Memento for Grandma?

[halfpint]

My mom (and dad, but mostly my mom) watches my kids. They are her only grandchildren, and we are so, so grateful to her. I often think she feels like we take her for granted, and sometimes we probably do on a day to day basis - it's hard in the stress and hustle of every day to not always seem like we're in a hurry. 

Every year I buy her a season ticket to our city's Broadway series and take her with me, plus dinner and valet parking - so we have a mother/daughter date about 6x/year. It kind of covers major gift giving events for the year, because it's a pretty major expense. 

I want to get her something as kind of a thank you Grandma Gift this year - not as a Christmas gift obvi - no time for that - but since most people are in that headspace, figured it was a good time to ask!

She has pretty much no wall or table/shelf space left, so pictures or wall hangings aren't always what she wants. She doesn't wear much jewelry on a day-to-day basis - I got her a necklace one year with birthstones on it, and she never wears it. 

Any other suggestions? She always loves the photo calendars we get her, I'm sure she'd love a photo book - but I was hoping for something else, too. I want it to be grandchild/grandma related - doesn't need to be expensive, just touching as hell  

[icedcoffee]

Not super cheap, but what about a photography session with the grandkids? My mom's always complaining she doesn't have good pictures of her and the grands.

[dcn]

We gave my mom a throw pillow with the kids’ names and birthdates on it.

[hamster]

I like the idea of a photo session.

We got the grandparents a Nixplay frame.

[krystee]

Video interview with the oldest about why he loves Grandma and what he is thankful for that Grandma does. The little guy could end the video with an adorable, “I love you, Grandma!” If you are able to edit video, you could add in clips of your husband and you thanking her too.

[VillainV]

Does she have a smartphone? You can make photo collage phone cases on Shutterfly. We make these for the grandmothers every time they get a new phone and they love them! And they are also good quality phone cases (I have one too and drop my phone a lot).

[somersault72]

My mom LOVED the cell phone collage case I made her on Shutterfly. I think Nixplay photo frame and grandparent/grandkid photo sessions are wonderful ideas, too. I know you're pressed for time but SIL made my mom, ex-MIL, and me ornaments with DS's handprint and turned the fingers into snowmen (and there was a cute little message that went along). My mom still LOVES hers and wants me to do one with DD's handprint.

[jinkies]

Both our moms have gardens, so one year we made them decorative stones for the garden with the kids handprints in them. They come as a kit.

You could also do a paint your own pottery serving platter or tray with the kids handprints if she hosts a lot.

[halfpint]

Dec 23, 2019 12:19:12 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Not super cheap, but what about a photography session with the grandkids? My mom's always complaining she doesn't have good pictures of her and the grands.

That's good - we did pictures with them last Christmas, but she's lost a lot of weight over the last year, so she may appreciate some new ones. Maybe this spring. 

[halfpint]

Dec 23, 2019 13:54:10 GMT -5 krystee said:

Video interview with the oldest about why he loves Grandma and what he is thankful for that Grandma does. The little guy could end the video with an adorable, “I love you, Grandma!” If you are able to edit video, you could add in clips of your husband and you thanking her too.

Oh, this might be great, even as an add-on to something else. It doesn't take up any space   

My husband actually loves editing video, so maybe we could start working on some clips. 

[brooke77]

I was also going to suggest a Nixplay. They don’t take up a lot of space and you can constantly upload new photos right from your phone. I have one in my office and it’s truly one of my favorite gifts ever.

[ellipses84]

My boys got their grandma a little silver necklace that had little beads on it. The pattern of the bears spells grandma in Morse code, which my boys thought was super cool.

[Dznyprnces]

My BIL gave me an iPad case that has photos of my kids on it. It made me cry lol. It’s from casetify, and really nice quality.