Happy Monday, friends! One of my most requested gift guides of the season is here! It’s the question we’re all asking when the holidays roll around… What to give the grandparents?

You know, the people who have everything… the ones trying to downsize, not add to their clutter. The ones who prefer experiences over things.

Some of these ideas are from last year, but a lot are new, and I actually cheated a bit. I did some crowd sourcing in my Facebook Group, and I’ve included a lot of those ideas in this list.

one // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight // nine

And yes, I realize a lot of you are actually grandparents yourselves, so feel free to chime in if you have good ideas.

I hope you find some good ideas in here!

Oh, and there are a lot more gift ideas below than those shown in the graphic. That really just hits the highlights.

2020 Gift Guide for the Grands

#1. Brookstone Photoshare // This or something like it was suggested by several members of the JLS Insiders, and I know my grandfather loved his. Besides the ability to share pictures with him, it gave us some good conversation starters when we visited.

My mom filled it with old family photos, and then she would add new ones from the kids and grandkids. We would hook it up to the TV so he could see it on a bigger screen, and he loved to look at the pictures with us and reminisce about old times, or hear about what the grandkids and great-grandkids were up to.

#2. Personalized Family Recipe Board // This was one of the most popular from my Grandparents Gift Guide last year. The unique cherry wood cutting board showcases the ingredients and instructions for one meaningful dish.

You just submit a scanned image of your recipe card, and the exact directions are etched in your loved one’s handwriting. (If you don’t have the card, you can enter a typed recipe and it’ll be etched it in a lovely script that feels handwritten.)

#3. Health + Ancestry Service // This was recommended by one of my friends; she says her dad loved this gift last year. You submit a saliva sample, and 23andMe provides insights on your genetic health, traits, and ancestry through detailed reports and other tools.

#4. Indoor/Outdoor Wireless Thermometer // These handy gadgets are always a fun gift for the person who has everything.

#5. Reclaimed Wood USA Wall Art // How cool is this piece of art? Made of reclaimed wood sourced from recycling centers, building sites and factories, every block tells a story of sustainability and resilience.

#6. Latitude Longitude Pillow // Shout out to Arna for sharing this idea in the comments on last year’s grandparents gift guide. I thought it was really clever, so I poked around and found these on Etsy.

#7. Cashmere socks // This was an idea from the JLS Insiders, and I love it. Who doesn’t need socks, and cashmere is a luxury they may not buy for themselves.

#8. Wine Club (or Beer Club) // I’ve really enjoyed my Firstleaf wine subscription this year, or if they’re more into beer, you could gift the Craft Beer Club.

#9. Photo Calendar // The nice thing about this gift is, you need a new calendar every year! Along those lines, I always do a Snapfish photo book for my in-laws for Christmas. I ask all the kids to send pictures, so everyone is evenly represented.

#10. Magazine Subscription // For those on a fixed budget who don’t want another monthly expense, a subscription to their favorite magazine may be appreciated.

#11. Home Chef Subscription // Meal subscription services like this are great for empty nesters because you can get servings for two. It gives them some new recipes to try, and there aren’t a lot of leftovers to go to waste.

#12. Flash Furniture Grandstand Comfort Seats // Perfect for the grandkids’ ball games, band performances, graduation ceremonies… or anytime they have to sit  on those uncomfortable metal bleachers.

#13. Experiences // We are big on giving experiences as gifts. In years past, we’ve taken our parents to a local theater production at Christmastime, and sometimes we give them a handmade “dinner voucher” and take them out to dinner sometime after the holidays.

These types of gifts are really a two-fer because they get the experience, but they also get to spend time with US! We think we’re a pretty fun gift. Ha!

Also consider memberships to local museums, botanical gardens, etc. I realize with Covid, these aren’t all possible right now, but hopefully it won’t be too much longer…

#14. Donations in Their Name // My father always likes us to make a donation in his name to one of his favorite charities, and this is a gift I always feel really good about. I’m not adding more clutter to his life, and we can give a useful gift to someone truly in need.

I that same vein, you can give gifts from Compassion’s Gift Catalog in someone’s name.

More ideas from the JLS Insiders:

• Gift subscription to Audible
• WeatherTech CupFone or DeskFone: Helps while using GPS in the car.
• Amazon Show: It works like an Alexa, but you can also FaceTime and upload pictures regularly.
• Neveo: I thought this idea was really cool. Family members can to upload pictures from their phone, and this is a service that puts them together and mails a newsletter each month.
• Grandpad: I’ll just copy and paste the description: “You can post photos to it, call to it, and email to it. It’s a very simple tablet that’s easy to use. All the family members who’re sent invitations can read the group posts, so it allows the entire family to remain in touch through the hub of the senior – an outstanding tool!”
• Calendar of Events: This is another really fun play on the experience gifts: “One time we purchased a calendar for the up-coming year, and had the siblings and grandchildren pick one day out of the month. We wrote their name down on the date on the calendar that they would be coming to take the grandparents out to lunch or dinner, and gave the completed calendar as a gift to the grandparents. Of course, you could make a meal or get carry-out due to Covid. They enjoyed this so much and looked forward to the visit.”
• Gift cards for hotel getaways
• Gift certificates where they get their hair done (for the women) or gift certificates to where they buy their groceries

I’m sure there are a lot more, but I thought these were really clever, and I learned about a few new services and gadgets that I may have to look into when I get around to my own Christmas shopping!

Feel free to share your ideas or gifts you have given or received that went over well in the comments!

Get Email Updates

If you liked this post, be sure you’re signed up for my email updates. In addition to my most recent blog posts, you’ll receive exclusive newsletter content like special sales, my newest favorite finds, and an occasional peek behind the scenes — all delivered right to your inbox.

This post contains affiliate links. When you shop through my links, it helps support my business (at no additional cost to you) so thank you!