The best gifts for grandparents

Typically, we avoid novelty t-shirts, but this clever piece of attire from ThisWear is an ideal gift for any handy grandpa. It’s printed with water-soluble, eco-friendly ink, and while the “Keep Calm and Carry On” meme might be lost on some older adults, they’ll surely appreciate the compliment.

Nine color options are available, and reviewers say that it’s true to fit. Note that while most of the shirts are made from 100% pre-shrunk cotton, the “sport grey” option uses a 90/10 cotton/polyester blend.

Key Features

• Professionally printed with a water-soluble, eco-friendly ink
• Printing is heat-treated for durability
• Designed and printed in the U.S.A.
• Choose from nine colors
• Made with 100% cotton (sport grey option uses 90/10 cotton/polyester blend)

<strong>Brand</strong>: ThisWear | <strong>Size</strong>: Small to 4XL available

Engraved with “Only the best parents get promoted to grandparents,” this cute frame makes a heartwarming gift year-round. Granted, you’ll have to personalize it with an appropriate photo—but hey, you undoubtedly have dozens of great photos ready for the task, don’t you?

The engraving is carved, not printed, and the frame is made with quality natural wood. The option we’ve linked here holds a 4 x 6-inch photo and is designed to be displayed horizontally, but other sizes and orientations are available.

Key Features

• Made with natural wood
• Engraving is carved, not printed
• Options are available for 4 x 6 in or 5 x 7 in photographs
• Integrated wall-hanging clips and a back stand easel
• Includes a glass front
• Hand-crafted in California

<strong>Brand</strong>: Kate Posh | <strong>Size</strong>: 6.5 x 8.5 in

This “House Rules” print sums up the reasons that kids love taking trips to see Grandpa and Grandma (and, incidentally, why Mom and Dad always accuse the grandparents of spoiling the kids). The colorful text is displayed in a variety of fun fonts and the medium-density fiberboard (MDF) material seems durable.

The print has a built-in easel and keyhole hanger for easy display, and each item is handmade in the U.S.A. The red lettering of the text may clash with some home decor, but that’s the only real drawback––this is a sweet, fun option, perfect for bringing over as a surprise during a holiday visit.

Key Features

• Made with medium-density fiberboard (MDF) with printed overlayed art
• Built-in easel and keyhole hanger
• Designed and made in the U.S.A.

<strong>Brand</strong>: P. Graham Dunn | <strong>Size</strong>: 12 x 6 x 0.5 in

Part of a grandparent’s job is passing on wisdom, but finding the right opportunity can be difficult. This memory book offers a simple way to deliver heartfelt messages to the next generation.

It consists of 12 letters that fold into envelopes, each bearing a prompt like “The best advice anyone ever gave me was…” or “My wishes for you are…” Write the letter, fold the envelope (which can be postdated if the sender wants the child to open the letter on a specific date in the future), and the grandchild will have a truly heartfelt keepsake.

There’s a reason that the books in this “paper time capsule” series have sold millions of copies. They offer a novel way to start correspondence––and provide younger generations with advice and memories that they’ll cherish forever.

Key Features

• Contains 12 envelopes with prompts
• Includes stickers and postdate markers
• 2015 Oprah’s Favorite Things pick

<strong>Publisher</strong>: Chronicle Books | <strong>Size</strong>: 3.8 x 0.8 x 8 in

Coffee mugs make great gifts for a simple reason: We use them every day, so they’re an effective reminder of the important people in our lives. This adorable mug bears the message “The best job I’ve ever had is being a Nana” on the back, with “Nana” printed in large letters on the front.

We love the mint color, but we especially love the attention to quality. This is a microwave- and dishwasher-safe product, and it holds a full 18 oz of liquid. It will quickly become Nana’s favorite mug––and a gift that she’ll treasure every time she pours herself a cup of her favorite beverage.

Key Features

• Mint green background with brown lettering and taupe-varied rim
• Embossed with “NANA” and “The best job I’ve ever had is being a Nana”
• Comes with a gift box
• Safe to use in microwaves and dishwashers
• Holds 18 oz of liquid

<strong>Brand</strong>: burton+BURTON | <strong>Size</strong>: 4 x 3 x 4.6 in, 1.13 lbs

The novel design of this family-tree frame makes it a wonderful addition to a desk, coffee table, or countertop, though we should note that it’s only 12 in tall, so make sure you’ve got suitably sized photographs before ordering. The tree holds six 2 x 3 in photos, and the borders of the frames can obscure the edges of wallet photos.

Provided that you’ve got suitable photo prints, this is an attractive way to display them, and while the frame is fairly light overall, the base is stable.

Key Features

• 12 in tall family-tree picture frame with bronze-colored leaves
• Displays six 2 x 3 in photographs in hanging black picture frames
• Frames have plexiglass fronts
• Made with lightweight metal

<strong>Brand</strong>: Americanflat | <strong>Size</strong>: 4.6 x 12.9 x 1.8 in, 1.35 lbs

Kids are natural comedians, especially when they’re learning about the world. This blank lined notebook gives grandparents a place to collect all the offbeat musings of childhood. Each page has a place for the quote, along with places to enter the grandkid’s name, age, and other details.

We found a number of “quote diaries” online, but My Quotable Grandkid features high-quality printing and professional-level design. It even has places to put pictures of the grandkids. With enough time, this little journal could become a treasury of family memories.

Key Features

• Available as a softcover or hardcover diary
• Includes photo window for displaying pictures of grandkids
• Large pages provide room for recounting memories of grandkids’ best quotes
• Softcover version has 144 pages

<strong>Brand</strong>: Chronicle Books | <strong>Size</strong>: 5.4 x 0.8 x 7.3 in

We’ve covered a variety of gifts in this list, but if you’re still having trouble making a selection, don’t worry—while gift buying isn’t always easy, by putting some thought into the process, you can find something that checks all the right boxes for your recipient.

Here are some helpful questions to consider when choosing a gift for a grandparent:

Could the gift be misunderstood?

Older adults may react poorly to gifts that highlight mobility issues, vision problems, or other effects of aging, even if the gift is intended as a lighthearted joke.

Try to avoid buying things like reading magnifiers, hearing amplifiers, or mobility aids unless you’ve discussed that purchase with the recipient and you’re confident that they’ll be comfortable receiving the gift in front of other people.

Is the gift personalized (or is personalization possible)?

A personalized gift is always preferable to something generic, which is why we’ve included a number of options that make personalization easy.

If you’re buying a more functional, practical gift, you may still be able to add a personal touch by thinking outside the (gift) box. Customized wrapping paper or a heartfelt gift card might mean just as much to the recipient as the gift itself.