So much talk about Christmas presents around this time of year and here’s another one right here, but isn’t it important, since we’re already making a financial effort to also dedicate some time and effort into picking something that people in our lives will actually like?
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Yes we take comfort in knowing that our parents, our grandparents, our aunts and uncles will love us whatever we get them for Christmas, but we can still choose to treat them to a little something different now. After all, Christmas comes but once a year.
If you’re having trouble figuring out what presents to choose for the elderly in your family, here are some guiding tips that may help you pick out the right stuff.
- Do some snooping: ask your mom about your dad’s latest fancies and your dad about your mom’s. Ask your grandmother about your grandfather and vice versa and your uncle about your aunt and vice versa again, and do so in a way that it doesn’t show your intentions. Preferably, you’d want to do this well ahead of December, but if you’re reading this, then it’s probably too late.
- Think about having a gift-giving theme: this one is a really good idea if you have a big family. Think of a theme for when buying gifts that you can apply to everyone or most of the seniors in your family and select presents based on that. Your theme could be anything really, from gift cards to memorabilia and you know better.
- Remember what club they belong to and pay their subscription, or if they’re not in a club, investigate what’s around and get them a subscription for something you know they would enjoy. If your parents are recently retired, they may feel the need for engagement and involvement. The same is true for grandparents and any senior. A subscription to the local club could be the best present.
- Launch movie or dinner invitations and stick to the promise that you’ll see each other more often. Christmas brings families together and while some families are separated by long distance, there are still many who don’t see enough of each other despite the fact that they live in the same city. Make an effort to spend quality time with the seniors in your family more often. They’ll really appreciate that above any other gift.
- Think functional and simple: if you don’t know of anything they’d need or use, then stick to something simple and practical. Old age comes with health issues for most elderly people so offering a gift that will help with any of the issues they’re confronting is the best thing they could receive. Amplified telephones for seniors with hearing issues, smart watches for seniors who experience difficulties remembering things, gifts like these make old age easier.
Remember that it’s all about being thoughtful and not about the gift itself. Sometimes even a thank you note or a walk to the mall or the grocery store together can be all a senior wants to have.