What should I gift my grandma?
Posted by Kilmoreorange@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 15 comments
I haven’t seen her in 2 years and even then it was brief. I plan on stopping by Mid may, her birthday is a week before so I don’t want to arrive empty handed.
She’s a well kept (posh if you will) 81yr old lady, she’s conscious of eating whole foods, no chocolates or alcohol in her diet. They’re in the process of moving house so I think flowers would be a little useless.
As I’ve stated typing this I’m staring to think a really interesting coffee table style book might grip her. So any suggestions on that?
Nedgamell@reddit
I have found that bunches of particularly nice various greeting cards, birthday, thank you, get well and so on and several sheets of stamps is a nice gift - particularly helpful to folks who are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Not your grandmother obviously but she might like the convenience if she sends cards.
Odd_Caterpillar_2714@reddit
My go-to gift for grandparents is a framed photo of you and them when you were younger accompanyed by a hand-written card. Thoughtful, simple, inexpensive and heartfelt - Grandparents love this kind of thing.
Kilmoreorange@reddit (OP)
That sounds perfect! Unfortunately I don’t have any photos like this but I’ll keep this idea in mind for the future, thank you
Harvsnova3@reddit
Now's your chance to get one, when you go see her.
girlsunderpressure@reddit
My grandmother (when she was alive) loved gossip, so I would come prepared with all sorts of wild and scandalous stories about bad dates, friends' hijinks, sometimes even plot points from TV shows (that I pretended were about my friends) that I could entertain her with. When you're 81 you don't have a lot of novelty in your life, so I tried to provide that for her.
She also ate chocolate and wasn't posh at all, so I could bring a box of chocolate coated marzipan and she'd be happy.
Shatter_Build_22@reddit
A great one is a digital photo frame - there are ones you can get that you can upload photos through the cloud so any nice pics you can send it straight to the frame to rotate through. Really great to keep seeing nice photos pop up every 10 minutes and remind you of the good times :)
Sea-Still5427@reddit
The funny thing about getting older (I'm F61) is that you genuinely want the old lady presents you used to think were incredibly boring. I wound get a small luxury item she can enjoy in her new home, such as a box if Floris soaps (never wrong, whatever the occasion), expensive hand cream, a tin of her favourite loose tea from Fortnum & Mason or even a gift voucher to the best local beauty spa as it's start of sandal season so lovely to have someone else make your feet look good. Failing that, gift voucher for a good local garden centre to help with plants for the new house.
Jealous-Shallot-3071@reddit
Have you considered a voucher for one of those indoor skydiving places?
Full-Suggestion-1320@reddit
What does she like doing?
Buy her something related to her hobbies. Books, gardening things, paints for art, crochet etc.
I recently received afternoon tea delivered from Chatsworth House which was a fantastic gift.
The best gift you could give her is a trip out with you, a nice wander around a garden centre and afternoon tea out of lunch out would be amazing.
To be honest Grandma's often get a lot of useless stuff, things that show you really thought about her and your relationship are special. My son a couple of years ago went to a spot we had a particularly lovely childhood photo taken as a family, he repeated the photograph and bought some speciality gin and scented candles from the place. It was really touching that he remembered that trip and photo as a happy family time and wanted to recreate it.
My 92 year old mum appreciates garden plants, planters, a planted outdoor floral arrangement, nice bracelets and brooches. Earrings and necklaces are too difficult to fasten with arthritic fingers. A pretty arthritis magnetic bracelet was particularly appreciated.
The best gift you can give elderly family members is time with you.
FreeBogwoppits@reddit
A bottle of Sparkling Tea (an alcohol free wine alternative). You can get a posh Fortnum and Mason labelled bottle for under £20.
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/search?q=Sparkling%20tea%20non%20alcoholic
Practical_Scar4374@reddit
Dildo.
rustynoodle3891@reddit
You take the main gift of your time, and maybe go out for something to eat if you have the time/money. It's you she probably wants not a present. That said, I'd still take a little something!
HAZZ3R1@reddit
Coffee table books are great and a good conversation starter.
When she was younger or even still now, was there anything she particularly enjoyed.
Travel Fashion Cooking/baking Etc
A nice hard back book I'm sure would go down a charm, maybe even use that as her birthday card to and write on the first page or inside cover?
My gran loves poppies and her birthday is near remberance day which she loved to support.
I commissioned a large metal poppy in steel for her. She still goes on about it nearly 10years later. Best £100 I ever spent!
venuscans@reddit
Not sure of your budget but an Ottolenghi recipe book or hamper might fit the bill if she's adventurous with food but conscious of health. Or a book subscription?
I really like my Martin Parr table book.
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