Gift ideas for a 90 year old aunt

[lovesny]

My Aunt (and also my Godmother) turns 90 years old next week. Her children
are having a surprise party for her and have said "No gifts". However, I would
like to do something for her. Other than a bouquet of flowers, or perhaps
taking her out for lunch, I have no other ideas of what I could do.

I might mention, she is able to get around fairly well. Any ideas???

 

[SeansMom]

My Mom is almost the same age, and time spent with them seems like the best gift. You could take her out or bring lunch in, whichever seems more personal, and maybe share pictures with her (of your family or from her youth). My aunts and parents have said they enjoyed that quite a bit. I've also brought chocolate for my Mom, but everybody has different diets and tastes. If she is still living at home a little treat basket could be fun. I've done that as well. The Rite Aid here sells tiny packages of crackers, cookies, and jams/jellies. All depends on her taste, but I don't think a token gift would be wrong as long as it can be useful.

 

[kermit116]

Cookies or some sort of tea/coffee/snack basket? I have family who also say "no gifts" for holidays, so I usually take the time to have some lunch with them or I will give them something modest and consumable (like sweet treats they might not buy for themselves).

 

[faithmiller]

How about filling a large glass jar with 90 slips of paper...each one stating a memory or something they love about her?

 

[Warren W]

You should make a decision according to your own conditions, the opinions of others just give your some reference.
Please say hello to your Aunt for me.

 

[Halle]

My Mom just turned 90 and her favorite gift was a digital picture frame. I loaded it with all our family photos.

 

[disneyandme]

Contact all her friends and relatives and ask them to send you ahead of time a birthday card or note for her. Collect them all and present them to her on her birthday.

 

[scbelleatheart]

My Mom just turned 90 and her favorite gift was a digital picture frame. I loaded it with all our family photos.

This! It is one of my DMIL's favorites at age 88. Old photos, grandchildren, she loves it. I think hers stores about 200 photos and we change it out every few months to put in more recent pics.
Cannot wait to give her my most recent gift. An IPad with her own email address. Could be a while to give in to her next request. She wants one more new car. Does anyone else have parents who are so still so active in their
80's?

 

[cornflake]

I agree time with would be the best gift -

Maybe give a calendar and you can mark in a day a week or every two weeks that could be your day to do something with her. Doesn't have to be big but if you give her a calendar and say, every Saturday morning you have marked in 'coffee and farmer's market with lovesny' and you just pick her up and go out for coffee and people watching and a pastry and then stop and pick up stuff she might need like produce or milk or a treat. Even if it's just for an hour or so, that could mean a ton to her - and to you, she's your godmother!

Even if she can get around - still some older people (and younger) don't like to or don't think of going out for coffee or breakfast (or whatever is her little luxury treat that she likes but wouldn't do for herself, breakfast out, coffee and pastry, chinese food) by themselves. It's money and it's like why bother, but it's a big treat, especially if she lives alone. It's more fun to be social and people watch and stuff with someone else, gets her out for a bit...

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree time with would be the best gift

Especially since the hosts have specified 'no gifts' .

 

[Schmoodle]

I have the same issue with my 96YO grandmother. She has lots of family members that want to give her gifts on her birthday or Christmas, and many are far away and don't know what she needs. When we moved her from her house to a small apartment, the house was stuffed with piles of brand new nightgowns and robes, mugs, lotion/toiletry sets, selections of teas, and 8 packages of stale Wolferman muffins in her freezer (she also hates to get rid of anything she can't use, so it piles up). I'm sure that's why the family has asked for no gifts. After that experience, I vowed to never give her a gift unless I know she can use it. I give her family pictures and artwork from the kids. She loves crabcakes, so one year I made a lb of crabcakes for her freezer. I gave her soup-of-the-month club one year and brought her a different homemade soup each month. I've also made donations in her name. Since they have asked for no gifts, I would think something handmade or a picture, etc., would be okay. And as others have already said, at that age, I think the gift of spending time with them is the most meaningful thing of all.

 

[Rylee]

Please give her a "Trip Down Memory Lane."

My sweet mother (88y/o) died this past Nov., the week of Thanksgiving. We have been cleaning out her 4 bedroom house and have found boxes of old photos, news paper clippings, her H.S. yearbook, the speech she wrote to read at her graduation, (she was Valedictorian) family bibles dating back in the 1800's, a laundry basket of full of jewelery, etc. How is wish I had gone through this stuff with her.

If she has old stuff that still needs to be gone through, go through it with her. Ask questions, let her talk about each piece, the story behind the photos, and just listen as she shares her memories.

If they've already gone through most of her belongs, make a scrap book for her. Gather old photos, cards, letters, newspaper clippings, etc., and present them to her in a scrapbook.

Another idea... When we are invited to SURPRISE parties, I buy all the supplies to make a scrapbook of that event. I include the memory album, card stock, related embellishments & stickers, etc. I also buy 2 or 3 disposable cameras and take a bunch of pictures while there, then toss those in the gift bag, too. Those receiving this as a gift have always been thrilled and greatly appreciative. (Hey... if they were truly surprised, they didn't have a camera with them when they arrived at the party!)

*Since your Aunt is 90, you should probably take the pictures on your own camera, get then developed, and then go over and help put the album together with her. Win - win... because you are spending time with her.

 

[ceecee]

Especially since the hosts have specified 'no gifts' .

I agree, spend time with her. Lunch is a great idea and maybe shopping if she needs help with that. OR if she needs help around her house, spring cleaning, planting flowers,lawn work, etc.

 

[2disneyboys]

My grandmother is in her late 80's and my Great Grandmother (her mom) is 105 this past august. (these are my dad's side of the family) on my mothers side of the family I have an 87 year old Grandfather who is also active. They are all amazing people!

All of them are still active and have all of thier "senses" My Granny is just now "slowing" down some. We try to give gifts of time (like just visiting with them), or like a gift certificate to a service they enjoy (such as hair styling, massages, facials, mani's/pedi's) or dates (like dinner & a movie or some other local show are entertainment option) We've also made Photo Books and digital picture frames. They all loved all of these chocies.

our favorite gift from them to the family, is different people spending time with the elderly members of the family and just listening to stories. Like, what it was like in the winter up north before electricity, life events type of stuff. Then we have pulled some pictures (where we can find them) of the family member during that stage of life and put together photo slide shows or movies or even just scrapbooks w/ this type of info. This is priceless!

 

[MinnieForMe]

Time! Oh how I wish I had more time with my grandmother. She loved to go out and in her last few years (90+) she could no longer drive. She greatly appreciated a trip to the post office, a lunch date, a trip to Home Depot to look through the flower section, anything that we could do together she appreciated even if it didn't cost a dime.

I love the idea of the digital frame already loaded with pictures!

 

[sunshinehighway]

This question reminds me of Talladeha Nights

The idea of spending time with her is a good one. Its actually would be a gift for you as well.

 

[Bob NC]

Gift ideas for a 90 year old aunt


Her children are having a surprise party for her and have said "No gifts".

There's one in every crowd.

 

[Bob NC]

/

 

[powelweb]

a couple of ideas to add-

if she is catholic and doesn't already have one, a really nice set of rosary beads. I got a set made of opals for my grandmother and she loved them, using them everyday, and then gave them to my aunt when she passed, so they've become a family heirloom.

In addition to spending time with her, find out what she needs help with, especially if she still lives alone, and make a point to visit and take care of things, like taking out the air conditioner and putting in the storm windows to get ready for winter, bringing nieces/nephews or grandkids over to rake leaves while you have a nice visit in the kitchen watching all the mischief they create and then reward the kids with hot chocolate and cookies.

You'll create memories for her and them, all while helping her with work around the house.