What to get Grandma for christmas?

[BowBizDogBows]

Some great ideas here so far!

Originally Posted by marcerella02

I love the idea of a goodie basket. We used to to this for my great great aunt. She loved getting things she usually didn't get to eat.

Agreed. Gifts are often best if they're something one wouldn't normally splurge on for oneself.

[WV~Yorkies]

Does she cook? My mother loves Temptation bakeware that they sell on QVC. I bought a set for my mil since mom liked her's so well. It is not old ugly bakeware it has all kinds of pretty patterns and works great too.

[Ashley V]

I think the goodie basket idea is great - and you don't have to limit it to JUST snacks/drinks either... you can do a little bit of everything. I also love the digital frame idea. Any grandmother would love that!

[betsi]

Your time! Spend as much time with her as you can. Talk to her and listen to her. She will love it more than any gift you can buy!!

[BowBizDogBows]

Originally Posted by betsi

Your time! Spend as much time with her as you can. Talk to her and listen to her. She will love it more than any gift you can buy!!

Excellent suggestion. I fully agree. Good thinking!

~Susan

[Yorkiedaze]

I was raised by my grandmother, and any gift she got, she was very, very happy with it. I think mainly because she was thought of. One gift my grandfather gave her one year was a ViewMaster and a few 3-D reels. Then people started adding to her collection and she really enjoyed looking at all the different pictures and especially the ones from around the world.
If she was alive today, I'd get her some CD book tapes and ear phones. She would be so happy with those since it was a bit of a strain for her to read. I'd get her the Bible CD book tape, since she was always reading her Bible. Anyway, these things she can always enjoy and won't get "eaten" up.

[TOY]

When family/friends are scattered everywhere, a really great gift for an older person is a phone card. I would imagine that a pre-paid phone would be even better since one wouldn't have to enter all the numbers.

Also, a house telephone with oversized numbers is a great gift or universal tv remote with large numbers.

A large print Bible or a large print subscription to Reader's Digest is also a good idea. The year I gave those was a big hit.

If she loves to send cards as many of the elderly do, get her a selection of various kinds of cards and a roll of stamps...or if she still writes letters, a pretty box of stationery and a roll of stamps.

Or instead of a gift-a-month type thing, take over her cable bill or such for a year if your budget can handle it. Just freeing up a bit of money per month for an elderly person is a big help. I love doing something like this because it "gives" each month.

One Christmas I even gave my Mother the installation of a dish network and had the bill come to me for years. She really enjoyed the westerns. Perhaps you could add a channel if there was something like that your Grandmother likes but doesn't have.

I don't have any of the elderly in my family still living but if I did, I think one of the things I would be interested in doing would be getting an ipod (or something similiar) and recording lots of their favorite songs and music genre. Then instead of the ear pods, I'd add real headphones because they are more comfortable to an older person. This would be a real treat for an elderly person who cannot listen to their favorite music on the radio anymore.

I tried to combine my practical gifts with a bit of fun each year for my elderly relatives. The joy they take in the smallest gift is priceless. Keep in mind, too, that if they grew up in the Depression, they also appreciate a gift that can be used as well as enjoyed.

If you don't get a chance to visit very much, make that a concerted effort from now on. That would be the greatest gift you can give an elderly person AND yourself. Pay attention to the things around your loved one and try to see ways you can ease life. For example, if hot tea is a favorite, why not get one of those heat units where you can set a mug to keep it warm?

Of all things though, if your elderly loved one lives at home and is ever left alone, I think getting one of the alert systems is the best gift. There is generally a monthly charge to that set-up so you could pay for that and/or have other family members contribute. I'm speaking of the kind of item where they push a button on a necklace or bracelet to summon emergency aid. Amazingly wonderful device for those elderly who still want their independence but need a safeguard.

Eek! I didn't mean to go on and on but with the first "baby" in our family born this year (since 16 years ago), my gift-giving for nearly two decades has been to elderly family members.

[TOY]

I just thought of something I did for Mother (not as a Christmas gift but just to help her) that your Grandmother would probably appreciate.

I made a personal phone book for her. She had trouble reading the fine print in a phone book even with glasses plus she had phone numbers written here and there and everywhere!

I used a large font and made a section for personal numbers and then a section with business numbers such as her bank, doctors, etc.

This was a huge, huge hit and one that she lovingly showed off when her friends came to visit. It took so little effort on my part but it really was something she enjoyed almost daily.

I didn't make hers fancy but by using lines and skipping every other line, it made it easier for her to read and look up numbers. If you do this, be sure to include the 1 and the area code, too, and include numbers you think she would remember (like yours!). I found that once Mother got a programmable phone, Mother would just tell people that my number was Memory 1. Seriously! My Mother was a joker with the best of them but in this she was serious because with a programmable phone, she no longer had to recall phone numbers. (That's why in her personal phone book, you need to put the real number and then include the "memory" number.)

[browniesmom622]

Thank's for all the idea's!!!!

Since she lives down the block i don't have to work on the visiting one I should send that one to my cousin's lol.

[jeanm1963]

My grandmother is 92 and pretty much chair bound, she also uses a walker, but for the most part she sits in her chair watching TV and napping. Well, 2 years ago I got her one of those bean bag neck rests for behind her neck on a whim... she uses it every single day... I also got her one of those bean bag things that you can heat up , she also uses that to put on her shoulders or sometimes just to warm up.. ( someone has to heat it for her) in the microwave. She loves those... they aren't super sentimental but considering she doesnt do alot, she loves them. My cousin bought her one of those new phones that verbally says who it is, because she can no longer see the caller ID and my other cousin bought her one of those clickers that has super big numbers because she cant see very well!!!!
I know none of these are really personal gifts but she really loves them because they have made her life ALOT easier!!!