Great-grandmothers can be made to feel special with a little forethought and the right gift. And great-grandmas should be made to feel special. They sometimes spend time with great-grandchildren, helping to take care of them and contributing to their maturing process. Great-grandmas have the added benefit of a lifelong perspective and can often provide advice to great-grandchildren who may be more receptive to them than parents because great-grandparents can be seen by children as friends and confidants. Special gifts for great-grandmas can become their treasures.
Creative Gifts
Great-grandmas typically appreciate gifts that are made with creative talent. This does not mean that the gifts have to be high-quality works. A crayon drawing from a three-year-old can be priceless for a great-grandma. Creative gifts can be in any form. For example, a drawing or a painting would be good visually creative gifts, while song lyrics written for the great-grandmother would also exhibit creativity and show that time and thought were put into the gift. Younger children can make paintings with finger paint. Other creative ideas for gifts include a musical recording, a mobile, a clay sculpture and a mosaic.
Home-Crafted Gifts
Although these gifts also exhibit a degree of creativity, they are gifts that may fall into the category of crafts instead of art. A jewelry kit purchased at a craft store could be used to create a jeweled pendant. Children who are smaller can use home materials such as a shoe box to make a jewelry box. The box could be adorned with gemstones and glitter and the name of the great-grandmother could be drawn on the box with felt markers. Bookmarks are quick and easy gifts to construct, and the names of the great grandchildren could be printed on them along with their signatures. Children can also make bookends, decorating them with markers or paint.
Picture Gifts
Pictures of the great-grandchildren make great gifts and can be spiced up with creative frames. Children can make frames with Popsicle sticks and glue, coloring the frame after completion. Several pictures could be arranged in a frame with a background to present a visual family history. Smaller pictures can be placed into a frame that has a family tree drawn in it, and the pictures can be placed at the ends of family branches.
High-Tech Gifts
Some great grandmothers are more tech-savvy than others, and for those who can work their way around the Internet, the gift of time and help in constructing a social networking website can help the great-grandmother stay in touch with the great-grandchildren.
References
- "The Joyous Gift of Grandparenting"; Doug and Robin Hewitt; 2008
- Eclectic Homeschool Online: Gifts on a Shoestring
- Kaboose: Make Gifts This Christmas
