It can be hard to come up with a gift for your grandparent—the usual gifts that come to mind can seem too impersonal or just not right for a beloved, older family member. A more personal and meaningful touch may be needed.
This list of personal and personalized gifts for grandparents celebrates them as an important and beloved of the family. While these gifts may run the range of cost and effort, they can be a group gift from grandchildren, from a couple, or from one special family member.
A new life for family photos
Grandparents may have boxes and albums of family photos, but they may be unorganized, unlabeled, and in need of care. They may lack the ability or computer knowledge to organize and preserve them as they should be. Take a day (or several days!) to go through old boxes of photos and family mementos with them. Ask questions, write down any information they can remember about the people and places in those photos, and have them tell you the stories about each of those relatives and events. Then, label those photos, and scan them onto your computer, preserving them in a safe and long lasting format, for future generations.
Create a book, just for them
Collaborate with your family on a book celebrating your grandparents. Each relative can contribute stories or lists of qualities and memories they appreciate from your grandparents. Include photos, recipes, and mementos, and turn them into a lovely book. When giving this gift, each family member can read their part aloud. For a meaningful and personal touch, family that live further away can join in the celebration by phone or online to give their own reading or well wishes from afar.
Frame a Beloved Photo
While organizing family photos, you might find a special forgotten photo, or perhaps, you already know that your grandparent has a meaningful old photo they keep, that could use some care. Look for photos of them as children, with their parents or siblings, or a wedding or special day they treasure. This photo can be matted and framed to preserve it and display somewhere in the house, where it can always be seen. If the photo is old and delicate, have it digitally restored and reprinted on quality, archival paper and re-framed, so it can be displayed without endangering the original. Remember to ask your grandparent for the names and stories behind the photo and to scan and save it.
Biography Preserved for the Ages
Let Heritage Films make a video of your grandparents telling their life stories. We can record and edit these memories for you, and present them as a treasured memento, both for your grandparents and for the family. These stories and memories can be captured and shared with the rest of your family for years, preserving the history that might otherwise be lost.
A Historical Family Adventure
Ask your grandparent to take a trip with you and the family to the neighborhood where they grew up. Have them tell you stories of their childhood, and how the neighborhood or town has changed since then. A trip for the whole family, complete with a rented vehicle and some research into the history of the town could be the family vacation of your grandparent’s dreams. Make sure to visit any local shops that are still around and take them out for dinner at “their place” from their childhood.