This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Buying for Grandparents or older parents at Christmas can be tricky. They constantly tell us they “don’t need anything”; they’ve got a cupboard full of last year’s soap and there’s a good chance with 70+ years under their belt, they’ve had it all before!!
Here at Age Space, we love a challenge, so we sent our Marketing Guru Helen online shopping to see if she could find some original present ideas for the grandparents. She came back with 10 cracking gifts ranging from the cool to the practical and because she couldn’t help herself – a little something silly too!
Because it’s Christmas, this month we‘re giving away a Google Nest Hub to one lucky reader.
- iPhone Strap Case, Little Everyday Things, £19.90
Jumping straight in with the cool kids, these strap cases look great and are incredibly practical for us oldies. Giving ‘hands-free’ a new meaning, this strap necklace case frees up your hands, pockets, and vital handbag space and is the perfect gift for those prone to misplacing their phone.
A quick google search will reveal lots of different sellers, but we like these soft cases by Little Everyday Things, which have raised bezel edges, to protect your screen and camera in case of a fall. They come in all iPhone sizes and have a great range of colours.
For the more creative among you, why not get the grandkids to personalise the straps using coloured & lettered beads? You can’t put a price on things handmade with love!
- Google Nest Hub – Google Store, £59.99 (reduced from £89.99)
“Google is your friend” – a favourite saying in our house and the Google Nest Hub is certainly a great piece of tech for all the family.
Not only can you do the usual stuff like asking difficult homework questions and playing music/watching movies, but you can also connect family calendars and set timers and alarms. The sunrise display screen helps you to wake up gently in the morning and dims to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly at night. Plus, it can analyse sleep patterns which are especially helpful if you have parents who struggle to sleep. The insights shared can help you make some important care decisions.
We also like the fact that your heating, lighting, and doorbell can be connected to the Google Nest Hub, making life easier with a single smart home control that’s voice-activated.
To enter the competition to win one of the Google Hubs, click HERE for more information.
- Handbag Straps, Oliver Bonas £12.50
How about this for a great way of funking up an old handbag or for switching up the same handbag to match different outfits?
If your mum or Gran has lots of handbags gathering dust in the cupboard, this is a genius low-cost present idea and ticks the sustainable fashion box at the same time. What’s not to love?
- Amazon Book Voucher
Possibly the best gift we gave last Christmas, and it kept on giving right up until this December.
A voucher might seem like a cop-out, but my mother-in-law absolutely loved it. Every time I visit, we have a chat about what she’s reading and sometimes if I’m lucky the book gets regifted my way. Not that we give to receive of course!
Books are a great way to escape. They can keep a quiet mind occupied and quieten even the busiest of minds too. Plus, if mum/dad/gran/grandad have a Kindle the voucher will go even further.
- Reading glasses, London Mole, £15.00
Bit of an odd gift, maybe? If you have a parent/grandparent who likes a stylish pair of reading specs, this brand has cleverly created a huge range of designs in every colour for only £15. At that price you can wear a different pair for every occasion!
Plus, we love the names which include Brainy, Moley, Naughty and Nifty – helping you match the right pair to the right personality. All you need to know is the lens strength and you’re good to shop.
- Fingerless mittens, Seasalt, £22.95
We love Seasalt’s merino and cashmere range of fingerless mittens for their super soft feel and modern Fair Isle designs. These would make a great stocking filler for anyone who needs to keep fingers fabric free for fiddly functions such as buttons and zips whilst keeping wrists and palms cosy. Plus, they’re super fashionable and a great winter accessory.
- Paint by Numbers for Adults, Amazon, price varies
My dad introduced me to painting by numbers during lockdown. Of course, I’d done it with the kids when they were little, but paint by numbers has been revolutionised. I just dipped my toe in the water and found you can get anything from simple designs to full blown master pieces and all you must do is follow the numbers. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can.
During lockdown we found these kits a great boredom distraction plus it helped focus our minds on to producing something tangible which was ultimately quite rewarding. If you have a parent or grandparent that could do with a new hobby, this might just be the perfect gift.
- Jigsaw Board/organiser, Coopers of Stortford, £59.99
If you know someone who enjoys a jigsaw, they’ll love this ingenious puzzle organiser.
It comes in two sizes, with the main board accommodating up to a 1000- or 1500-piece puzzle. Plus, the 4 slide-out draws enable the puzzle perfectionist to sort pieces neatly into size, shade, colour and edges!
My mother-in-law has a homemade puzzle board permanently on the kitchen island. Rather than sit down for hours musing over a puzzle, she likes to do it as and when she fancies, for example, if she’s waiting for the kettle to boil. When the family pop over for a cup of tea, we all hang in the kitchen and chat, mindlessly doing the jigsaw together. It’s such a great focal point to the visit which all the family enjoy.
- Giant Knitting Kit, Cloud Nine Knits, £29.99
I recently wrote a feature for Age Space on the health benefits of knitting which led me to discover giant arm knitting! Yes, that’s right, your arms are your needles, and with the help of easy-to-use kits you can produce some marvellous creations. I’ve picked this giant knit wreath as a suitably festive present and it comes in a range of colours.
If granny (or grandad) is partial to a bit of knitting, this might be a new venture for them and something you could do together. Plus, as I mentioned above, knitting has many health benefits from helping to manage anxiety and pain relief to reducing loneliness and boredom. And if you fancy a little bit of creative inspiration, I can strongly advise following Olympic Gold Medallist Tom Daley on Instagram.
- Pet Portrait, PurrandMutt.com starting from £24.99
Finally, I couldn’t resist including this after seeing one hanging on a friend’s wall recently. I think pet-loving grandparents would love this as a quirky gift, even if it ends up on the loo wall.
Everything is done online and it’s all very easy. The hardest part might be secretly trying to take a picture of their pet but once that’s done, you simply pick a design template from hundreds (Renaissance and Film & TV are both very funny), choose a product format, from paper and canvas to cushions and blankets, upload your image and check out. Boom! you have a unique piece of art featuring your favourite furry friend.
Now I bet that’s something they wouldn’t have had before!
Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅🎁