Holiday Gifts for the Elderly

Wisdom of the Wounded

Do you know an elderly relative or friend and wonder what to give them for Christmas? Here are some holiday gift ideas that are sure to show you care.

• Elderly people feel the cold more, so a cozy lap blanket, afghan, bed jacket, or a “wearable blanket” like a Snuggie or Comfy would be a good gift.
• Offer to come by and decorate the Christmas tree. Bring some goodies and Christmas music and make it a party.
• Buy them a new board game or a holiday-themed jigsaw puzzle and a promise to come by and play with them. Be sure to follow through on the promise.
• A fruit or flower/plant-of-the-month would give the person something to look forward to each month.
• Ask them what their favorite songs/music genre is; then curate a list for them on a music streaming service (Spotify/Pandora) and show them how to download the app and listen
• Watch a holiday-themed movie with them; reminisce about favorite holiday traditions from their childhood

Or how about a gift that gives all year long? What if you made a promise to visit your elderly loved one each month? That’s what my son Jeff did for my mother. Jeff pledged to visit his grandma (my mom) once a month for a year. This involved a 4-hour round trip for him. He took his computer along and showed her family pictures. She was so pleased. He also asked her questions about her life. (See our list of over 70 “life story” questions to ask an elderly loved one.)

It is so true, that the greatest gift you can give an elderly person is to be consistent all year long with visits, phone calls and small thoughtful gestures.

Carol Gioia

So although an elderly friend or loved one is sure to appreciate any gift you give, it might be true that the greatest gift would be visits, phone calls and small thoughtful gestures all year long.

Those continuous gestures tell your special elder that he/she is loved and cherished all the time, not just at Christmas time.

Editor’s note: many of the gift ideas were inspired by a blog post by Carol Gioia, which is no longer available online.

Photo Credit: Sirah Quyyom

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