Gifts for Grandparents
From LoveToKnow Seniors
Choosing gifts for grandparents and other seniors in your life is easy and rewarding if you remember a few simple things.
Limit Buying More “Stuff”
For many seniors, the days of accumulation are over. They’ve earned most of what they wanted to acquire, and now consider other factors to be more valuable. They often don’t want another thing to dust, something that isn’t practical, or an item they perceive as a waste of money.
Additionally, if you have a grandparent in a nursing home, his or her room may be too small to have a lot of extraneous material items. So don’t just grab the nearest figurine or striped tie. Consider the individual, their interests, and circumstances with care.
Gift Ideas for Grandparents
Take Them Out
A night on the town, a museum trek, or even a couple of hours at the latest movie are all wonderful gifts for grandparents. You can tailor these kinds of gifts to fit almost any budget, especially when you nab senior discounts, which are available for most entertainment options.
Buy a couple of movie matinee tickets or a senior pass for unlimited admission to a local museum. Many theatre playhouses and music halls have season pass specials for seniors that you can obtain as a gift certificate. This allows the recipient to attend the performance of his or her choice. Tickets to a sporting event, even if they are in the nosebleed section, can be a fun excursion compared to watching a favorite team on TV.
Keep in mind also that some seniors prefer not to drive at night, so an evening out is more special when you’re a companion and chauffer.
Respond to Their Interests
Everyone likes to share enthusiasm for hobbies or interests. Asking your grandfather to help you with a woodworking project or going birdwatching with your grandmother is a cost-effective gift with high value.
Grandparents who collect particular items make shopping fun. A wonderful gift is to set aside time to go on a treasure hunt with him or her for another article. Or, help catalogue the pieces by creating a computer file with particular details. You can also surprise a grandparent by adding to the collection, but peck around first to see what he or she really looks for, or why the addition would matter.
Alternatively, if you know that they've been talking about trying something new, give your grandparents an experience gift. Whether it's a paint-your-own-pottery session or skydiving lessons, you're helping to open up their world.
Plan a Trip
A trip doesn't have to be a two-week cruise, but that's certainly an option. Sometimes just a day trip to a special event or to a grandparent's hometown makes a great gift.
Offer up a weekend day and spend time together planning the excursion. By planning together in advance, the anticipation will enhance the overall experience.
Collect the Family History
Get your grandparents involved as the family historians by asking them to help put together a scrapbook or to record family stories. You can purchase new photo albums and fun scrapbook materials almost anywhere. Set aside a few Saturday afternoons to help your grandparents go through mementos, photos, and other trinkets of the past and put them together in a new way.
With an inexpensive cassette recorder, record some of the stories they recall from childhood, early days of marriage, and tales about other family members. Then, make copies for other members of the family. You might be surprised by just how fascinating others find these memories, and you’ve also captured important information for future generations to enjoy.
Help with New Technology
Some people take to computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other forms of technology quite readily. Others need a little assistance. Many community and senior centers offer classes, but with patience and humor, family members can enjoy spending time together while learning something new.
For example, a grandson who is a whiz at cell phones can help Grandma program phone numbers and download a funny ringtone or two. A college-aged granddaughter can show Grandpa how to set up a Snapfish photo account to share family pictures.
Make a simple gift certificate that states, “In exchange for computer services, Grandpa will teach me (insert topic here).” Many grandparents delight in the opportunity to pass along their knowledge to other family members.
Time: The Best Gift for Grandparents
Can you see a pattern unfolding here? The most dazzling gift for grandparents is one of time.
Arrange for a once-a-month lunch date. Help with house or yard work. Involve yourself in their interests. Let them share stories of “when they were your age.” Ask for their perspective on past world events, or what and how technological advances affected their way of life. Someone over the age of 60 has experiences very different from your own.
Engaging seniors in conversations like these help them connect to your world. You can also create memories through some of the gifts for grandparents mentioned above. These non-tangible presents resonate more than a talking fish plaque or another bottle of body spray.
Cash and Gift Cards
Other good gifts for grandparents, especially those on a fixed income, are cash or a gift card to their favorite store or restaurant. You can even take them shopping. Cushion this kind of gift with sensitivity, humor, and respect so the recipient isn't insulted.
Encourage them to treat themselves, or set the money or cards aside for a special day out. Don’t make it seem as if they can’t afford to do certain things or can’t take care of themselves. While cash and gift cards may seem impersonal to some, the intent is that the recipient can spend it as they wish.
In Summary
Everybody responds to someone showing genuine interest in him or her. Keep that in mind when providing gifts for grandparents, as that’s a gift that rewards both the giver and recipient.
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This page has been accessed 2,314 times. This page was last modified 06:21, 7 June 2008.
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