Holiday Gift Guide- Great Gifts For Grandparents

It is so much harder to find great gifts for Grandparents than for toddlers, don’t you think?  Just ask your Grandma or Grandpa what they want for Christmas- I bet they say “oh, just to see you and the kids, dear”, or “oh, nothing”. Arrrgh!  I put out a call to companies to send me their best gift ideas for Grandparents, and I think you’ll find something that’s just perfect in this list!

• Twiddle™Muffs have been created with the feedback and input from physical therapists
  and those who work with the elderly. The design and variety of Twiddle™ attachments provide therapeutic benefits for those struggling with Alzheimer’s, arthritis and dementia. Twiddle™Muffs can help and comfort those with diminished hand mobility, limited social interaction or anyone soothed by repetitive tactile stimulation.BeauLily, the company that makes Twiddle™Muffs, sent me a Twiddle Pup so I could get a better idea of the product. And I’m telling you what, I really wish there had been a product like this when my Grandma Sullivan was alive. She had always been big on crochet, and in her last few years, I remember her sitting in her wheelchair with her hands sort of fluttering around. I think a product like this would have helped her not feel so agitated. Comes in several styles and is available to purchase on the BeauLily site.
• Although I learned about Happy Neuron from a site that replied to my request for products for Grandparents, they gave me a complimentary subscription to play the games, and they are ADDICTIVE.  I’m almost 42, and I definitely don’t have the mental dexterity I had 20 years ago. Playing games like Secret Files (which strengthens Attention) have helped me realize that I need to KEEP playing games like those to keep myself sharp.The first 7 days of access to HAPPYneuron are free, and then you can buy a monthly subscription at $9.95 a month, or an Annual subscription for $99.95 a month. Visit the site and play a few of the free games, I bet you see just why this would be a great gift for Grandparents or anyone!
• Personalized items always make great gifts, and Custom Creations Unlimited does the most amazing Photo Blankets. They sent me a sample blanket, and although it’s weird to have a blanket with the faces of other people’s kids on it, this blanket is SO WARM! You can upload a photo or send it in to be scanned, and give Grandpa or Grandma a wonderfully cozy blanket with their Grandkids’ faces on it! I’ve got a code you can use for FREE SHIPPING- it’s shipping28.
• Hallmark has two new products that combine personalization with a keepsake gift.  42 new Christmas Recordable Cards with Music allow the sender to record a 10-second voice message directly into the card. When opened, the recipient will hear the familiar voice of the sender, followed by a 30-second clip of a classic Christmas song. It’s like signing a card with your voice.
  Suggested retail price: $5.99 to $6.99
• This year marks the introduction of the first-ever recordable Keepsake Ornament. “Sittin’ On Santa’s Lap” holds a personal photo and allows you to record a voice message to capture the memory of a child’s visit to Santa Claus. Suggested retail price: $18.50
• Mr Beams motion-sensitive wireless lights provide safe lighting along stairways, hallways, near the outside steps, anywhere you’d like to make sure your Grandparents will be safe. Mr Beams use bright, Eco-friendly LED lights, run on batteries so they are on even during power outages, and have been proven to reduce the risk of falls. Suggested price: $24.99
• Artimus Art is a unique website that scans your child’s artwork and binds it into a professional quality hardback book. They ship you a oversized art portfolio box with prepaid return shipping, you send back your child’s precious drawings, and then each piece is scanned and uploaded to an online gallery for you to view and share with others.  They sent me a sample book so I could see how the finished product looks, and let me tell you, it’s pretty cool to see those precious crayon drawings and “stories” that kids write in elementary school bound into a book! Packages start at $120 which includes a 24 page Custom Art book, 1 shipping portfolio box, up to 39 gallery images, your artwork displayed in a virtual art gallery, gentle image restoration, and a custom book cover with typeset.
• VoiceQuilt is a really unique way to give a personalized keepsake. The VoiceQuilt Keepsake is sort of like a music box-it’s a beautiful wooden box with a rich lacquer finish. Inside are buttons that play a recorded message. To make the recorded message, you purchase phone time with a toll-free number. Friends and family call in to record their message, then you listen to all of the messages online and edit them into your favorites. Complete your purchase, and when the keepsake box is delivered, messages play automatically when the lid is lifted. Visit the VoiceQuilt site to see exactly how it works. What a wonderful way to give a gift that includes loving messages!
• The Grandfather Thing (A Warmly Comic Memoir) by Saul Turtletaub- This memoir of his grandson Max’s first year (including running poetic commentary by Max himself) takes readers on a humorous journey along with new Grandpa Saul, who is converted from objective bystander to super baby enthusiast. The perfect gift for a new Grandparent! Order on the Tallfellow Press site.
• Life to the Max: Maxims for a Great Life by a Dog Named Max-Told from the perspective of the family dog, Life to the Max is a full-color, hardcover book that follows Max and his family through 20 life episodes and the lessons Max teaches them. The book gives people of all ages an opportunity to appreciate what we learn from the experiences we have in life and to recognize the value of the teachers who come into our lives-no matter what form they present themselves.$24.95 plus shipping and handling, with 25% going to animal rescue.