



The relationship between grandparents and their families can be one of the sweetest relationships in life, so for the holidays, we want to honor grandparents as they deserve and make sure they’re actually getting the gifts they want.
We spoke to dozens of grandparents from our own lives and from HuffPost’s Facebook groups to find out what’s on their wishlists. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the items they asked for had to do with their grandkids: items to house their grandchildren’s beloved artwork, bean bags for cuddling their grandkids and digital picture frames so they can see up-to-date photos of the whole family.
Still, some of them asked for treats for themselves, including new kitchen tools and books. Read on for all their picks; you’re sure to find something that the grandparent in your life will love and get heavy use out of.
And by the way, one thing echoed by nearly all the grandparents we spoke to? They want to spend time with their grandkids, or “the gift of time,” as Marjie Podzielinski, grandparent to a 16-year-old, wrote on HuffPost’s Facebook page. With one of the thoughtful presents on our list and the gift of quality time with their grandchildren, you’re bound to have a very happy grandparent.
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"For Christmas I’ve asked my daughter for an electronic picture frame filled with pictures of [my eight-month-old grandchild]," said HuffPost reader Denise Dupois via email. "As she takes new photos throughout the year I’d like her to upload the pictures to my frame. It’ll be like Christmas every time a new photo is added."
HuffPost selected this highly-rated digital picture frame, which has touchscreen capability and displays photos in a slideshow format so grandpa or grandma can enjoy tons of different photos of their loved ones at once.
"Each December the family creates a new custom wall calendar on Shutterfly, filled with an array of photos from the year before," she wrote in an email. "I am delighted at the end of each month when I turn the page to discover the next month filled with funny, sweet and special photos... It brings a smile to my face."
Shutterfly has a range of different calendar options to best fit any grandparent's taste, including wall, desk and easel calendars. It's an especially timely gift as we head into a new year.
"Each December they create a 'Good for___' book, filled with coupons that I can redeem during the coming year," said Shelley. "The eight-year-old colors and decorates each coupon with stickers. Examples of her coupons include a 'mani/pedi,' a trip to Target, a 'heart-to-heart' talk, a dance performance and getting a burrito together. The four-year-old dictates to his parent what he would like to include in his coupon book... includ[ing] telling me a story, pushing him on the swing, sharing an ice cream, having an 'over-nighter' and playing a game of hide and go seek."
HuffPost selected these blank coupon cards from Amazon to help get you started. The front side has an area to write what coupon is for, and the back side is blank for decorations. It's made of thick card stock for a simple yet sturdy feel.
"I have an assortment, delightfully mismatched, that reflect all the kids at different ages and their interests and abilities at the time they were painted," Behringer wrote via Facebook. "They trigger wonderful memories every day when I use the pieces."
We at HuffPost love this creative gift idea and recommend Color Me Mine for a place your kid can paint on bowls and plates and get them glazed for gifting. They have locations all over the country so you can find one near you.
For a versatile gift card that grandparents can use at the place of their choice, we selected this popular Visa gift card from Amazon. You can preload it with cash so the grandparent in your life can treat themself to whatever they'd like.
"Something that's challenging for grandparents over the holidays is that they don't know when their kids are going to show up," Lee said. "I try to stock up on fruit, snacks, whatever you think your kids are going to eat."
Everyone in the family will enjoy snacking on this deluxe fruit basket, which includes fresh apples, pears, kiwi, bananas, limes and more.