5 Great Gift Ideas for Grandparents’ Day!
Did you know that September 13 is National Grandparents’ Day? The relationship you have with your grandparents is very special and you certainly want to make this day special for them. As we deal with COVID-19 and follow health and safety protocols, you might need to get a bit more creative with your gift ideas. Current CDC guidance states that older adults are at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19, so staying home when possible is still recommended. If you’re not able to spend the day with your grandparents you can still give them a thoughtful gift that they’ll love, and here are some ideas.
A customized photo album. Now that everything is digital, many of us don’t have printed photos anymore, but grandparents will love having a printed photo album full of family pictures and memories. You don’t even need a printer or any other supplies – there are many online stores where you simply upload your pictures, select certain customizable features for your photo book, and it’s printed and shipped directly to your grandparents.
A subscription to a coffee or tea club. If your grandparents love to start each day with a hot cup of coffee or tea there are several subscription clubs that mail different types of coffees or teas straight to your grandparents every month. This lets them try new things at their own convenience. Grandparents can be reluctant to try new brands, but coffee and tea subscription clubs make it simple.
An ancestry and genealogy kit. Most of us know a little bit about our family’s history, but today’s ancestry kits offer the chance to find out so much more. Your grandparents will love exploring your family’s background, building a family tree, and finding out more about where they came from.
A cookbook with recipes you know they love. Perhaps it’s Italian or maybe it’s French. With older adults being advised to stay home, your grandparents can prepare their favorite dishes in the comfort of their own kitchen.
An IOU (I owe you) book. While it may not be possible to do things with your grandparents at the moment you can make a fun IOU book with activities you enjoy doing together like spending the day at the beach, trying a new restaurant, or seeing a movie.
Connecting digitally with your grandparents
While we’re all advised to stay home when possible and minimize contact with others, you can still connect with your grandparents to celebrate Grandparents’ Day, it’ll just have to be digital communication for now. At UMC many of us have been using Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, and other similar tools to stay connected with loved ones. Even if your grandparents aren’t the most tech-savvy people, with a little support and guidance from you they’ll be sure to figure it out.
Perhaps you can schedule a Skype call with them on Grandparents’ Day and if you didn’t have a chance to have any gifts sent directly to their house, you can share their gifts with them during the call and give them something to look forward to. You may want to schedule regular video chats with your grandparents to ease the strain of isolation – staying in regular communication can really help, especially when you can hear each other’s voices and see each other’s faces. It’s the next best thing to getting together in person.
For information about Bristol Glen, our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Sussex County, New Jersey, please contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you.
