Gift for 98 year old Gran

[Badsanta12]

Looking for ideas for my 98, almost 99 year old Gran. She is severely arthritic, so jigsaw puzzles etc aren’t really appropriate. Lives with my mum so doesn’t need much for around the house. She likes doing word puzzles, bird watching, and she’s still fairly active (goes to Wi, groups etc). Always says not to get her anything! We’ve done the usual hot water bottles, pillows, scarves etc over the years.

Skylight photo frame. Bit pricey but you can drop photos to straight to her wall and keep them updated all the time from your phone.

I used to buy my elderly Nan long pretty bead necklaces, usually from Accessorize.
She had arthritic fingers so had to wear necklaces that didn’t have a clasp.
I would also buy her tops and jumpers in bright jewel colours from M&S, or Next etc.
Basically things that made her feel a bit glam.

I’m in a similar situation. Two of the things I’ve bought are a body lotion that is posher than the ones she usually uses avd a pot of planted hyacinths after she told me a few months ago about how much she loved them.

https://www.turtle-doves.co.uk/product/cashmere-fingerless-gloves?colour=63&size=1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21842475994&gbraid=0AAAAADpBgZZ2AmB3BqqOJOpvTqTCFTGNS&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6Y7KBhCkARIsAOxhqtOv7lZn86W9iSYwBu3t2UwWQ8jdjb5tuZ9SWNhGlkNcUpVuw9RSXdAaApUmEALw_wcB

My mum loved her recycled cashmere fingerless gloves/mittens to keep her wrists/hands warm

Your time. Take her out for an afternoon, for tea/coffee/ to the garden centre/local NTS place/ places she used to live or work etc. Chat about her life, how things were when she was your age /a child/when she got married.
It's almost a present to yourself, as you'll value this time once she's gone.

Digital photoframe

Magazine subscription
Good / glamorous pants
Lovely handcream
Cinema vouchers

How about one of those transparent bird boxes that sticks to your window?

If I get to that age... All the class As that I was too conformist to take in my t

My Gran loved those tiny decorated Christmas trees. She also enjoyed treats like Turkish delight or fancy talc.

I got bought a Storybox.life subscription and it’s perfect for your nans age. Simple questions each week about their life, and they reply either in the email or by attaching a voicenote. It builds life story that is printed in a hardback book when complete. Such a great personal gift and something the whole family can treasure.

I have got DH’s gran (95) 6 Hyacinths (two pots of 3 from Sainsbury) which I’ll put into a bigger pot

She is seriously difficult to buy for - she is losing her sense of smell and taste (eats nothing anyway), has enough “stuff” etc

i may make her a pair of turtle dove style fingerless gloves - she will appreciate the thriftiness (wartime child so this is a big thing with her)

some individually wrapped chocolates/ sweets (Lindor or Werthers Originals) that she can have in a dish to offer guests are also a winner usually (and my boys will help her with them over the next few months!)

I used to buy my DF 2 lots of his favourite sweets. One box for him and one box for our DC to help him with

A nice cosy fleece type jacket, my gran gets quite cold but doesn’t always want to have a blanket so she really appreciated this as a gift.

does she like turkish delight

pears soap?

hand cream?

A lovely plant like a ponsetta or flowers. She will love them!

Do you have pictures of her, parents, children, siblings, g/c of many years ago when she was much younger?

Often at this late stage of life, many people's memories go back in time. They remember like yesterday things that happened 70 years ago, while not remembering what they had for dinner yesterday.

I don't know if this is the case for your grandmother but giving her a book of picture memories of her younger years could be the best present you can give her.

The problem is time. You need time to get in touch with every family member who can supply the material you need, and Christmas is just around the corner.

Depends a lot on her capabilities and interests, for example my mother lost a lot of her sense of taste so buying nice things to eat were a bit depressing for her. However, if I'd bought her a lacy M&S vest/cami she probably would have been delighted.

Things that smell nice like handcream, Newberry Fruits or marzipan fruits, nice jams or marmalades, wrist warmers, nice soft cardigan, family photos... I'd avoid techy stuff and probably plants as well.