My grandmother will be 75 this week. I've already set up a surprise dinner (she thinks it's just me and her going, but the entire family will be there) at her favorite restaurant, ordered a cake, balloons, flowers, etc. Those were the easy parts. The hard part is figuring out a gift. :faint:

She is in good health, but has started gifting away her possessions, streamlining her will, etc. Because of this I'm hesitant to buy her anything "material" - knick-knacks, etc. I've gone the route of maid, lawn service, pre-paid classes, computer, etc. and they're either done, or haven't gone over as well as one might hope.

So my current thought is to treat her to a day at the spa - color correction rinse for her hair (white hair + smoker = yellow hair), cut, manicure, facial, pedicure, etc. Maybe Mario Triccoci or one of the "papmering" spas. She won't do a massage - too modest.

Any other suggestions? $500 or under.

So my current thought is to treat her to a day at the spa - color correction rinse for her hair (white hair + smoker = yellow hair), cut, manicure, facial, pedicure, etc. Maybe Mario Triccoci or one of the "papmering" spas.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest, but I would add one thing to it -- you. Go with her and make it a day at the spa for both of you. If she doesn't regularly do things like that, she'll probably feel out of place going by herself. Make it a special day for the two of you to spend some quality time together, and I'm sure she'll love it.

Wheetsin, does she still drive? If not, you may want to consider taxi vouchers. We did that for both my grandmothers when they were alive. They seemed to view taking a taxi as a luxury and were reluctant to do it when they were paying for it, but getting a big fistful of vouchers allowed them to get out and about more.

Pull together a video of her life. Baby pictures all through her years. Include newspaper articles, history, fun facts, etc. Include family interviews, why they think she is so darn special. Include music from the different eras and things that are special to her.

I think all these ideas are good -

Here's some things I've given to my older folks who are on a fixed income and really have everything they want...

My mom sends lots of cards so I got her a hallmark box and an assortment of cards and several books of stamps - every xmas I 'refill' it.

*calling cards so they save on long distance

*gift certificates to their two favorite restaurants

*gift certs to their local grocery store and gas station

Does she like the movies or theatre - something like that she wouldn't splurge on herself?

Sometimes cash is really appreciated too though I think your spa day sounds wonderful!!!

I love these ideas!!! I am assembling a DVD of family photos for my parents 50th anniversary this summer. Pics from their childhoods on through to the great grandbabies. I am putting it to music. It will take up little space, and be easy for them to view as many times as they want. I like maudeispams idea of the interviews....I just didn't get them, I am doing photos only. Think during the anniversary celebration I will do the interview thing on my camcorder tho....and give it to them as well.

How about a monthly "date". If her birthday is the 24th, each month on the 24th do something with her....dinner, hair appointment, go to a movie, but something each month on her day.

Hallmark puts out a book made for a Grandmother to fill out, with her memories, stories etc. Maybe you need to find one, and spend time with her, asking the questions,and you could fill it out, so that you would have it in the years to come. My Grandma filled one out for my DD, but there are some questions she answered in a way I would love to ask more about it....and she passed 10 years ago,and I can no longer ask her....wish I had listened better.

ENJOY your Grandmother---Spoil her rotten!!!! Anything you do will wonderful, the party with the family is a great thing, time and being together with her loved ones is the best gift you can give her!

Lucky you guys!!!

Kat

Ooh good ideas guys!

DH and I do several things for her already that I should have included - because they're in line with some of your gift ideas. We've bought her a computer, and pay for her monthly internet access. We give her some money every month (she has no idea about this, it's auto deposited into her account, and she's not savvy when it comes to banking, so she has no idea it isn't just hers from somewhere). We also pay her cable bill. Ok, technically my parents pay her bills, but we fund the cable bill and my parents just tell her they paid it from her account. We also have her on our cell phone plan (she doesn't know about this either), so no worries about long distance calls. (We're the only people she'd call that don't live in a local area code).

She does drive, but only in her own city limits, during the day, and when there's no snow on the ground. In any of those conditions she will only go out if someone she knows comes and picks her up. Anymore, she only goes to very familiar routes - church, grocery store, etc. Her mental health is fading and a few times when she has deviated into newer areas she has called someone crying b/c she's lost (you can get from one end of her town to the other in 15 minutes, so you're never that far from anywhere else).

I wish I had time to get a movie together before the party. But that's a GREAT idea for next year.

I had also considered pre-paid gas cards. Too practical? Maybe combined with a spa day? (And I agree about having company - she'd have to, b/c she wouldn't drive to a "real" city on her own...she lives in a very small town with only chain haircut stops, and the occasional "rent a booth" mom & pop operations).

She is so lucky to have you!

Are you far way from her? I have a friend that gets his grandmother a handful of gift certificates to her favorite places, and then he comes to lunch with her every few weeks, she treats with her gift certificates. The real gift is the time they spend together. ~Mandy

Do you need another grandmother, Wheetsin? I have tons of experience and impeccable references.

My parents are older and on a fixed income. We gave them cash for Christmas with a note in the card saying we wanted to take them boxing day shopping. They bought new bedding, shoes, practical clothing etc...and it was a fun couple of days shopping with them. You probably don't have time to do this...but...my dad is turning 80 this year. We are registering in with a travel agency (chain) so that whoever wants to donate 20 or 200 etc...can do so. My parents have never been anywhere outside of the three western provinces. My sister and I figure we will go with them to Hawaii or an Alaskan cruise or something. ( Keep in mind we are expecting a couple hundred people at the party so it will add up...)

I am glad you are taking such good care of your grandmother. You will never regret the time you spend with her.

Haha, I do spoil my family. I expect that will change if/when we have a child. In the meantime, I help them live it up.

She is about an hour and a half away. We don't have a super close relationship. I was much, much closer to my grandfather, and when he died, the whole dynamic of our family changed. (Funny how that happens - you have the "glue" that binds the entire family, and things sort of fall apart if they're gone.)

How do I say this nicely... I can tolerate her well in small doses.

And I just remembered, she's one of the... what are they called, red hats? Red hat society? Something like that. Maybe something she could do with them?

(Eekgad, my grandmother in a bright purple feather boa is a thread of its own.)

There ya go Wheetsin--buy her a new red hat, and find out about how many and where they go to eat, and if possible treat her group--they will all thank HER!!! Have the restaurant bring cake out to her with all of her Red Hat Soceity Friends.

Kat