grandparents
Gift ideas for grandparents: 12 gifts they’ll treasure
Coming up with gift ideas for grandparents is hard because they almost always say the same thing: “I don’t need anything.” And they’re right. By now they don’t want things: they want time with the family and memories they can hold.
Here are 12 ideas made for them: gifts full of family memories, useful things for everyday life, plans to share and little projects the grandchildren can prepare.
Gifts for grandparents full of family memories
This is the kind of gift that moves them most: something that only exists because their family does.
our favourite
1. The family chat, in a book
The family WhatsApp group holds everything: photos of the grandchildren, birthday messages, voice notes of the little ones singing and the recipes grandma explained by text.
With a personalised message book that chat becomes a printed book they can flick through on the sofa, no screens needed. Photos are printed, and voice notes and videos become QR codes: any grandchild can scan them with a phone so you can listen together.
It’s perfect for grandparents who aren’t comfortable with phones, because everything is on paper. Read our customers’ reviews on Trustpilot.
A calendar with photos of the grandchildren
One month for each grandchild, with their photo and birthday marked. They use it all year and every month reminds them of someone.
Their old photos, digitised
Scan photos of their wedding, their parents or their younger years and give them a new album. And a copy for each of their children.
Useful gifts for older grandparents
If you’d rather give something practical, look for things that make their day more comfortable. Even better if they come ready to use.
A digital photo frame, set up for them
Loaded with hundreds of family photos and connected so you can send new ones from your phone. They just plug it in.
A good reading lamp
Warm, dimmable light for reading, crosswords or sewing without straining their eyes.
Quality slippers or a warm blanket
It seems small, but it gets used every day. Go for something warm, non-slip and easy to put on.
Plans to give to grandparents
Many grandparents value an afternoon with their grandchildren more than any object. These plans come in an envelope and are enjoyed as a family.
A meal cooked by the grandchildren
The grandchildren cook, set the table and clear up. The grandparents just sit down. Even better with their classic recipe.
A day in their hometown
Go back to where they grew up, walk down their old street and let them tell their stories right there. Film it.
A phone “lesson” afternoon
Teach them to video call, look at photos or send voice notes. Leave them a step-by-step sheet in large print so they don’t forget.
Gifts for grandparents from the grandchildren
If the grandchildren are young, what they make is worth more than anything you can buy.
A handprint picture
The grandchildren’s hands or feet in paint on a canvas or print, with the date and their names.
Grandma’s recipe book
The grandchildren ask for her recipes, write them down (or film them) and put them together in a notebook for the whole family.
An interview with the grandparents
Questions about how they met, their first job or their childhood. Record it: in a few years it will be a treasure.
Ideas that always work
- Time with the grandchildren, even just an afternoon.
- Family photos, printed and on display.
- Something that makes home life easier.
- Their own stories, saved for the family.
What to avoid
- Ornaments they don’t need: their homes are already full.
- Tech without showing them how to use it: it’ll end up in a drawer.
- Gifts that are hard to set up or use: best if they work from day one.
Keep reading
- How to keep the messages of a loved one
- Christmas gift ideas for your partner
- Secret Santa gift ideas: 15 gifts under €20
- How to print a WhatsApp conversation
Frequently asked questions
What do you get grandparents who have everything?
Something with family memories (a book of the family chat, an album of old photos or a calendar of the grandchildren) or a plan to spend time together.
What can grandchildren give their grandparents?
If they’re young, something they’ve made: a handprint picture or a framed drawing. If they’re older, a plan they organise or a recorded interview with their grandparents.
What do you get grandparents who don’t use a phone?
Something on paper: printed photos, a calendar or a book of the family’s messages. Any grandchild can play the QR-code voice notes for them on their phone.
What’s a good gift for new grandparents?
An album or book of the pregnancy and the baby’s first days, framed photos of the grandchild or a letter “from the baby” written by the parents.
Family stories deserve to be kept on paper.
