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Grandparent's Day: Thoughtful Gift Ideas

   By savingsmania  Aug 20, 2013
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Two Grandparents, a Great Aunt and my Dad live in nursing homes. All but my Dad are in nursing homes locally. He lives in NY, while I am in OH. It was a hard transition for them to go to the nursing home. My Dad has Alzheimer’s and getting special surprises in the mail is something he looks forward to. My Mom is always so thoughtful and would do anything for her kids. We love to treat her!  And I'm lucky enough to live near my Mother-In-Law Janet (Nana). She is a blessing in so many ways!

   

 
General Gift Ideas:

  1. Flowers – Especially in the middle of winter, flowers are a nice surprise.
  2. Homemade Cards – Drawings, cards, art projects are always a welcome gift for the grandparents. It is a creative way for kids to keep in touch with grandma and grandpa!
  3. iPad or Laptop - Speaking of keeping in touch, I find being able to contact far away family and friends with an iPad is amazing! We can Skype or Facetime on the iPad, along with email and chatting. These are two great options to help everyone stay in touch.
  4. Homemade Meal or Dessert – I am definitely more of a baker than a cook. Janet likes the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I make. My Dad likes brownies and homemade fudge. If you aren't up to cooking (or baking), consider sending Mrs. Field's cookies or Cheryl's. I've ordered from both for my family and they loved them!
  5. Gift Baskets- Put together a basket of your loved ones favorite treats. Whether it is beauty products, food, books or more, the ideas are endless!
  6. Pinterest- Pinterest is a great way to find wonderful gift ideas. I am on Pinterest daily, be sure to check out our page, over 19,000+ pins of the best recipes, crafts, gifts and more!
  7. Dinner out – Enjoying a meal out is one of the most fun gifts you can give. Especially when someone is in a nursing home, getting out for a few hours is a nice treat.
  8. Thank You’s on Facebook – My son likes to send Nana little notes on Facebook, it's a nice way for them to keep in touch.
  9. Art Projects – Consider framing art work or making a scrapbook of your child's artwork.
  10. A Kindle-  Kindles can store so many books. This would be a perfect solution for a grandparent who wants all their books in one place, likes to travel or who would like the convenience of instant book delivery!
  11. Gift Cards – Gift cards are always appreciated, especially if they are a surprise! Ask what their favorite stores are, think Amazon, Target and more!
  12. Magazine Subscription – Just like me, Janet loves to read magazines. It's always fun to get a surprise magazine subscription in the mail. My mom loves magazines too.
  13. A Party – Don't forget all the milestone events coming up in your loved ones life, like birthdays and anniversaries. My mother in law’s 70th birthday is coming up next year, so we are sure to have a big party for her!
  14. CD’s or MP3 Player- Many of my elderly relatives love listening to music. An iPod would make a nice gift!
  15. Books- My Mom loves to read and sending her a few books is always a treat for her.
  16. Photo Collages – I've made several photo collages with a mix of old photos and newer ones. Photo books are also a nice gift. Two of my favorite sites include  Snapfish and Shutterfly . My Dad loves getting photos in the mail. He loves to show his friends at the nursing home photos of his grandson.

 

Hobbies and Fun:

Gift ideas can be personalized to focus on the person’s personal interests and hobbies such as:

  1. Stationery and stamp- My grandmother Esther loved to collect stamps. When she passed away 10 years ago, I inherited her stamp collection . I like going through it and remembering all the fun we had looking at the stamps.
  2. Supplies for knitting or crocheting- My mom loves knitting and sending her yarn and other supplies is always appreciated.
  3. Pet care supplies- Does your loved one love pets? Put together a box of pet care supplies, toys and more.
  4. Plants, herbs, or flowers- Last year for Mother’s Day, I sent my mom a rose bush. It was one of her favorite gifts because it will bloom every year!
  5. Bird feeders and food- My mom loves feeding the birds and sending her a birdwatcher’s book or bird seed is something she enjoys.

I hope these ideas inspire you with your Grandparent’s Day (and year-round) gifts.

This blogpost was written by Savingsmania.com for SheSpeaks.
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