As the holiday season fast approaches, so does the sometimes-challenging task of selecting Christmas gifts for those closest to us.
When it comes to the retirees in our lives, whether that be your parents, your grandparents, or a cherished friend entering this new chapter of life, we all endeavour to give them the perfect, heartfelt gift that we know will put a smile on their face.
To make your Christmas shopping a little easier this year, in this article we’ll explore sentimental gifts, light-hearted gifts, gifts for the person who already has everything, and gifts for the person who doesn’t want anything – there’s something for everyone!
We’ve included smaller, Australian businesses and environment conscious options where possible, so you can do your part to support local and help the planet while also finding the perfect gift.
Here are 6 Christmas gift ideas for your parents and grandparents that you may not have thought of!
Skylight.
A Skylight is a digital photo frame that you send photos to via email, that will then appear on it within seconds! It’s the perfect, meaningful gift to give for your loved one this Christmas. There’s no app or subscription required, it’s a quick, one minute set up process, and there’s an effortless touch screen display. All you need to do is connect to Wi-Fi and send photos to the frame via email, and your precious memories will start appearing.
A Skylight is ideal for someone who has loved ones living far away, as it allows them to stay up to date with everyone’s busy lives – maybe they’ve got grandchildren studying abroad, children living overseas, or a new grandchild born across the country. Get the whole family involved by simply giving them the Skylight’s unique email address.
For those who aren’t tech savvy or don’t love smartphones, the Skylight can be a new, life-changing way to connect and share memories – whether it’s a silly photo of the kids, a photo of your brand new puppy, photos sent from your tropical holiday destination, or sentimental photos from the past that you know will make them smile. Your loved one will feel included and special seeing new memories of their favourite people popping up in their home!
You can purchase a Skylight here: https://au.skylightframe.com/
Hampers.
Hampers are convenient but also thoughtful, making them a great option for Christmas gifting! They’re perfect for your loved one who doesn’t want anymore ‘stuff’, as there’s options that include only gourmet food or drink items. They’re also great if you’ve left your Christmas shopping to the last minute, as you can quickly order them online and from the comfort of your own home.
You can find a range of quality hampers that support local Australian businesses here:
Byron Bay Hampers are thoughtfully curated with high-quality products from local producers in Byron Bay and surrounding areas. They come in various sizes and price ranges to suit your budget and preferences.
You’ll also be making a positive impact on the environment when you purchase a Byron Bay Hamper, as they have partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to plant one tree for every gift purchased!
No matter who you’re buying for this Christmas, a hamper is a wonderful option!
Games.
Games are the perfect Christmas gift option for retirees, as they’re not only a lot of fun to play, but they’re wonderful mental stimulation and great for brain health! They’re also typically inexpensive and make a great secret Santa present or stocking stuffer for really any age group.
If you’re planning to spend the holiday season together as a family, why not gift your loved one a group game that can be played on Christmas Day.
Some fun board game options include:
- Trivial Pursuit
- Articulate
- Boggle
- Scattegories
- Bananagrams
- Do you really know your family?
- Charades
- Jigsaw puzzle
You could also gift your loved one a backyard game to play together on Christmas Day or when you catch up throughout the summer. Some fun options include:
- Bocce
- Finska
- Cornhole
- Lawn darts
- Giant checkers
Games are the perfect gift to bring the whole family together for light-hearted competition and fun this holiday season!
Travel journal.
If your loved one is a keen traveller and planning to make the most of their newfound freedom by going on new adventures and exploring new places, consider gifting them a travel journal for Christmas.
Travel journals are great for documenting trips and preserving the amazing memories made on them, whether it’s thoughts, feelings, fascinating conversations with other travellers, experiences, ideas, or the taste and scent of an unforgettable dish! They can include photos, menus, ticket stubs, boarding passes, and other sentimental items they collect throughout the trip.
Using a travel journal is a great way to keep your mind sharp, making it the perfect gift for retirees, as it stimulates your memory, brings out your inner creativity, and improves your writing skills. They allow you to relive the memories you’ve made whenever you feel like it and are such a special thing to pass down to loved ones!
If you have someone in your life who’s planning to visit new places and create new memories in their retirement, a travel journal is the perfect Christmas gift!
You can find affordable travel journals from an Australian, family run business here: https://writetome.com.au/collections/travel
Photo book.
Although they take some time and effort to make, a photo book is a sentimental Christmas gift that your loved one will undoubtedly love and appreciate.
Particularly if your loved one is about to downsize or make the move to a retirement village, a photo book for their coffee table is a special gift that will help them with the transition, and make their new place instantly feel more like a home.
You can personalise the book entirely and include all their favourite memories, making it a great gift for someone who prefers something sentimental instead of material. They’re also ideal for the person who has everything!
You can learn more about the process and create your own photo book here:
https://www.photobookaustralia.com.au/
A personalised candle.
Sent is an Australian company founded by two women who create personalised, eco-conscious soy candles. They’re proudly home to Australia’s only personalised scent service.
Sent allows you to create your unique, custom blended scent to preserve your most cherished memories, making it the perfect, sentimental Christmas gift for a loved one.
Step 1 is choosing the person you’re gifting the candle to, followed by step 2 which is the place and what makes it so special, and step 3 is the memory you want to capture.
From here, a one-of-a-kind candle is curated for you, with a unique scent that encapsulates your cherished memory and outlines a personalised description of it on the label.
Perhaps you create a candle for your grandmother that smells of rain water, Australian florals, gardenia, and daisy, to remind her of the special moments you spent gardening together. Whatever the memory may be, your loved one will undoubtedly be touched by such a personalised, sentimental Christmas gift that commemorates such an important time shared between you.
When you purchase a candle from Sent, you’ll also be doing your part to help the environment. Every candle is recyclable, reusable, natural, sustainable, and biodegradable, and there’s a tree planted for every order!
You can create your personalised candle here:https://sentstudio.co/collections/custom-candles
Selecting the perfect gift to show our loved ones how much we care each year can be difficult, but when it comes to the older people in our lives, it’s about finding something that simply makes them smile and highlights the amazing memories that bring them joy.
This holiday season, the real gift is the privilege of spending Christmas with our loved ones and having so much to be grateful for.
Visit an Oak Tree Retirement Village this holiday season with those closest to you and discover the Oak Tree difference. We look forward to welcoming you on a tour.
Call 1300 367 155 today to learn more.
