35 Jolly Good Christmas Gifts for Grandparents

December 4, 2020
Grandparents fill the world with all the things we love, from warm words of wisdom to even warmer hugs. Want to give back this holiday season? We’re sharing a list of the best Christmas gift ideas for grandparents they’re sure to love. Ahead, you’ll find tons of presents to bestow on behalf of you and your little one. And while they all make perfectly good Christmas gifts, you can also save these clever ideas for another holiday or special occasion.
Grandparents are the foundation of our families, offering a constant source of love, support and wisdom. These super-sweet gift ideas for grandparents will show them just how important they are to your growing family.
Commemorative Christmas Ornament
When it comes to Christmas gift ideas for grandparents, you can’t go wrong with a holiday ornament. Get this wooden one engraved with their grandparent name(s) and the year they earned their title(s).
Buy it: Yippee Daisy Grandparents Established Christmas Ornament, starting from $19, Etsy.com
Custom Tea Towel
There really is no place like home. Show grandparents that their home is loved just as much, with a custom dish towel. No matter what your kids call them, you can add your own stamp to this handmade cotton cloth. It’s a great way for grandkids to thank them for all the festive treats they’ve spoiled them with.
Buy it: LetsGatherStudios Tea Towel - There’s No Place Like Nana and Papa’s, $15, Etsy.com
Holiday Candle
Your kid’s love for their grandparents is one that won’t ever burn out. Nod to that fact with a soothing scented candle. This fancy, holiday-inspired one is a foolproof Christmas gift for grandparents. Looking for something just for Grammie? Check out Homesick’s Grandma’s Kitchen candle, inspired by the scents of home baking.
Buy it: Homesick Holiday Stroll Candle, $34, Homesick.com
Legacy Box
Sometimes Christmas gift ideas for grandparents can be found in the archives. Dust off your old home movies, audio recordings and photographs and send them to Legacybox. It’s the simplest way to digitize all your precious memories. Gift grandparents with a kit, or send them the end result and get together for a home movie night (popcorn is optional, but highly encouraged!).
Buy it: Legacybox 2 Item Starter Kit, starting from $60, Legacybox.com
Matching Travel Mugs
Name a more iconic pair than Grandma and Grandpa—inspiration for these matching, monochrome travel mugs from Etsy. The 14 oz stainless steel mugs will keep drinks hot (and cold!) for hours. This is one of the best Christmas gifts for grandparents who love the outdoors and their morning caffeine kick.
Buy it: AndKateCo Grandparents Gift Mug Set, $34, Etsy.com
Upgraded Slippers
Racing around the Christmas tree with baby can be tiring, so give the grandparents a pair of kicks that are up for the challenge. These slipper-like (but much sturdier) shoes come in both men’s and women’s sizes, so you can get them as gifts for Grandma and Grandpa.
Buy it: Allbirds Women’s Loungers, $95, Allbirds.com; Allbirds Men’s Loungers, $95, Allbirds.com
Tea Gift Set
Finding gifts to give grandparents for Christmas can be tricky. How about treating them to a tea subscription? Sips by has tons of delicious caffeinated and herbal teas to discover. Once their profile is complete, this service sends them a monthly tea fix based on their preferences.
Buy it: Sips by Gift The Joy of Tea Discovery, starting from $45 for a 3-month gift card, Sipsby.com
Family Sign
Full disclosure: This editor’s grandparents had a sign just like this and everyone loved it—Grammy, Papa, guests and grandkids included. The base bears the cute message, “Side by side or miles apart, grandchildren are always close to the heart.” Hook on name and birthday plaques for each of their grandkids; you can keep adding them as the family expands.
Buy it: Made with Yove Family Name Sign, starting from $40, Etsy.com
Wisdom Journal
There’s no doubt your parents have learned a lot over their time on this earth so far. Show them how much you value their insights (and want to share those with your little one) with this unique journal. The fill-in book contains pages of prompts asking them to record their thoughts for future generations. They’ll be touched to know you want them to create such a special family heirloom.
Buy it: Uncommon Goods My Life Story - So Far, $30, UncommonGoods.com
Personalized Keychain
The best Christmas gift ideas for grandparents are personal. And what could be more personal than your kid’s holiday drawings? Capture their doodles on a laser engraved keyring, which make the perfect gifts for both Nana and Pops. It’s sure to help them remember their keys—they’ll love showing off their grandkid’s artistic abilities.
Buy it: The Feather Pen Shop Kid’s Drawing Key Chain, starting from $20, Etsy.com
Matching Family Robes
Get everybody in on the holiday tradition with matching family pajamas and robes for you, your children and their grandparents. That said, these cozy robes can be worn well past the holidays, which means this is one of the more practical Christmas gift ideas for grandparents.
Buy it: #followme Matching Velour Buffalo Plaid Family Lounge Robes, starting from $25 each, Amazon.com
Luxurious Gloves
Gloves are one of our favorite gifts to give grandparents for Christmas—particularly luxury gloves. Made from genuine sheepskin, these gloves will keep hard-working hands toasty. Plus, the leather fingers are touchscreen compatible. Grandparents always take care of us, so why not treat them both? UGG makes cosy gloves for men and women.
Buy it: UGG Genuine Shearling Tech Gloves, starting from $155, Nordstrom.com
Personalized Throw Blanket
This pattern is made up of “building blocks” representing all the things that make their family so amazing, from the people it contains (including baby!) to where they live, what their hobbies are and more. It’s soft enough for snuggling but stylish enough to display as a tapestry. Either way, it may just bring a tear to their eyes.
Buy it: Uncommon Goods Fabric of Our Family Blanket Building Blocks, $145, UncommonGoods.com
Audible Membership
Top notch Christmas gift ideas for grandparents are hard to come by, especially if they’re the type of person who has everything. An Audible membership could be the answer to your gift-giving prayers! With thousands of audiobooks, documentaries and podcasts on offer, there is something to keep everyone entertained.
Buy it: Audible 1-month membership, starting from $15, Amazon.com
Cute Eyeglass Holder
Sometimes the best gifts for grandparents are ones that solve everyday hassles. Consider their daily search for their glasses officially canceled, all thanks to this too-cute bird-shaped eyeglass holder.
Buy it: Uncommon Goods Songbird Eyeglass Holder, $28, UncommonGoods.com
Family Tree Keepsake
Personalized Christmas gift ideas for grandparents are extra special. And if family means everything to them, this keepsake will mean the world. Get the wood slice engraved with rings representing their generation and the ones that came since—plus the ones that came before too, if you’d like! The finished product is delivered ready to hang on their wall.
Buy it: Marked Moments Wooden Family Tree, starting from $60, Etsy.com
Stylish Luggage Tags
If they travel a lot to visit you and your kids, their luggage is probably beat up. Make all those flights better with brand new gear, like these sophisticated luggage tags. What’s better than Christmas gifts for grandparents that pave the way to seeing their grandkids more?
Buy it: The Tie Bar Leather Luggage Tag, $12 each, TheTieBar.com
Video Calling Device
Here’s yet another great gift for long-distance grandparents. This smart device lets them video chat with their grandchildren in a snap. But that’s not all—it’s got an amazing augmented reality feature that animates the screen for digital story time!
Buy it: Facebook Portal Plus, $340, Amazon.com
Want to pay tribute to the special bond between your little one and their grandparent? That’s where these gifts from baby come in. They’re all thoughtful presents perfect for their first Christmas as grandparents.
Christmas Cookie Coloring Tablecloth
Christmas gifts from baby to grandparents can help build precious memories. For example: This color-in tablecloth will keep little hands busy while Nanny whips up some Christmas cookies. Inspired by annual baking traditions, the tablecloth is decorated with a festive scene that includes four cookie recipes. The washable cotton tablecloth comes with wipeable markers, so the fun truly never ends—simply wipe clean and start coloring all over again.
Buy it: Uncommon Goods Christmas Cookie Coloring Tablecloth, $30, UncommonGoods.com
StoryWorth Keepsake Book
Christmas gift ideas for grandparents can tell a story. And none more so than StoryWorth, the ideal present from baby to your folks. Each week they’ll receive a question from StoryWorth and share their life history bit by bit. At the end of one year, the stories are bound in a gorgeous hardcover book. This is an heirloom quality gift that grandparents and baby can treasure forever.
Buy it: StoryWorth Subscription, $99, StoryWorth.com
Playful Ice Cream Maker
In your kid’s eyes, Grandma and Grandpa are already the best grandparents ever. But turn their home into a playground-slash-ice cream factory and they’ll reach godly status. They can fill this ball with all the necessary ingredients (instructions and recipes are included), then roll, shake and toss it around with their grandkids for 20 minutes. When they open it back up, they’ll have “magically” made ice cream! The real gift, though, is the quality time they’ll get to spend with their grandchildren.
Buy it: YayLabs! Softshell Ice Cream Ball, $50, Amazon.com
Meaningful Tool
Looking for unique and practical Christmas gifts from baby for Grandpa? How about a brand new hammer. But this isn’t just any hammer—it represents his bond to his grandchild. Get it engraved with a special, thematic message, like, “I can’t wait to build memories with you.”
Buy it: TIME and AGAIN by Russ Grandparents Gift, starting from $24, Etsy.com
Jo Malone Christmas Cracker
Or maybe you’re looking for a Christmas gift just for Grandma? Grandmothers do so much for us, so show your appreciation with this luxurious set from Jo Malone. The limited edition Christmas set is filled with a trio of best-selling skincare products by the cult brand. It’s a fantastic gift for glamorous grannies.
Buy it: Jo Malone London Christmas Cracker Set, $48, Nordstrom.com
Video Montage
What better way to honor the bond between grandparents and baby than a heartfelt video message? Tribute makes it easy to produce, edit and send quality video montages. The process is simple: Invite friends and family, collect individual messages and share. It’s a thoughtful Christmas gift from baby to grandparents if ever we saw one.
Buy it: Tribute Packages, starting from $25, Tribute.com
Custom Puzzle
Going for a “surprise and delight” moment? Turn a family photo, like one of your new baby or whole brood of kids, into a jigsaw puzzle. Gift it unassembled, let the grandparents piece it together and happily await the phone call saying, “it’s finished! How adorable!”
Buy it: Shutterfly Upload Your Own Design Puzzle, starting from $33, Shutterfly.com
Drawing Dinnerware
Your kid produces a ton of art—now what to do with it all? Our tip: Turn their favorite masterpiece into a gift for their grandparents. While you could just frame the original work, feel free to get creative. What about having their doodle printed onto one (or a set!) of these ceramic plates? They’re great Christmas gifts for grandparents who host the holiday. Trust us, they’ll want to put them in use right away.
Buy it: Seowoon Oh Personalized Childhood Drawing Plates, $98 each, UncommonGoods.com
Custom Photo Book
This beautifully bound gift serves as a personalized coffee table book the grandparents can flip through whenever they’d like. Customize the colors and page count for a truly bespoke piece—because some of the best Christmas gift ideas for grandparents are those that are designed just for them.
Buy it: Artifact Uprising Everyday Photo Book, starting from $59, ArtifactUprising.com
See-Through Bird Feeder
Turn every visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s into a bird-watching excursion. This transparent feeder attaches to their window for a close-up view of the action. It’s a clever Christmas gift idea for grandparents who love nature and want to share that passion with their grandchildren.
Buy it: Nature’s Hangout Window Bird Feeder, $25, Amazon.com
Custom Calendar
Give them a whole year’s worth of enjoyment with this Christmas gift for grandparents: a custom photo calendar with 12 months of special snapshots. It’s an extra-meaningful gift for grandparents from baby—fill it with images from their grandchild’s first year that showcase baby’s growth.
Buy it: Shutterfly Bold Type Desk Calendar, $30, Shutterfly
Personalized Wind Chimes
At this age, your parents have likely started to appreciate life’s little wonders. That’s where this outdoor decor comes in. The seller makes designs for both grandmothers and grandfathers, and the customized chimes produce charming sounds as lovely as the grandchildren they represent.
Buy it: Augusta Wynde Designs Grandma’s Shining Stars Custom Family Ceramic Wind Chime, starting from $40, Etsy.com; Augusta Wynde Designs Grandpa’s Fishing Buddies Custom Family Ceramic Wind Chime, starting from $35, Etsy.com
Herb Grow Kit
Shopping for Christmas gifts for grandparents with a green thumb? This herb garden is a gift they’ll love. Grandad, Grandma and baby can all get their hands dirty with this innovative countertop grow system. It sets up in minutes and lets you start harvesting fresh herbs in no time.
Buy it: AeroGarden Harvest Elite with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit in Platinum, $180, BedBathAndBeyond.com
Unique Display Box
This is one of our favorite gifts for grandparents because of the frame’s adorable message: “Grandparents hold our tiny hands just for a little while but our hearts forever.” Sign off the note with baby’s name and include a couple of family photos.
Buy it: Little Things by Lucy Grandparents Photo Frame, $33, Etsy.com
Classic Photo Frame
Or, fill this timeless picture frame with the first photo ever taken of them with baby. Talk about a tear-jerkingly good Christmas gift idea for grandparents.
Buy it: Framebridge The Chloe, starting from $65, Framebridge.com
Long-Distance Lamp
Here’s a heartwarming Christmas gift idea for grandparents who live far away: this pair of friendship lamps. Their grandchild keeps one and they keep the other, and when either party touches theirs, the other lamp lights up! That way, they’ll always know when they’re thinking of each other, even if they have to spend the holidays apart.
Buy it: John Harrison & Vanessa Whalen Long Distance Friendship Lamp, $170 for a set of 2, UncommonGoods.com
Family Portrait
Searching for Christmas gift ideas for grandparents that really bring the wow-factor? Introducing Paint Your Life, a dedicated team of artists that’ll transform your photos into family portraits. Why not commission a painting of baby and grandparents’ first meet-up and present it as baby’s gift to them? Just be prepared for a tearful reaction when this gift gets unwrapped.
Buy it: Paint Your Life Hand-painted Portraits, starting from $319 for a 2 person portrait, PaintYourLife.com
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