The Best Gifts for Grandparents of 2024
Grandparents are happiest when they get to spend time with you — they love learning about your life and feeding you delicious, home-cooked meals. Your presence is their favorite gift, but we get it — you want to get them something as a token of appreciation for their unparalleled love.
The only issue here is actually picking something for your beloved grandpa and grandma. This can be nerve-wracking, as you’ll want the gift to be thoughtful, high-quality, and something they can use in some way — not to mention the very real issue of budget.
Still can't think of anything? Check out our curated list of the top gifts for grandparents in 2024. Each of the gifts on this list can be a thoughtful choice with an actual use, rather than simply being something that collects dust on a shelf, like our top choice, the book "Stories from Grandpa" by Katie H. Sweeney. Take a look.
Buyer’s Guide for Finding a Gift for Grandparents
So you want to get a gift for your grandparents, but you don’t have any idea what you should actually get. First of all, don’t worry — you’re not alone in this situation. Choosing a gift is hard no matter who it’s for, but it’s especially challenging when it comes to grandparents.
Here are a few expert tips on how to navigate this process and find the ultimate gift for your grandparents.
Don’t Stress Over It
This might sound obvious, but the more you stress, the harder it will be to make a final decision. If you can’t figure anything out, take a step back and breathe. It can be helpful to remember that your grandparents will cherish anything they receive from their lovely grandchild — just think about how happy they are when you call them on the phone!
Take a 10-15 minute break and start looking again with a fresh mind. It’s also a good idea to start your online search from the very beginning if you have absolutely no idea what to look for.
Brainstorm a List
Before you start looking online, sit down with a pen and paper and start writing down any ideas that come to mind. Even if an idea isn’t great and not one that you’d consider as an actual option, write it down anyways.
There’s a good chance that you’ll eventually stumble onto a great gift idea when brainstorming. If you don’t, look back through everything you’ve written and give each idea some thought — if nothing else, you’ll at least get a good sense of gifts that are a clear no so you can start focusing on other options.
Price Doesn’t Matter
Remember that the price tag on a gift doesn’t matter to your grandparents — no loving grandparent will ever dislike a gift simply because it’s “cheap” or under a certain price.
On the other hand, price does matter in terms of your spending, so set a fixed budget beforehand and stick to it. This will prevent you from overspending and will also narrow down the list of possible gifts.
Will all that said, try not to cheap out on a gift for grandparents either. A low-quality item that will break quickly is no good when you could’ve spent a little extra and bought something that can last a long time.
Talk to Them
Talk to your grandparents about what they’ve been doing lately. Do they have any new hobbies? Do they want to get into something in the near future? If you’re lucky, you’ll find the perfect gift idea from this conversation alone.
Food/Snacks Are Okay
Many grandchildren believe that food items or snacks are not a good gift for grandparents, which is completely false. Is there a snack that your grandma or grandpa loves? If yes, bingo — you now have a solid gift for them.
Going back to the previous tip, talking with your grandparents about food/snacks they’d like to try someday can also yield great gift ideas. If you’re going to pick a new snack, make sure that it doesn’t have any ingredients that your grandparents are allergic to or can’t eat due to medical reasons.
Focus on the Sentiment
The final tip on finding the right gift for grandparents is to focus on the sentiment behind the gift instead of the gift itself — think about why you’re giving the gift, not what you’re giving. Personal gifts are also a much better choice than unrelated ones, as your grandparents will likely treasure a nicely framed portrait of you and them infinitely more than an expensive painting by some random artist.
The Best Gifts for Grandparents
Stories from Grandpa – Best Overall
The Stories from Grandpa journal by Katie H. Sweeney is a prime example of what a thoughtful gift for grandparents looks like. This is a journal for your grandpa to fill in with thoughts and stories from his life, and it’s full of interesting questions and creative prompts to help him cohesively organize it all. This journal is divided into clear chapters on certain topics, and it even includes pages for things like drafting up a family tree.
You can stay by grandpa’s side and listen to his stories as he writes them down in this journal. It can become a lifelong keepsake to preserve your grandfather’s memory, making it an invaluable part of your family’s story. Wrap this wonderful idea in a high-quality journal, and you’ve got the number one gift for grandparents on this list.
Pros
- Helps keep your grandpa’s memories alive
- Can be passed down to future generations
- Can be filled in in any order
Cons
- No space for photos
Paper Love 3D Cherry Blossom Pop Up Card – Most Unique Gift
Key Features
- Cherry Blossom themed 3D popup card
- Handcrafted from premium cardstock
- Features intricate laser-cut details
- No preprinted greeting, suitable for all occasions
- Crafted by skilled paper artists
The Paper Love 3D Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Card takes center stage with its beautifully crafted design. This 5″ x 7″ card emerges from the realm of expressional art, offering the delightful surprise of a 3D cherry blossom tree upon opening. The high-quality construction ensures durability while the inclusion of an envelope and note tag adds a touch of convenience and thoughtfulness. It surpasses the traditional greeting card, transforming it into a beautiful keepsake; a special memory grandparents can cherish.
This card exemplifies the essence of a gift that carries sentiments and warmth. It bears no description, allowing the giver to personalize it with their heartfelt words. The 3D Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Card doesn’t merely convey greetings, it brings them to life. The intricate details of the cherry blossom tree and the pop-up design speak volumes about the craftsmanship invested in it. So, for anyone seeking a unique, high-quality gift that expresses sentiment beautifully, the Paper Love 3D Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Card is an excellent pick.
Pros
- High-quality workmanship
- Includes a personal note slot
- Highly appreciated as a gift
Cons
- Card size could be bigger
VAHDAM Assorted Tea – Best Taste
Delve into a world of tea exploration with the VAHDAM Tea Variety Pack, featuring nine ethically sourced and sustainably packaged flavors. Each unique blend tantalizes the taste buds, offering a journey of discovery through diverse tea cultures and traditions. From the bold richness of black tea to the delicate floral notes of green tea, this assortment promises a spectrum of flavors to suit every palate.
Beyond mere beverages, this gift set embodies warmth, comfort, and the opportunity for intimate tea-time conversations. With its eco-friendly and ethically sourced nature, it’s a thoughtful choice that reflects your conscientiousness and care for the environment. Elevate your gifting game for Mother’s Day 2024 and beyond, and treat your loved ones to the enchanting VAHDAM Tea Variety Pack, making every sip a moment to cherish.
Pros
- Variety pack offers unique flavors
- High quality, ethically sourced teas
- Beautiful, gift-ready packaging
Cons
- Packaging is difficult to store
Nimteve Gift Keychain for Grandpa – Super Portable
This keychain from Nimteve is a nice gift for grandparents that’s small enough to stay with your grandpa no matter where he goes. It features miniatures of a hammer, a wrench, and a screwdriver, and there’s also a plaque that says, “If grandpa can’t fix it, no one can,” a nod to the fact that many grandfathers are pretty handy when it comes to DIY. If your grandpa has any interest in craftsmanship or tinkering with repairs, he’ll almost certainly love this keychain.
Everything on this keyring is made from stainless steel so that your grandpa can use it every day for a long time without the miniature tools breaking or the witty plaque getting roughed up. The ring itself is also large enough to hold all your grandpa’s keys, so pick it up to give him a funny, functional gift that can make him think of you whenever he grabs them to go out.
Pros
- Durable, long-lasting design
- Perfectly fits the “craftsman grandpa” theme
- Comes with a gift pouch
- Witty tagline to make grandpa laugh
Cons
- Mini tools make removing keys difficult
Nixplay Smart Digital Photo Frame – Most Useful
Picture frames have always been a great gift for grandparents, as they love keeping photos of their family around. This next gift for grandparents is what happens when you enhance that classic gift with modern technology. The Nixplay Smart Digital Photo Frame features a 10.1-inch screen inside its housing, and this HD display can showcase photos or videos in crystal-clear quality. You can send photos to the frame via its mobile or web app, email them, or even pull them up directly from social media.
A great thing about these digital frames is that they can connect to the internet. Say you just celebrated one of your kids’ birthdays — you can send the photos and videos of that celebration directly to the frame in your grandparents’ house and it will display them automatically. Connect the whole family this way, and grandma and grandpa will get to participate in everything — not a bad gift for grandparents, eh?
Pros
- Large HD screen displays media clearly
- WiFi connectivity offers direct media transfers
- Works with Alexa for hands-free controls
Cons
- Requires WiFi for initial setup
Carson Home Accents Garden Stone – Unique Design
The garden stone from Carson is one of the more unique gifts for grandparents on this list. It’s a circular stone that can be placed in your grandparent’s garden to remind them of you and the bond you share with them every time they see it. The tagline “Grandchildren welcome (Parents by Appointment)” is both funny and heartfelt, and this text is surrounded by a lovely design featuring beaded red hearts and green leaves.
Measuring about 10 inches across, the text on this stone is visible from quite far away. The durable build of this garden stone alone makes it worth your money, as it’s constructed from premium resin and hand-painted with great care to ensure a long lifespan for this wonderful gift for grandparents.
Pros
- Looks great in most gardens
- Features a funny, heartfelt tagline
- High-quality construction can last a long time
- Hand-painted to ensure precise details
Cons
- Hard to move once buried
Willow Tree Hand-Painted Keepsake Box – Most Sentimental
Keepsakes are trinkets that represent memorable and happy events in a person’s life. This keepsake box from Willow Tree represents a great way to store those items, and it makes an excellent gift for grandparents who most likely have such items lying around the house. Grandparents want to preserve these memories for as long as they can, and this box helps with that by keeping trinkets safe from dust and moisture and preventing them from getting lost.
Even if there’s nothing inside of it, this heartwarming box with a grandparent and grandchild carved on its front can be a great keepsake that will remind them of you every time they see it. The overall design and build quality of this gift for grandparents is nothing to scoff at, either, as both the carving and the quote inside are beautiful and touching.
Pros
- Small enough to fit on most shelves
- Can keep items safe from dust
- Looks great as a decoration
Cons
- Can only hold very small items
People Also Asked
A: Jewelry can be a great gift for grandma, but only if she's able to wear it regularly — the last thing you want is a gift that's safely stored in a jewelry box somewhere and never worn because it's too expensive or too difficult to put on.
A: If your grandparents can enjoy it without any issues, then yes, ice cream is a fantastic gift. Better yet, don't just give it to them and leave — take it to their home, spend time there, and eat it with them, or even take them out to their favorite ice cream parlor.
A: If you want to give them a gift on a "special" occasion, you can wait for their birthday, marriage anniversary, or a holiday, like Christmas or Grandparent's Day. You certainly don’t need to wait for a specific day, though, as you can give them a gift any day you want and they'll cherish it equally.
