In the realm of holiday gift giving, grandparents are another stumbling block. I don’t know about you, but just like my dad, I’ve always felt my grandma has everything she needs… so I mostly just got her bubble bath. For years and years, she just got a different scent of bubble bath until one year I was looking for something in her bathroom and found like 6 of the bottles under the sink. I realized I had to rethink my approach for her. I even asked her what she wanted that year and she told me a pair of slippers – apparently she was also over the bubble bath.

If you’ve also found your grandma’s stash of bubble bath, robes, collectible spoons or whatever you’ve been giving her for years, here are some ideas on how to shake up your holiday gift giving:

 

1.)  Family Tree Platter – Make grandma a really unique serving platter by picking up an old tray (thrift store, garage sale or Dollar Tree) and then ModPodging your family to it, focusing on that grandma’s side. You just need some paint or colored construction paper. 

2.) Photo Tiles – these tiles just need small scraps of wood (pick up a piece at Home Depot and ask them to cut it down for you – $2.22), use whatever paint you have at home or swing by the Dollar Store to see what they’ve got. ModPodge (which, if you’re going the crafting route this winter, apparently you should just make an initial invest of a buckets-worth). Bonus points if you pick up a cool bowl and some moss like in this picture.

3.) Crochet Card Basket – this is a pretty cool craft for the older grandma’s who are likely to use a holiday candy bowl. All you need on hand is glue (honestly, tape might cut it ok too), something to punch small holes with and a bunch of holiday greeting cards (how convenient, I bet a bunch of those are about to show up at your door – or your parent’s door – and they’d probably be happy to let you take a dozen). Then swing by a craft store and pick up crochet thread and a size 7 crochet hook. 

4.) ModPodge Flower Pot – in my family, it’s my grandmother that’s got the green thumb, so if you stocked up on that ModPodge like suggested, this could be a cool craft for her. Purchase a plant and clay pot (you can do this for about $5 at Home Depot) and then decorate the pot according to Life After Empty Nest’s instructions. You’ll have a cool, unique Christmas gift in no time.

And if DIY is not your thing, here are some ideas for things you can buy to make sure Grandma still feels loved and appreciated:

1.) A framed, professional looking photo – this is part DIY, part dollar store. But I know the one year my gift was a hit was the time my brother and I got our portrait taken at Sears (that gift doubled for Mom, too). I feel like we probably could do that on our own now, without the portrait studio fee and just print it out at CVS. Bonus points if you can get all your cousins in it as well.

2.) A Food Treat – pick up grandma a bag of her favorite coffee grounds, swing by her favorite bakery and pick up whatever her favorite is there, etc. Honestly, one year I got my grandma a $10 gift card to Dunkin Donuts, because she goes there once a week with all the ladies in her apartment complex. She liked it because she likes Dunkin Donuts, but I think she loved it because as she paid she was able to brag loudly to all the ladies that her coffee was on her granddaughter that morning.

3.) Nail Polish w/ Holder – if grandma’s still a fashionista, you could pick up Nail Polish Holders and a new bottle of nail polish to go with them.

4.) Pot Clips – if grandma loves to cook, this cool pot clip is a mere $4, a little weird and very useful. She’ll think of you every time she uses it.

And if you’re still looking for more ways to save some cash this holiday season, enter the raffle to win a copy of Jason Anderson’s Zero Budget Christmas. You may notice I’ve also added a bottle of ModPodge – because, honestly, if you’re going to do 90% of the crafts I’ve hunted down, you’re gonna need it. Contest ends November 30^th.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

brokeGIRLrich readers, where would your dream $5 gift cards come from?