Gift ideas for my grandfather needed

[piratemamaof3]

Hey guys I need some ideas. I don't know what to give my grandfather that has every thing. I actually found for my grandmother who is even harder to buy for already. I know if I ask for ideas they will say we don't need to give them any thing and honestly they pretty much have it all. I have done gift cards to Lows where I know they buy stuff but I have this feeling that one day when we have to go through their stuff we will find a stack of unused gift cards. One time I gave cash in a fun way and that is always an option. At least w/ cash i know they will spend it. Any fun ways to present it?
I don't know that they listen to a lot of CD's and they have movies I don't think they watch.

All suggestions would be great thanks!!


**ETA he is in his 80s and still active. He works at the "shop" a few days a week doing mechanic stuff on machines and they still occasionally travel. Mom and dad are getting them a GPS and last yr got them satalite radio that they never installed. He does watch TV, sports, war movies... don't think he reads for fun.

 

[dizneechic]

A little more info may be helpful, is he active, heath restricted, have any interests?

For dh's gramps he's 80, pretty much confined to a chair all day, likes sports, and watches TV. He lives alone but has people come help every day because honestly if he didn't he wouldn't probably eat or remember to take his meds.

That said, for us, each year we do a gift basket of easy to make/eat foods. Crackers, jams, meats, soups, fruits, etc. We have also included blankets, slippers, those "green" bags to make breads and veggies/fruit last longer, a large print book of interest, kids pictures etc. It doesn't sound like anything glamorous or fun, but it's what he appreciates the most each year.

 

[stsomewhere]

I have bought my grandpa staeks. I ent to Sam's and picked out a nice pack. My grandma cooks one at a time because that is all they need. It is something he enjoys but does not have in the budget.

 

[nursegirl]

Our grandparents are pretty out and about - so we always do Gift Cards for BP or QuickTrip for gas, since that's something we know they will use. Or restaurant Gift Cards - they love Cracker Barrel and IHOP. We just gave my grandmother on her 80th bday an AmEx cash card that she liked and a subscription to a magazine she reads.

 

[Bethany2008]

All of my grandparents have passed but it used to be a huge family brainstorming session when we were deciding what to get them. Sometimes we would go together and get them a 'Harry and David' package that would come once a month. It was nice because then they would get a special fruit delivery monthly or some chocolate, or whatever package we choose.

When we didn't go together I would get very practical things (which are my favorite gifts). Id get 'Sams' packages of toilet paper, paper towels, or paper plates, ect. These were things that I knew they would use, and they would usually almost last the whole year, but it would save them the hassle of carrying them in from the car and whatnot. My husband thought it was the stupidest idea ever, since no one would want TP from Christmas, but hey, if I got TP over a movie that I was never going to watch... I'd be a happy camper! (We did many of the movies-that we found years later still in their a packages.) If you wanted to do more with it you could also add a certificate for a free bathroom or kitchen cleaning

I also do toilet paper for white elephant or work gift exchanges, which again, my husband thinks is stupid, but it always seems to be the most 'stolen' package! And it usually gets a good laugh!

 

[mickimousemama]

Last year I made my Grandma a deck of cards with the kids pictures on them, she loves to play cards and she loves to show off the great grandkids.

I also make grandparents photo calendars I like to use artscow for my photo gifts.

 

[samshane]

My grandmother is 91 - and she complains about everything, LOL. The past few years we have made her calendars for Christmas through Walmart (but I believe a bunch of places do them). I put on a bunch of pics of the family - the first year I sent her one she LOVED it. My mom said it was great cause she actually didn't complain! (Her complaints are: It's too big (clothing), I'll never use it (gift cards) - there's tons of them). We'll be doing it again this year (I also go it for my parents and DH's parents as well).

 

[cmaee]

We used to get my grandmother the fruit of the month club from Harry and Davids. She loved getting fruit all year. We also would get her magazine subscriptions to Taste of Home and Quick Cooking. She loved those magazines, but wouldn't buy the subscription....it was never very expensive, but she refused to spend money on something like that. She is sadly passed, but she loved getting practical gifts versus stuff. She would never wear clothes that we would get her...she said there wasn't anything wrong with what she already had and she wouldn't want to ruin the nice things. She was always outside working in her garden or doing yard work, so she saw no need in nice clothes other than for church or going out shopping.

I saw a basket at Omaha Steaks that I am going to be sending to my dad and in-laws. It has the following in it: 2 (5 oz.) Filet Mignons; 2 (5 oz.) Top Sirloins; 2 (4.5 oz.) Stuffed Sole with Scallops and Crab; 4 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers; 4 (5.75 oz.) Stuffed Baked Potatoes; 1 (6 in.) Chocolate Lover's Cake for $59.99. It is regularly $135, so I am excited about getting them this. They have everything that they need and if they want something, they usually just buy it, so I have decided to buy them consumable gifts from here on out. I know they would never buy expensive cuts of beef, so this will be a nice treat for them. My dad and father-in-law both have birthday on New Years Eve and New Years Day, so I always make up a calendar that has my kids photos as the picture of the month and then all of our families important dates throughout the calendar. I do it on my computer and then print it out. I take it to Office Depot and have it bound. It isn't expensive and they love getting it each year.

 

[Bethany2008]

I saw that many people mentioned the photo calendars, I have also done this in the past and did them online at Kodak.com and Shutterfly.com. I found shutterfly the most user friendly and had more layout options available. I was able to work on it in the middle of the night and had them sent straight to my house! They turned out very professional and were even very simple and kind of fun

 

[piratemamaof3]

Thanks for the good ideas keep them comming.

I did get them a GC to cracker barrel one year b/c I know they like it there. One for a gas staion is good also. I'll check w/ mom to see if she knows that they actually use the GC's. I can always stick to cash if nothing else I know they will spend that.

 

[NotUrsula]

Since he likes to tinker, tools are a good bet, or GC's for places that sell them. Battery packs for tools that he already has might be good, too, it's always great to have extras.

My mother always liked getting rolls of stamps -- it saved her the bother of going to the Post Office to buy them.

My BIL loves to build model airplanes. One year I just went out and bought him $60 worth of various cuts of Balsa wood that were suitable for that use. He laughed when he opened the box, but he used the wood.

One of the best things that I've found to give to older folks are magnifying/lighting gadgets. Everyone's eyesight gets worse as they grow older, and more light and more magnification are great to have, but they often either don't know this stuff is available, or think that it is an extravagance to purchase such a thing, because they are pricey. Consider buying a REALLY good high-intensity work lamp with a lighted magnifying component, and set it up in the house or shop -- don't leave it in the box for him to do. Most older people have never tried one of these, so they don't appreciate the difference it makes unless they are forced to try it in action.

 

[mom2meiko]

i find photo gifts are the best gifts for those people who have everything. books, collages, calendars, etc. there are so many items you can consider...

 

[badblackpug]

Tickets to a baseball/football/basketball game?

 

[AnastasiaTremaine]

I imagine if I was 80, really did have everything I needed, I wouldn't be wanting for much more but to bask in the glow of my family. Pictures are a great idea. Another great idea would be to make him a pack of coupons good for a meal with your kids, a trip to the park/library/zoo with your kids, you guys raking the lawn/doing whatever he might need help with, etc. A gift of your time is so much more meaningful - really at any age, but particularly when age has given you persepctive on what life is really all about. Each of you writing a letter to him would also be wonderful and mean so very much - we did that for my grandmother one year and boy did she treasure those. Those are the gifts that last forever - and isn't it wonderful to share with someone how very much they mean to you and to recall the special memories with them now, while they're still here & can enjoy it?

 

[jscott27]

When our DS was born 5 years ago, we made up a picture book of him that year (we used mypublisher.com), and it has been a yearly tradition ever since (now includes DS5 and DD2). We make a book to give to both sets of our parents and to my two sets of grandparents.

Warning - it can take quite a bit of time to put together. The first one I took the time to put little comments in for many of the pictures, but since then we have cut back to just putting in when the months start.

 

[jboysen]

We gave my Dh's step grandpa lottery tickets for his bday. How about GC for oil changes on the car?

 

[MNdisneymom]

For my father's birthday (he is about to turn 82!) I found all of his old family pictures (and I'm talking early 1900s before he was born) to when he was in the Navy, and early in my parents marriage...I'm in the process of putting them all on the computer, then I'm going to make a slideshow, set it to music, and put it on a DVD. It's going to make him cry, but in a good way...