Christmas gifts for grandma get harder every year. She has the scarf, the slippers and the mug that says World's Best Grandma. She also has a habit of saying "oh, you shouldn't have" and meaning it. So this year, try something different. Skip the ten small gifts from ten different people, and give her one gift from the whole gang.
Below are six ideas built for a group, with who each one suits and an honest catch. We make one of them, a memory game made from family photos. After the list comes the useful part: how to actually run a group gift without forty texts.
Why the gang should chip in together
A pile of small gifts tends to blur together. A single gift from everyone has weight. It says the family thought about her as a family.
Group gifts also solve a few real problems.
- The budget stretches. Ten people chipping in a little buys something one person never could.
- The grandkids get a role. Even a four-year-old can draw a picture or pick a photo.
- Nobody doubles up. No more three identical bathrobes under the tree.
- Grandma gets a story. Every piece of the gift came from someone she loves.
6 Christmas gifts for grandma from everyone
1. A cookbook of her own recipes
Each person writes down one dish Grandma made for them, plus one line about when they ate it. The lasagna from every birthday. The cookies that never lasted the night. Print it, bind it, done.
Good for: grandmas whose kitchen is the center of every visit.
The catch: someone has to chase the stragglers and type it all up.
2. A video message reel
Every grandkid records a short clip. A hello, a favorite memory, a terrible joke. Stitch them into one video she can play again and again.
Good for: grandmas who live far from most of the family.
The catch: teenagers hate being filmed. Give them one easy line to say and let them off the hook.
3. A memory game made from family photos
Ask each branch of the family for a photo or two. Grandkids, great-grandkids, the wedding, the dog. Matchy Matchy Memory turns them into a matching card game, from $19.99. Choose 24 cards for a medium family, or 48 cards for the big loud ones.
Good for: grandmas who love having the grandkids at the table.
The catch: it's a game, so it shines when someone sits down to play with her. If the family lives far away, plan a round together on the next visit.
4. A family photo wall
One big frame with a spot for every household, or a set of matching small frames for a hallway.
Good for: a grandma with a long empty hallway and opinions about it.
The catch: whoever gets the smallest frame will mention it. Every year.
5. A day out, planned by the gang
Lunch at her favorite spot, a show, a garden visit, plus a ride there and back. The gift is the plan and the company.
Good for: grandmas who already own enough things.
The catch: getting a crowd onto one calendar is hard. Pick a date after the holidays, when things calm down.
6. A year of letters
Each person signs up for a few weeks of the year and sends her a real letter on their turn. She gets mail all year long.
Good for: grandmas who still check the mailbox with real hope.
The catch: somebody will forget their turn. Set phone reminders for everyone.
Running a group gift without forty texts
Group gifts fall apart in the group chat. A little structure keeps it moving.
- Pick one organizer. One person collects money, photos and decisions. Everyone else just answers.
- Set a cutoff. Pick a clear deadline for photos and money, a few weeks before Christmas, and stick to it.
- Ask for one thing at a time. First the money. Then the photos. Mixing them is how messages get lost.
- Keep the amount easy. Suggest a range, and let people give what works for them.
- Keep the secret. Leave Grandma out of the group chat. Yes, double check.
Getting a photo from every branch of the family
For a photo gift, ask each household for two or three pictures. Give them a short brief so you get usable shots.
- Faces up close. One or two people per photo reads best on a card.
- Daylight wins. Bright photos print better than dim kitchen shots.
- Old ones count. A photo of Grandma at her own wedding gets the biggest gasp.
- Include the pets. She asks about the dog anyway.
Everything uploads from a phone, and you see your first card before you pay. So the organizer can check that every grandkid made it in.
The unwrapping, done right
Give the gift when the most people are in the room. Let the youngest grandkid hand it over. Then stay for the reaction.
With a photo game, deal the first round right there. Grandma flips a card and finds her grandson at age three. She flips another and finds him at sixteen. Somebody starts a story, and the game slows to a happy crawl. Plan on that first round taking an hour.
If the gang wants a twist, Matchy Matchy Magic re-draws the photos in 3D Film, Watercolor or Anime, from $29.99. Grandma as an Anime hero tends to go over well.
Make one for Grandma
Collect a photo or two from everyone. Choose real photos or re-drawn ones. Choose 12, 24 or 48 cards. Check your first card before you pay. Shipping is $5, and free when you order 2 or more decks. US only, ships in 3 to 5 business days. Order early for Christmas.
Start with Matchy Matchy Memory for real family photos, or Matchy Matchy Magic to see the whole gang re-drawn. Questions? Write to us at hello@matchygame.com.