Gift suggestions for Grandma's 90th Bday!

[Fly4free]

I'm in need of gift suggestions for my grandmother, who is turning 90 soon.

I should mention she does not like anything that has to be displayed. I remember her 88th bday when she complained about one of my cousins giving her a large, nicely scented candle. Her house is small and she doesn't need any more nicknacks.

I will be giving her $ too, but since we rarely get to see her I would like to also give a gift that has some sentiment. We will be flying, international, to attend this party, so that is something of a gift.

Anyone have any ideas, for the soon to be 90 year old, that has everything?

 

[clarabelle]

photo album? Picture of you? Photo Calendar?
Throw with her initials.
Take her out to dinner? Bottle of Wine?
Letter from you about how much she means to you?
Plant for her garden.

 

[Liberty Belle]

One time I got my grandma some really nice, comfy sheets for Christmas and she loved them. She never bought herself new sheets.

 

[pamjb]

DH's Grandma just turned 93. What I have done for her that past few years for her birthday is make a basket with greeting cards for different occasions (birthday, get well, sympathy)stamps and address labels. She loves it as she was always a card sender.

 

[PatsMom]

When my grandmother turned 90, I gave her restaurant gift certificates. She does still love to eat!

 

[smkiya]

Name a star after her on one of the star registries. Here is one:

http://www.starregistry.com/

International Star Registry

"About Us
Naming stars since 1979, our list of satisfied customers include celebrities, dignitaries, and individuals worldwide. We have named hundreds of thousands of stars for people from all walks of life. So, whether it be for your sweetheart or your top sales agent, a star name makes a unique and welcome gift.
The International Star Registry gift package includes a beautiful 12" x 16" parchment certificate, available framed or unframed, with the name of your choice, dedication date, and telescopic coordinates of the star. You'll also receive an informative booklet with charts of the constellations plus a larger, more detailed chart with the star you name encircled in red.

Because these star names are copyrighted with their telescopic coordinates in the book, "Your Place in the Cosmos," future generations may identify the star name in the directory and, using a telescope, locate the actual star in the sky."

 

[CoP Luv]

When my Great Uncle turned 100, I took pictures at his 100th birthday party and made a photo book for him. Everyone loved it!

 

[figment3258]

When my grandma turned 90 my cousin and i went to cvs and we made a photo college with all the grand and great grand kids pictures and we put the picture on a blanket. It was easy and really nice. She was always cold. She loved the blanket so much. Last year she passed away at 93 and the boys put the blanket with her so she has it forever.

 

[cath32]

We do photo calendars of the grandkids every year for grandparents. Since you're part way through the year, maybe 2011?

 

[Gigi22]

This brings back memories! It really depends on the likes and interests, and lifestyle of the recipient. DH sent his great-aunt 2 doz. long stemmed red roses for her 90th birthday--she was by that time living in an assisted living residence. She was so happy to get them, because who sends 2 doz. roses? It was special. On the other hand, for years DH sent his Grandmother, who lived in her own house, a gift certificate that she could use to buy bird seed for her bird feeders. Birdwatching was one of her hobbies.

 

[XYSRUS]

The gift of time. Make a concerted effort to spend more time with her...talking, remembering...I'm sure she would love it.

 

[ssawka]

• Make a donation to a charity in her name
• Is she in a house or in a retirement home? If she's in a house and lives alone, do things around the house or hire someone to clean or do repairs.

At 90, your probably better off giving some kind of service rather than giving her stuff.

 

[hffmnheidi]

Does she have a dvd player? You could gather photos of her from all ages of life and with various family members and make a slide show on DVD with music. She might enjoy seeing the photos.

 

[cheshireqt]

For my Grandmother still living in her own home, unassisted (92 yrs old) I started replacing things that she never invested in replacing herself, e.g., silverware. I made sure it was a good set of 16 with serving utensils. Another year it was a new coffee pot, for Christmas it was some Christmas themed pillows for the couch, a throw rug and potholders (she has a cattle ranch and these were perfect for her - cows with wreaths and snow). She has communicated to others that she likes these 'practical' gifts and that it shows that we believe she will be around for a while. Oh and she also LOVES jewelry and books!

For my Grandmother living in assisted living (94 yrs old) I send roses, either cut roses or the small potted ones. When my Grandfather was alive I always sent food items, since that was his passion! Grandma has no interest in food but always loved tending her roses when she still had a garden.
What does your Grandmother do for hobbies? Maybe that would provide a clue for you?

 

[ncbyrne]

My DM-I-L lived to 95. For Christmas the last 10 years we always gave her a gift certificate to get her hair done 6 times. For her 90th BD party we asked everyone to give her store gift cards - her preference was CVS and ShopRite grocery stores. Flowers and homemade cookies also were appreciated. What she didn't want was "stuff".

 

[powelweb]

If she is religious, how about a nice new set of rosary beads? I found a beautiful set that mt DGM loved, and she used them every day until she passed, and now my aunt (her oldest daughter) uses them.

If not religious, I'd second the suggestions for assorted greeting cards and labels.

 

[Fly4free]

Thanks, everybody! These are some great ideas. I like the idea of making something with pictures. I will need some help from other family members that live near her. My Grandmother lives in Europe and with her being 4,000 mi. away we have not had many opportunities to see each other. I was almost 13 the first time I went to my only grandma's house.

I do have some photos from that trip, and for sure, some from when she came to the US for my wedding. And like I said my dh, kids and I traveling that far to attend her bday party is a "gift" too. It's a trip my family will never forget either. I can hardly wait!

 

[mdinecola]

My grandma just turned 90 in January and my sis and I did her a photo album - we just scanned some photos of our families now as well as stuff of when we were kids and a few of my dad in his younger years and sent it all to Walgreens to be printed - they had a deal at the time. We got her a nice photo album and stuffed it with the pics in chronological order - she LOVED it. It was fun to sit with her and remember some of the stuff in there. We gave her something to remember and created new memories remembering them with her. Can't get any better than that....

 

[riley2008]

My great aunt just turned 80. Her sister and niece gave her an afternoon tea with her closest friends and some family. We took pictures of her and each guest. 3 guests were not able to attend and sent beautiful cards/notes.

We put the pictures in an album and also included the invitation and the "menu". My cousin wrote a letter to my aunt in the front of the book - a dedication. We were also able to include a group picture of the three missing guests holding a sign that said "wished we were there, too" at the end of the album.

My great aunt has called twice to say how much it means to her. She said that she was going to tie the album and the cards together and put with her wedding album - it meant that much to her.

Just a thought, rather than trying to gather pictures from the past.

 

[teacup princess]

When my husbands grandmother turned 80 she refused to have a party so instead we sent out letters to family & friends saying that we were making her a secret scrapbook for her 80th birthday and asked them to please send a note with a favorite memory of her, a picture, or just a card with a birthday wish for her. We then took all the letters and things people sent and made a scrapbook.

I've also seen people do card showers where they send out a letter to family and friends asking them to please help them celebrate some milestone by sending a card. The receiver then gets a mailbox full of cards and letters everyday from people they know or haven't heard from in a while.

If you'd like to organize one of these, I bet you're grandma would really love it.