys?

My grandparents were the type to have absolutely everything, and even if you'd buy them new slippers they'd still walk around in their old ones! So I always bought them a giant bar of Dairy Milk, it was their favourite and one thing they would never leave in a cupboard!

Things my grandma (in law) loved for her last Xmas and birthday: Photoblanket, photo cushion and photo calendar, cashmere scarf and gloves, cardigan, sheepskin slippers, heated throw. also randomly liqueur chocolates with the real alcohol inside- chemo wrecked her taste/appetite but she still loved these!

Family related items and activities are the best in this case, I think. You can colorize old family photos (here is a guide on that) and make a photo book of them, a family picture calendar would be a nice yet pretty useful gift. If there is a chance to plan a small trip for the whole family, then definitely do that, take pictures and print them out and frame them or make an album for the grandparents later, so that they would have these memories capruted for a long time. Might be a framed Christmas collage of family photos or a composition of framed pictures placed on the wall.

A very personal gift would be a jar of memories. Write down things you / your children remember doing with her and put in a jar, you could add photos or any sweets they like as well. Your time is probably more valued to them than anything money can buy, if you are near enough to visit of course.

When my grandmother was very poorly, but still able to go out, we took her for a big family trip to the zoo and hired a wheelchair. She loved the butterfly house and I have some lovely photos from that trip. She didn't have to interact too much, she could just look at things when she got tired. Would something like that be an option? Perhaps not outdoors at Christmas but maybe a museum, stately home or aquarium (where you can take/hire a wheelchair if she needs it). Don't generally need pre-booking and she can interact as little or as much as she likes?
Otherwise I'd probably go with the little sentimental treats that others have mentioned, sweets from her childhood, reminders of favourite memories together, etc. Whatever you do, I'm sure she'll appreciate the thought x