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Before the tips, a quip:
“If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, I’d have had them first.” ~ Lois Wyse.
Before you get too caught up in searching for the perfect gift for your grandparents, remember that you can do no wrong as a grandchild – or if you’re a gift giver! Elderly folks will love you no matter what (especially if they’re your grandpa or grandma).
And, remember how healthy it is for elderly people to be challenged and learn new things – which is why I think a Kindle Fire in full color (pictured) with built-in Wi-Fi is a great gift idea for elderly folks. One of my coworkers was given a Kindle as a gift last Christmas, and she LOVES it. She didn’t think she would, but she thinks it’s way better than print books. She’s in her mid-60, and say it was the best gift she ever got!
If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your grandparents’ gift, remember that you can always ask your family members to pitch in financially. Pooling your money to buy a gift may be the best solution for them, too — because finding the right gift for a grandparent is challenging for everyone.
The best gift ideas for grandparents and elderly parents involve stuff that you can do together. Don’t just give your grandpa and grandma another picture frame! Give gifts that encourage y’all to spend time as a family.
I bought my elderly in-laws (my mother-in-law is 71 and my father-in-law is 82) an automatic card shuffler a few years ago for Christmas, and we use it every year when we visit and play cards. This is one of the best gifts I’ve ever given them – even if they only use it when I’m there. I still love using it to shuffle the deck!
The Da Vinci Wood Automatic Card Shuffler (pictured) is good because it’s made of wood. The plastic card shuffler I gave my in-laws is super duper loud. It works great, but it’s all plastic and it makes a horrendous sound when it shuffles the cards. We laugh about it – we have to issue a warning before using it!
Last Christmas, I gave my husband a Touchscreen Programmable Thermostat. He’s not an elderly parent or grandparent – but we were at my in-laws, and they loved that gift idea!
Many people don’t realize how much history is lost when their grandparents or elderly parents pass on, and they regret not writing down their family’s life history or genealogy. A great gift idea for older people is a book about writing your memoirs – such as Turning Memories Into Memoirs: A Handbook for Writing Lifestories – perhaps accompanied by a professional life history writer.
I used to write life histories for older people, and was often given as a gift. That is, family members would hire me to write their grandparents’ or elderly parents’ memoirs – and the old folks loved it!
Many grandparents can’t keep in touch through email, Facebook, Twitter, or their children’s blogs because they don’t know how. So, a book or class about computers and the internet – such as Internet for Seniors in Easy Steps - For the Over 50's – would not only connect them and you, it would keep your grandparents’ brains young, improve their memories, and help them stay in touch with technology. This isn’t the best gift for grandparents because it’s a little ho-hum, but it’s practical.
The best, most creative gift idea for elderly parents and grandparents are things that match their hobbies, lifestyles, and interests. For instance, if they’re into gardening, surprise them with cool new slip-on garden shoes.
I once lived next to a little old lady who had season’s tickets to the city’s hockey team (the Edmonton Oilers!). She went to every game, and took a different person with her every time. It was fun — I went with her once — and I think it kept her young and lively. Tickets to events are one of the best gifts for grandparents.
Remember how I said the best Christmas gift for elderly parents and grandparents is time spent together? Well, you could send them a My Cup of Tea Gourmet Food Gift Basket, and tell them you’ll visit every week or every two weeks to dive into it together!
I like giving (and receiving) Amazon gift cards almost as much as gourmet gift baskets (which I love a lot)! Good types of gift certificates for grandparents include restaurants, beauty salons, health spas, community centers, gas stations, grocery stores, and continuing education classes.
Do your elderly parents have a dog? Read Best Gifts for Dog Lovers.
Some grandparents would love to round up a few friends and go to fun places like the aquarium or zoo! For others, it’s a great way to spend time with grandchildren. A gift of an annual membership could encourage the family to spend more time together and get to know each other in a different way.
Creating a quilt out of baby clothes, army uniforms (if your grandparent or dad served in the military), wedding dresses, and other unique clothes or heirlooms is a very special gift. Quilts are practical and meaningful gifts for grandparents, especially if you make it yourself – or you make it with them!
A monthly bouquet of flowers, roses, tulips, or your grandma’s favorite flower is a wonderful gift that will remind her that you love her – and all year long! Same with a monthly bottle of red wine or Scotch for dear old grandpa, or perhaps a gourmet nut and dried fruit basket from Amazon.com.
If your “old folks” like wine, read Gifts for Wine Lovers – From Corkscrews to Wine Bibles.
If you have any creative gift ideas or tips for elderly parents and grandparents, please share them below!
I welcome your comments and stories, but can't offer personal advice.
Tags: anniversaries and birthdays, baby boomers, gift ideas and tipsCategory: Holiday Season Tips, Miscellaneous
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