I need a gift for my husband's great aunt. She will be visiting this year for the holidays. She doesn't eat sweets and I don't really know much about her. What is a good gift for an elderly woman?
To many of our senior citizens, things like stationary, STAMPS, and neat pens are a luxury. You could put them in a basket. Gift certificates for a store around her home. If she is a member of your family, how about a family picture of you.
These are just a few suggestions that I have used.
Connie
My boyfriend just recently met my Grandmother. We were driving on the way to see my Aunt and when we stopped at a local gas station for drinks, he purchased a couple of lottery tickets and gave them to her. She was thrilled!
Living on a severe budget she doesn't buy frivolous things like lottery tickets. If she doesn't have an aversion to a little gambling, it might put a little spark in her smile.
Amy
A great gift would be a lap blanket or a shawl to put around the shoulders.
Joyce
For the elderly aunt, if she likes to read, get her a book in large size print. Or if her eyesight is bad or she prefers not to read, an audiobook would be nice. Do you keep in touch with her on a regular basis? If so, how about stationery with a book of stamps included or a phone card so she can call you without worrying about the cost
Karen
Homemade canned goods (fruits, vegetables, etc.) with a pretty material topper (check, lace) seem to go over well. Useful and decorative at the same time. Also pretty frames with family pictures.
Bernadette
If she has friends/relatives living out of state, a prepaid phone card would make a nice gift. I give books of stamps (especially the ones for Breast Cancer Research).
Eunice
How about some nice scented candles? Who wouldn't like the aroma? I make them myself which adds a little more sentiment!
Lisa
A pair of warm gloves or a warm scarf would be nice as a winter gift. Older people quite often feel cold.
Marianne
What about knitting or having someone knit her a shawl, or slippers or a small afghan she can use to cover her lap/legs
while watching TV. Or perhaps a frame and take a picture of her with your family during the holidays to put in the frame, which she will be able to take back with her to remember her visit.
Margaret Fraleigh
Does she like parakeets? Check out this website for the cutest little "pet" parakeets ever. They are plastic, but very lifelike and lots of fun. I am going to give one to my next door neighbor who is 94! They have other birds too. www.backyardbirdsandgardens.com/
My grandma is a tea maniac.Last Christmas I got her a transparent kettle and an assortment of blooming tea,which is a compressed ball of tea that turns into a gorgeous flower as it steeps.It will surely impress her friends as well LOL
a few additions:
pre-made cookie mix in a jar
Pre-made cookie dough ( frozen in balls, ready for baking)
Pretty bookmarks with scripture encouragement.
Handmade scripture cards with a small stand that they can change on a daily basis.
CD's of music favorite from their younger days
Most of The older generation still like to contact people by pen and paper. They also pay bills. So stationary, a nice pen, and stamps are good ideas. So is nice hand lotion like neutrogena. Perhaps a magnifying glass also.
What a great idea.
A
First of all, what do you mean by "elderly"? I'm 79 and still going to gigs with a musician boy friend so I can do rock n' roll dancing. I do all my correspondence on my computer and even pay all bills that way. The contemporary "older" woman is quite different from what I am seeing in all the hints about stamps, shawls and candles.
That's a good point. That original question was posted nearly 20 years ago and I think that the definition of "elderly" trended a bit younger back then. Some older people are very active and some are pretty sedentary. You have to know your audience to select a good gift, no matter what their age.
Many older folks have downsized their homes to apartments or even RVs and prefer to keep their belongings at a minimum. I would suggest giving experiences rather than physical belongings. This has the added benefit of giving you an opportunity to spend extra time, which might be appreciated as older people often feel isolated as their contemporaries pass on.
Also, most retired people are living on a tight budget so might appreciate gift certificates to help with everyday expenses. It could be for something useful like groceries, or something extra like a hair appointment, movie tickets or a gift card to a department store.
Hope this helps!
