The best gifts for new grandparents celebrate the title as much as the baby. Someone you love just became Nana, Pop, Bubbe or Grandpa Joe overnight. They have a new name, a new lock screen photo and a lot of feelings. A good gift says "we see you in this new role." Here are seven ideas, including the one we make, with an honest note on each.
What makes good gifts for new grandparents
New grandparents are in a funny spot. Everyone brings presents for the baby. Very few people bring anything for the people who just got promoted. That gap is your opening.
A few things to keep in mind as you choose.
- Make it about the title. The gift should mark the day they became grandparents, the way a ring marks a wedding.
- Use the baby's face. They will want to show it off. Give them something to show.
- Think a year or two ahead. A newborn sleeps. A toddler plays. The best gifts grow into that second stage.
- Keep it easy. New parents are tired, and new grandparents are busy helping. Skip anything that comes with homework.
7 ideas that celebrate the new title
1. A framed first photo together
Print the first good photo of grandparent and baby together. Add the baby's name and birth weight on the mat. It goes on the mantel and stays there for years.
Good for: grandparents who already keep a wall of family photos. The catch: the very first photo is often blurry and taken in a hospital hallway. Pick the best one from the first week instead.
2. A brag book for the handbag
A small printed album of the first few weeks. It fits in a bag or a glove box and comes out at the hairdresser, the pharmacy and the bank line.
Good for: the grandparent who already shows strangers photos on their phone. The catch: it fills up fast. Plan a second edition by the first birthday.
3. A memory game made from family photos
This is the one we make. Matchy Matchy Memory turns your real photos into a matching card game, from $19.99. Put the baby in, then add the grandparents as kids, the new parents as babies and the family dog. Those side by side generations get the biggest reaction.
Good for: grandparents who will babysit, visit often or host the family. The catch: it's a game, so it shines when there's someone to play with. A newborn won't flip cards for a few years, so the first rounds will be grown-ups at the kitchen table.
4. A grandparent journal for the baby
A guided journal with prompts like "the day you were born" and "what your mom was like at your age." The grandparent fills it in slowly and hands it over someday.
Good for: the grandparent who still writes letters. The catch: it takes steady effort. Some people reach page three and stall.
5. A recordable storybook
A picture book with a built-in recorder, so Grandma's voice reads the story even when she lives two states away.
Good for: long-distance grandparents. The catch: the baby won't care for months. It's a gift for later that the grandparent gets to make now.
6. A sweatshirt with the new name
Whatever the baby will call them, put it on a soft sweatshirt. It's silly. They will wear it constantly.
Good for: grandparents with a sense of humor. The catch: the name sometimes changes once the baby starts talking. Grandma can become Gaga by the second birthday.
7. A standing visit
Write a handwritten card promising a regular visit, a monthly dinner or one night of babysitting so the new parents can sleep. It costs nothing and means a lot.
Good for: grandparents who live close. The catch: it only works if the new parents are on board. Ask them first.
Why a photo game grows with the baby
Most baby photo gifts are for looking at. A memory game is for playing, and it ages well. Right now the cards are a new face to admire. In three years, that baby will sit across the table and beat Grandpa fair and square. Kids tend to stay at the table longer when the cards are people they know.
The deck can tell the family story, too. Put Grandma at six months next to the baby at six months. Add the new dad in his first school photo. Every pair becomes a friendly debate about who the baby looks like.
If the family likes a bit of fun, Matchy Matchy Magic re-draws your photos in 3D Film, Watercolor or Anime, from $29.99. Watercolor suits a soft nursery feel. 3D Film turns Grandpa into a movie character, which he will pretend to hate.
Gathering photos while everyone is exhausted
- Start a shared album now. Ask the new parents, aunts and uncles to drop their favorites in one place.
- Ask for old baby photos. The grandparents' own baby pictures make the best surprise pairs. A sibling can usually dig them up.
- Favor faces. A close-up of the baby reads better on a card than a wide shot of the nursery.
- Pick bright photos. Daylight by a window beats a dim hospital room.
A 24-card deck is a friendly middle size. Six photos of the baby, six of the family around them. You upload from your phone, so you can do it during a night feed.
When to give a new grandparent gift
There is no wrong time. Still, a few moments work especially well.
- The first visit home. Hand it over while the grandparents are still glowing.
- The first holiday together. Christmas, Hanukkah or Thanksgiving with a new baby at the table is a big deal. A gift for the grandparents fits right in.
- Their own birthday. The first birthday as a grandparent deserves a nod.
- The baby's first birthday. By then you have a year of photos, and the deck nearly picks itself.
Make one for the newest grandparents
Pick a handful of photos: the baby, the grandparents and a few family classics. 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.
Start with Matchy Matchy Memory for your real photos, or try Matchy Matchy Magic to see the whole family re-drawn. Questions? Write to us at hello@matchygame.com.