We do enough estate clean outs to know that knickknacks, tea cups, and fine China just don’t hold the same appeal as they used to. When people downsize, these items might hold sentimental value, but they also just might hold a lot of dust. We collect enough trinkets to speak with a certain measure of authority here. Trust us on this one.

So before you rush out to buy another well-intentioned, but miscalculated Christmas gift for the patriarchs on your Christmas list, stop and think for a minute. Older folks don’t usually need much in the way of material possessions – certainly not another Christmas ornament or serving bowl. And remember that if you forget, you might inherit said Christmas gift back again soon enough.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that seniors aren’t deserving of gifts though. We all appreciate receiving time and attention, no matter our age. Before you waste time in the mall though, take a few minutes to consider what the older adults in your life might actually need and appreciate most. You might be able to skip the mall altogether!

Christmas Gifts for Seniors

Gifts of Ease

Getting older often brings increased aches, pains, and a lack of abilities. Sometimes that might mean weaker eyesight, poorer hearing, or reduced stability. Why not make your senior’s life physically easier with assistive devices of some sort?

• headphones – Hearing issues often become more prevalent as people age. A gift of headphones helps the hard of hearing hear the television, without the TV blasting at everyone in the room.
• audiobooks – Books are a great source of knowledge, entertainment, plus they help keep your brain sharp as you age. But for someone who struggles with failing eyesight, the size of print might be an issue. While reading glasses help, you can avoid the issue entirely with audiobooks. No print required!
• grab bars for the bathroom – Being unsteady on your feet, especially on a wet surface like a bathtub or shower, is a scary reality for many seniors. Grab bars help to regain dignity during daily activities like bathing. Make sure you offer to help install them!
• shopping trolleys with seats – Endurance can be an issue as people age as well. A trip to the grocery store might be that much harder for someone who just can’t walk as far as they used to. Having a seat handy gives a break when you need it most. 
• Alexa – It might not seem immediately obvious to the recipient, but an Alexa makes a perfect Christmas gift for seniors. It can control music, lights, your thermostat, and other smart home devices. Not only that, but you can make shopping lists, set reminders, check the weather, search the web, and shop, all with a few words from you. It saves physical steps, reduces the confusion of navigating websites, and helps reduce memory problems.  

Gifts of Service

Whether your loved one can handle a task or not isn’t always the point. Take the need out of the task at hand and make a gift of a task they normally struggle with.

• house cleaning services – Reduced mobility affects more than just getting from point A to point B. It also means difficulty bending (to clean behind the toilet), lifting (the vacuum nozzle to reach the cobwebs at the ceiling), and endurance (to clean the whole house). Hiring a cleaning service for the senior in your life means one less difficult responsibility for them to tackle when their physical abilities decrease.
• meal delivery services – While Grandma might have cooked up the finest 5-course meals back in her day, sadly those skills are probably a little rusty nowadays. Whether it is because your senior is now only cooking for one, or because their taste buds have lost their sensitivity, cooking becomes more of a challenge the older you get. Skip the heartache by giving the gift of a meal delivery service. 
• haircut/style – We all need a trim now and again, but for some seniors, they need assistance in keeping their hair clean and styled too. A weekly trip to a salon offers proper hygiene, plus gives the gift of touch to those who are often so sorely in need of connection with others. Plus, looking one’s best helps to improve anyone’s outlook, including sometimes lonely seniors.
• manicure/pedicure – Manicures and pedicures are not just about having the latest polished nails. Often it is about the lack of dexterity and flexibility. Can your Grandfather reach his toes? Do your elderly mother’s hands shake? Giving the gift of a manicure or pedicure keeps nails trimmed and clean, when a person’s abilities make the task difficult.
• Sunlight therapy lamp – If it is difficult for your loved one to get outside, why not consider buying them a sunlight therapy lamp? Long, dark winters are hard on many people’s psyches, especially those of us in the northern hemisphere. Sunlight lamps help to boost people’s moods and reduce symptoms associated with the winter blues. Almost as good as a vacation to someplace sunny!

Edible Gifts

We all need to eat. Enough said. Take the labour out and just leave the love of food behind in the form of an edible gift. The best part is that it leaves no clutter behind!

• gift cards for restaurants
• homemade Christmas baking or frozen meals
• gourmet tea/coffee, cooking oils, salt sets, etc.
• delivery of an edible arrangements
• date for coffee, lunch, or dinner

More Great Christmas Gifts for Seniors

There are so many more fantastic Christmas gifts you can give to the seniors in your life that they will truly appreciate. Think outside the box and you will reduce clutter and waste, plus warm the heart of your older friend or relative by your gift of thoughtfulness.

• lottery tickets
• handwritten letter/Christmas card
• white noise machine for insomnia
• birdseed/feeder for bird lovers
• games to keep the mind sharp; puzzles, sudoku, crosswords, seek & find, etc. 

Merry Christmas!