Ask your grandparents what they want for Christmas and you'll get the same answer every year: nothing. They mean it, too. Often they have reached the point in their lives where they have everything they “need” and perhaps don't want more things to clutter up their house.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't get them anything. Here are 24 gifts for grandparents that will put a smile on their face. They are all grouped by what they actually are: a few are photographs, a few aren't objects at all, some come straight from the grandkids, and the rest are just the everyday things they already use.

Why They Say They Want Nothing

"Nothing" usually means one of four things:

• The house is already full, and there's nowhere left to put anything new.
• They've spent the last several years giving things away, and don't want to start collecting more.
• They genuinely don't “need” anything.
• They'd rather the money went to the grandchildren instead.

That's not just trying to be “polite” on their part; it's just true, and it's worth listening to them instead of trying to talk them out of it. A poorly thought-out gift to a grandparent who doesn't want anything won't get a happy reaction. Instead, think about gifts that won't add to the pile of clutter they already have. Something that goes on a wall instead of into a cupboard. Something that can be eaten or drunk. An experience, like a day out, rather than something that just sits on a shelf collecting dust. Or something no shop sells because a grandchild made it themselves.

5 Gifts Made From a Photo

Personalized gifts for grandparents don't get much more straightforward than a good photo, printed in quality and delivered in a nice frame.

1. A custom photo pillow with every grandchild on it. One pillow with all the kids in the same frame.
2. A digital photo frame loaded with hundreds of photos before you hand it over. This doesn't have to be of the family; it can just be of everyone living their lives, so they can feel a bit closer to each of you.
3. A printed photo book of all you’ve done this year. Twelve months of adventures, family dinners, holidays, and more condensed into a small book that they can pick up off the coffee table.
4. A restoration of an old family photo. Maybe they have a very worn-out photo of their parents or an event in their childhood that you can pull out of an old shoebox, get restored, and printed to hang pride of place on the wall.
5. A wall calendar with every family birthday already filled in. We all know grandparents love to spoil the grandchildren, and even if their memory isn't as good as it used to be, with this, they will never miss that opportunity.

5 Gifts That Are Not Objects

Sometimes the best things to give aren't things at all.

1. Tickets to an event happening nearby. A concert, a show, a local event, already chosen and already paid for.
2. A membership to a museum or botanical garden. A full year of somewhere to go on a slow afternoon.
3. An audiobook or streaming subscription, already set up and logged in. They open it, and it just plays. No password, no setup that's so complicated they never end up using it.
4. A cleaning or lawn service booked for a season. Here, what you're really giving them is the gift of time; they can now use those afternoons to knit or fly-fish or enjoy whatever hobby they love.
5. A standing video call, actually put on the calendar. Same time, same day, every week or month, so they know you care and want them to be an active part of your life.

4 Gifts That Get Used Up

The best gift for someone who doesn't want more things taking up space is one that's already gone by spring.

1. High-quality coffee or tea, delivered monthly. A small treat that shows up on its own and gives them something to look forward to all year.
2. A bakery or chocolate food box. Something they'd never think to order for themselves, but that any grandparent with a sweet tooth will smile at.
3. The hand cream or soap they'd never spend that much on. Small, useful, and gone in a few months.
4. A bottle of something they wouldn't normally buy themselves. A nice aged bottle of their favourite liquor is always a safe bet.

5 Gifts From the Grandkids

Gifts that have been made by hand always mean a lot, and that goes double when they come from your grandkids.

1. A child's drawing turned into a real, physical custom kids' art pillow. Whatever they love to draw, whether it's unicorns or tractors, turned into a pillow rather than just another piece of art on the fridge.
2. A recorded interview where the grandchildren ask about their own childhood. Questions a kid would actually think to ask that will give the grandparents something to keep and a way to get to know their grandkids better.
3. A handwritten letter from each grandchild. Handwriting is becoming a lost art, and any grandparent will appreciate the time and effort it took.
4. A video of the kids reading a book out loud. Something to watch again and again, as many times as they want to.
5. A dated set of handprints or artwork that becomes a yearly series. One a year, so it's not a single gift but something that grows.

5 Everyday Things, Quietly Upgraded

Sometimes someone thinks they have everything, and it's true, but those things might need an upgrade.

1. A genuinely good reading lamp. The lamp they got when they moved in might not work as well for them now that they need to use glasses.
2. Slippers with a real sole, not a fabric one. Sturdy, comfy slippers that actually keep their feet warm.
3. A jar opener that actually works. Small, maybe boring, but as they've aged, getting into the pickles has become that little bit harder.
4. A heated throw. Especially if you live in a state with cold winters, you can’t beat a nice warm blanket to keep them covered as they read in the evening.
5. The good version of whatever they use every single morning. An electric kettle, a better coffee grinder, a toaster that doesn't need the lever held down.

Four Gifts to Skip

1. Another photo frame. They already have twelve on the mantle and nowhere for a thirteenth.
2. A mug or ornament with a slogan on it. Something that says “World's Best Grandpa” isn't as thoughtful as you think it is.
3. Anything that needs a new account or app they didn't ask for. Especially if you won't be there in person to set it up for them.
4. Clothing in a size you're guessing at. It will typically just mean a return trip to the store that neither of you wants.

If They Have Downsized

If your grandparents have moved from a house into an apartment and have spent the last year giving things away, then this is not the Christmas to get them anything that will just take up more space. Consumables and experiences are the way to go in this situation. If you're buying an object anyway, ask about storage before you buy it, and look for something that replaces what they already own rather than adding to it.

Common Questions

What do you give grandparents who live far away?

Something they can set up once and keep using: a subscription box, a standing video call, a photo. Anything that needs regular upkeep from you in person is the wrong choice.

What's a good gift from a baby or toddler who's too young to make something?

A dated set of handprints works even at a few months old, and it's one of the only gifts on this list you can genuinely start before they can hold a pencil.

Is it fine to give the same kind of gift every year?

Yes, especially with anything consumable. A standing coffee or tea delivery gets better with repetition, not worse, and means they are always getting something they actually want.

What do you give someone who's just become a grandparent for the first time?

Skip anything sentimental about the milestone itself and go practical: a photo frame or digital frame ready to fill, since they're about to generate more photos than they'll know what to do with.

How do you find out what they want without ruining the surprise?

Ask what they're using that's worn out. A lamp, slippers, a kettle, rather than what they want. People will name a broken thing before they'll ever ask for a gift outright.

The One To Give This Year

If there's no time to think, go with the photo pillow. It's the one gift on this list that actually earns a spot on the sofa instead of a drawer, and it's the hardest one to say "you shouldn't have" to and mean it.