Each year it gets harder and harder to buy gifts for today’s grandmothers and great grandmothers. When it comes to Mother’s Day, everyone wants to give a gift, but what does this Grandma think are gifts that will be hits for 2017? Remember, grandmas and great grandmas do not want you to spend great sums on them. They want you to save your money to spend on their grandchildren.
Photographs in Frames
Yes, this Grandma says this every year. Grandchildren grow and last year’s picture is well, last year’s picture. A family picture of the parents of the grandchildren with the grandchildren is a bonus. Receiving the picture in a frame or pictures in frames allows grandma or great grandma to put the picture(s) out immediately.
For the Chef
We grandmas and great grandmas sometimes find out there are new things we can use and learn, including about. . .
Soup Socks; Turkey Stuffing Socks; Baking Dish Buddy Casserole Dish Liners
Shopping in a beautiful gourmet shop in Tucson last year, I came upon “Regency Soup Socks.” It is a packet of three fine mesh bags. The store owner said they are wonderful, so I bought a packet. I learned that you put the ingredients, for example for chicken soup, in the mesh bag (which really stretches and can hold everything) and then into the liquid you use as the soup base. There is so much less labor, less skimming and cleaning. You remove the bag and have beautiful clear broth. I have experimented and put the whole chicken in one bag, the vegetables that I will discard in another bag, and the vegetables I want in the soup, into the liquid. This was the easiest yet. What was discarded was completely contained. Easy cleanup using these bags too.
This is a $10 present. Grandma would appreciate two packages too. It is amazing how wonderful they are. Buy at Amazon.
There are other “socks” we grandmas and great grandmas can learn about and save labor and cleanup. A gift can include all three varieties.
Turkey Stuffing Socks allow you to easily pull out the stuffing. Buy at Amazon:
Regency’s newest product is Regency Wraps Baking Dish Buddy Casserole Dish Liners (Set of 6). These line baking dishes for easy cleanup. Being brand new, there is only one review and it is five star. Buy at Amazon:
Giving a grandma or great grandma these new fangled labor saving items is going to require convincing them that you have not wasted your money on something they will never use as they have never used such a thing. Cook chicken soup with them once and see the reaction! Remember to refill their supply as they probably won’t admit how wonderful these gauze bags and baking liners are.
Kitchenaid Emersion Blender
This Grandma was a gourmet cook a very long time ago. I must admit it was before I had children. Once the babies came, they took up the time previously expended in the luxury of cooking beautiful meals. However, now that the grandchildren are not babies, I have begun to look at cooking again for pleasure. Taking a cooking class, I was introduced to an emersion blender. I wondered why I splattered liquids all over with a standard blender and how messy it was. With an emersion blender, you just blend in the pot. Yes, again it is a new fangled tool that saves time and mess, and will be looked at by grandma and great grandma as something from outer space. Once you demonstrate and cook something together with grandma or great grandma using it, the uses for it become evident and it becomes an indispensable kitchen tool. Amazon has three of the Kitchenaid models at varying prices.
Apps and Uber and Time
Our GG (great grandmother) loves her I Phone and I Pad. She admits she needs help. She is quick to ask for help with Apps and the electronics, but then feels guilty as it takes her more time to understand. I can relate as a mechanically challenged grandma. Yes, we both abuse her son, Grandpa. However, Grandpa giving guaranteed hours for Mother’s Day means that GG (and this Grandma) will not feel so guilty asking how to do something for the third or thirteen time. And, we won’t feel guilty saying it is beyond me at the moment and please do it for me.
If there is a ten year old or older grandchild, hours from him or her can even be a better bonus. They know Instagram, Twitter, and Bitmoji and can install those on your I Phone and I Pad. Guaranteed hours as an electronics assistant as a Mother’s Day present from them is pure gold, as are the golden hours spent with them.
Even if there is not a capable grandchild, the parent of a grandchild is also wonderful for hours as an electronics assistant as a gift. Everyone parent of a grandchild is busy and to give a few hours for a Mother’s Day gift is a win-win. Grandma or great grandma gets help and the bonus of some alone quality time with the parent of the grandchild.
Our GG (great grandmother) loves her independence. She loves driving herself at near 94 years of age. This Grandma has to admit that I just started using the Uber app on my phone alone, when I am not with Grandpa. It was daunting. I could not find the App. I immediately called the driver to see if I had really accomplished using the Uber app myself. Okay, I am mechanically challenged. GG just started using Uber app, and I am so impressed with her. She learned how. She tried it. And, now she loves Uber. Here is another win-win. She can now go out at night, previously reluctant to drive after dark, especially alone. We do not worry as much about her driving alone even during the day as we know if she has any reluctance, she will call Uber. Add the Uber app to Grandma and Great Grandma’s I phone or I pad (and if they do not have these gadgets, that is another gift to think of). Give the gift of time and assistance until Grandma and Great Grandma feel comfortable with Uber. . . .or Instagram. . . or Twitter.
Did I forget weekly prescheduled Face Time time as a gift? Everyone is so busy that a set Sunday evening Face Time visit is a gift that will be appreciated with great
Joy,
Mema
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