
Tomorrow is National Grandparents Day, a perfect opportunity to show your grandparents—or for your child to show his—how much they are appreciated and loved. Although every grandparent loves a handmade card or a drawing from school, why not make something a bit more unique this year? Try one of these ideas.
A Twist on the Traditional Bunch of Flowers
Go ahead and get your grandparents the traditional Forget-Me-Nots of the holiday, but instead of having them wrapped or put in a chic professional vase, add a little bit of personalization. Find a bunch of nice, flat rocks. Take an old cookie sheet (and it should be old—it’s going to get ruined!) and place your rocks on it, and let them get hot over a fire pit for about three to five minutes.
Carefully remove them, and allow them to cool just a bit. While still warm, color the rocks with your child, using broken crayons—and caution! You’ll have gorgeous swirly-colored wax rocks that will be lovely in a clear vase. Then, once the flowers die, they can still showcase the vase—or use the rocks in a rock garden or other display.
Give the Gift of Your Face
Most grandparents love pictures and cannot get enough of them. Try selecting a frame that goes along with your grandparents’ color scheme or theme, if applicable, and put a photo of your family or child within it. Maybe they have a lot of silver, or perhaps they like natural wood.
Take it a step further with the creation of a shadowbox. Include something your child has made—such as a clay sculpture, drawing or sewn creation. Add his or her photo, handprint, and something else personal—such as a lock of hair, an acorn your toddler found, etc. This creates a very memorable gift that’s both beautiful and more than the usual picture.
Spend the Day Together
Ask for stories about your grandparent’s life. Make a scrumptious lunch featuring his or her favorite foods. Take plenty of photos—and print them on the spot if you can. Sometimes the simplest gift can be the best one you can give.
If your grandparents are the type who like to travel or do anything other than stay at home, do that with them. Go antiquing, yard-saling, shopping, to the carnival, to Bingo, whatever. Show your children how grandpa spends his day, or what he likes to do by accompanying him on a fishing trip.
