Heather in MD Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I've read the threads about what to get your kids for Christmas, but what about gifts for your parents and/or grandparents? It is tough when they already have everything they need and they don't really want anything. We've done restaurant gift cards, magazine subscriptions, photo albums, etc. Any great ideas out there to share?? Thanks, Heather in MD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnG in Arizona Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 A digital picture frame that you have already stocked with tons of family pictures. Guess what my parents are getting this year? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My parents don't really want/need anything. In the past we've made photo calendars, photo books, painted/fired coffee mugs, given picture frames with pictures or gift certificates for a service (massage, pedicure) or dinner at a favorite restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My g'parents get Omaha steaks from my parents or my aunt/uncle almost every year. They enjoy it. Food is good as it is consumable. Stock their fridge. They still have to cook it, but it's all prepped and read. I think you can get full meals from that truck that delivers. Schwann or Swan or something like that. From us they get something the 7yo made. Maybe ornaments or trivits or something. They don't want us to buy them things, so I gave up that fight long ago. We give them a little something to open on Christmas and tell them we love them. Of course this is over the phone, no one actually lives near each other so no one sees anyone at the holidays. That could make it easier too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbsweetpea Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Every year I make a photo book covering the past year. I do a digital one where I can put words on each page and more than one photo if I want. Each set of grandparents/great grandparents and each child gets one. Then the kids make two ornaments for each set. One to put a photo in and one just for fun. Finally I do some other sort of craft with the kids. Last year they all put their hand print (foot print for the baby) on a plate with their name and age. We included hangers and a holder in case they wanted to hang them or put them on a shelf. This year my daughter wants to do a quilt. So we are going to decorate quilt squares together including putting hand prints, photo's etc and tie it. I am not sure if we are going to do a Christmas theme (like a tree shape) or if we are going to do one that can be displayed year round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I bought my mother a dvd about sprouting grains. She's always interested in health type things, and doesn't have much gardening room. She's secretary of a garden club too, and is responsible for organising guest speakers so I thought the dvd might be good back up if one of her speakers pulls out. I've made Dad a Polish medieval hat for Christmas. Well, it's nearly done, anyway. I need some peacock feathers for decoration. He's bald on top so likes hats. I do SCA and am trying to coerce him into it too (;)) so that's where the Polish hat idea came from. I rekon he's a zupan kind of guy, but I don't have the skill to make the zupan yet, so I've only made the hat. My grandmother is tricky, but I seem not to have run out of Elvis themed goods yet. I can't stand Elvis myself, but she likes him. I found a key with Elvis on the head of it, so she can get a house key cut from it. When I was away I visited an artist's gallery and found a print of an Elvis emu. I'm not sure how much she'll like it, but it'll give her something to think about :D Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Well, last year I got my parents some "applets and cotlets" (dried apples and apricots dusted in powdered sugar). My dad especially loved them. He has already started to hint, "You know, I really liked those confections you got us last year. . hint. . .hint. . ."! (I know not everyone likes them - like fruit cake, I suppose!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtoboys Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Sigh. . .i never know what to get them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 slippers and a new digital camera plus stuff from the kids (ornaments, framed handprints, baked goods) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 "applets and cotlets" (dried apples and apricots dusted in powdered sugar). Oh, wow, that brings back memories. My grandfather loved candy & he really loved getting a tin of applets & cotlets each year at Christmas. I enjoyed eating some with him too. :001_smile: My parents are hard to buy for. Some things we've done or are planning: newspaper subscription subscription to Games magazine repairing things around the house buying things for the house that they want (new outdoor fixtures; new faucets; etc...) Wii games (for my dad, who got hooked to our Wii, then went out & bought his own :lol:) tickets to an event (many years, my mom & I would go see things like Stars on Ice/ice skating shows) The kids like to give my mom baking stuff to make cake & brownies so they can cook w/ her & then have a yummy dessert to eat, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My mother only enjoys consumables or framed kid art work. Her most beloved gift is a drawing of chicks my oldest dd drew to go along with a frozen chicken we raised. I never saw her enjoy a gift so much. So, she gets a chicken, some eggs, some coffee beans, some pix of the kids, some art work, if someone is up to it. My father's (my parents are divorced) fav gift was a scarf one of my dds knit for him. He also loves eggs (he won't cook a whole chicken), movie tickets, and art (framed) from a granchild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I have the advantage of siblings and being able to divide a large gift among several of us. We've given our parents a cruise, Cirque de Sole tickets, hot air balloon ride, other event tickets. Always something to do rather than something to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Parents are nearly impossible. We usually do photos and an ornament made by the kids for each set then something bought that we decide on last minute. Grandparents are easier. Last year we did a Ceiva frame and subscription for my husband's grandmother since she isn't computer savvy. For my grandparents all of the cousins went in together (there are 16 of us) and chipped in for maid service and a handyman. They are in their late 80's but fiercely independent so they refuse to ask for help. They would never waste something they were given though so the house was cleaned once a week and my grandfather wasn't up on the roof cleaning the gutters last spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My dad and step mom always want a photo calendar, so they're getting that and I think I'll send them a couple of bottles of wine they like from out here. My mother is getting nothing. I'm not going into it all, but I'm so UP TO HERE with her passive/aggressive, manipulative, punitive games that I'm just not playing anymore. I'm stopping there, or I could go on for pages. You're welcome. LOL My grandparents are dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I've taken my Mom to an opera or the symphony as a Christmas present every year for several years now. She doesn't want anything material, and what she wants, she buys. So this is a way to take her out for an evening, see a great performance, support our local artists, and have something to look forward to after Christmas. Last year DH took his mother to see Les Miserables and the tickets were for June, so she had a long wait, but she loved it and I think it was nice for them to go out just to two of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 We do small things, usually something that we can do in bulk. My parents and DH's parents are divorced, and three out of four of them are remarried. This means we have 7 'parents' to purchase for, not to mention that I have three grandparents living and my husband has one grandmother still alive (and local). My mother still thinks that if she sends a Christmas list, she'll get something off of it. Sorry, Mom. :p I happily do personal birthday gifts, but Christmas is too much. I don't have the time OR the money to customize gifts for everyone! One year I cross-stitched initials onto sweatshirts for the women and got the men new wallets. This year they're all getting photo wall calendars. I usually go in with my mom on whatever she's getting her mother; my other grandparents (also divorced) do not expect gifts from the grandparents as they have 12 children. My husband's grandmother gets whatever I get his mother. She's a sweetheart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadiegirl Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 . I found a key with Elvis on the head of it, so she can get a house key cut from it. Rosie[/quote:lol: I love Elvis so this is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My mom called a couple of weeks ago and suggested that for the adults in the family we stop the gifts all together and just donate to a cause of our choice in their name. We all have pretty much what we want and/or buy it if we need it. My dh HATES this idea and has been scoffing at it, so we won't even suggest it there. I think his love language is gifts and it is HUGE for his family. I grew up getting one or maybe two gifts. His family gives 10 to 15. They love doing it so much. But for my family, it is donation to your favorite charity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 My parents are full-time RVers... their first year on the road I bought them a picture frame collage, specifically to fit in the one space they could hang something. Every year since we have sent them flowers to enjoy, as they enjoy a warmer climate for the winter months. They certainly don't need "stuff" or more mail (magazines). I've thought about a restaurant card, but they enjoy local places more than many chains. The flowers they enjoy for a week, and can then toss. My husband's parents... it varies every year. We try to find something for each of them that they will enjoy. Last year I ordered a custom printed baseball hat from vistaprint, which he has really enjoyed. It is personalized with the grandkids (ours are the only ones). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticamethyst Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I get everyone Jammies and sometimes throw slippers into the mix. Everyone always needs jammies, and everyone in my extended family knows that is what they are going to get from me. They aren't that expensive and you can find some really fun ones.:001_smile::001_smile: Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I try to get my parents something together, as well as a little something for each of them. They are fairly easy to buy for as they are not retired, still have a teen at home, and don't have a lot of extra cash to purchase their wants. Last year we got them a digital camera, the year before a computer chair, the year before a stereo for their living room. This year they need another digital camera, as theirs broke....but I want to get them a nicer one that will last so I may see if my grandmother wants to go in with me to get one. For their seperate gifts, my mom usually needs clothes, likes knick knacks to sit around, scrapbook stuff. My dad usually needs clothes, likes comic books. And a Shutterfly book if I decide to purchase this year. As for my FIL and his wife, no idea. They are hard to buy for. They do not live near us and we are not close to them. Plus, they have the money to purchase their wants. I might do a Shutterfly book and a cookie bouquet....need to run it by DH first. MIL has like zero money......so we usually give her some cash. But this year she will be visiting us on Christmas, so I'd like to give her some things to open while she's here with us. Not sure what yet. Shutterfly book if I decide to purchase this year. Grandparents are hard to buy for. The only ones still living are mine (two grandmothers and a grandfather....I've only lost one grandparent). They have everything they could need/want. One grandma likes to read so I might get her a few books. Grandpa might get a gift certificate to Home Depot or Lowes since he's always going to those places. Other grandmother, not sure yet. They will probably all get a Shutterfly book too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in St Louis Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 If anyone is buying restaurant gift cards, check out restaurant.com! A friend told me about it and I looked at it last night...you type in the zipcode of said family member and it brings up a bunch of restaurants to choose from (along with descriptions, etc), then you can purchase gift cards to those restaurants at HUGE savings! Most ofthe ones I saw were $10 for a $25 gift card. Very cool! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in MD Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 A digital picture frame that you have already stocked with tons of family pictures. Guess what my parents are getting this year? ;) Thanks, Lynn! I think we are going to get that for my in-laws this year :) Heather in MD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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