what to get DH's 80-something Yr old grandmother

[Kandy]

my great grandmother just turned 97 and she is hard to buy for as well. I know she likes those lounge gowns, slippers, socks, and that soft pepermint that melts in your mouth (that I can't stand). When she moved from her house to the Nsg Home. There were gifts that she would open in front of you then stash away all over her house that she never used. We found it now best to say what do you need and she will tell you. But there is nothing like a good visit with her as well. She lives 2 hours away from us, the kids sometimes gets on her nerves so when we go we stay about 30 minutes one day and 30 minutes to an hour the next day.

[whitesocks]

I don't know if she likes to write or if she can. But you could get those stamps that you can put pictures on. I haven't been to the website to check on price but that might be a memorable gift....Also pre-addressed envelopes.

[NurseLissa]

This is what Im working on for my grandmother who is 87 and in excellant health ( I swear she will never die and I will never get my inheritance! J/K I love her so much and am so proud of how healthy she is) Anyway:

 

Im getting her one of those newspapers from the day she was born and some other old school "item" I think she might enjoy. She has one of the old record players, I mean REALLY old, I dont think its even called a record player, anyway Im getting her a "record" to play on it. Im also getting her Rosebud salve and Im gonna do some research to see what else was popular back in the day.

 

Some thoughts:

 

My grandma once told me that the reason why its so hard to buy for her generation is that they lived through the depression so they see some things as frivorlous

 

 

Also I heard a story once from a coworker about a lady who lived in a nursing home who told her family not to buy her anything for Christmas but to get something for the other people who didnt have family. Maybe your realitive feels the same way. Maybe there is a special staff member there that she would like for you to get something for or maybe give to a charity in her name. I would ask her. At this stage in her life she may be thinking "why more possesions? Im not taking them with me" just a thought

 

Melissa

[sbixby]

My husband's 83 yr old mother is in a home too far for us to visit more than a few times a year. She can be very...ummm...difficult about her gifts if she doesn't like them But I guess that is a perk of being a senior citizen.

 

Some things that did NOT go over well:

CD player with cds of her favorite music (BAD VERY BAD!)

Wireless headphones so she could listen to her tv late at night and not disturb neighbors

 

Things that (surprisingly) were well received:

Photo book (scan the pictures into shutterfly and make a "professional" book for @$30

A real chritmas tree (sent and decorated by L.L.Bean/Land's End)

Novelty type Christmas decoration - light up snowman - small to fit on the edge of a dresser/desk (was part of a basket described next)

Treat basket of candy/crackers/half cans of soda and novelty decoration and holiday pin