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Story by
Vanessa
Published on December 16, 2008 in Spotlight |
Photo by |
Grandmothers know how to welcome kids into their homes for the holidays. My grandmother always filled the cookie jar! She had a child-size rocking chair for me (the older sister) and my doll, while Nana rocked the my new baby sister in hers. I have many fond memories of staying with her and my grandfather in New Hampshire.
Many of our grandmothers were the ones to teach us how to make things — and so these ladies appreciate a well-crafted item as a holiday gift. My great-grandmother, Josephine, made rugs and other needlecraft. My great-grandmother secretly saved the money she earned from selling these items on the sly and stashed the money away for my grandmother's college fund. Her husband (my great-grandfather) didn't want my nana Virginia to go to school, but Josephine had other ideas.
Post in the comments below to let us know what types of gifts your grandma would like. Perhaps the members of the WWWG Team (Wild, Wise, Witty Grandmamas) can add their expertise! If you're a grandmother yourself, let us know what other kinds of grandmas are out there! This list represents mine.
To see gifts for Grandpa, check out this post!
See more Grandmother-related Posts | More Holiday Shopping Posts | Mom Gift Guide
| Tags | Gift Ideas, Gifts for Her, grandchildren, grandma, grandmothers, grandparents, holidays, shopping, WWWG Team |
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95 comments Login to add your own!
Spazzy
KellySchwark
Great gift ideas for my daughter to give to her FOUR grandmothers! Thanks!
ElenaMary
Fabulous..hopefully many members of my WWWG team will add to the suggestions here!
4TheSparrowsNest
My Grama loves practical things...I know many Grandmas may be sentimental...but mine loves things that serve a clever purpose...and are cute to look at too.
ladyncats
As a grannie, I like knitted or crocheted throws or anything else to keep me warm. I also like cute little items for the kitchen.
IcingOnTheCupcake
Great ideas... shopping for my Grandma is so hard, she has everything plus more!
oldworldprimitives
glamasaurus
gardenjewels
As a Grandmama myself ~ I love playing with my Grandchildren in my gardens. I fill it with whimsical surprises around every corner!
MyissaG
apresti
i can just picture grandma in the rocking chair having some tea wrapped in the quilt!!!
whimsicalpokadot
I'm a Grandmother to a beautiful Granddaughter, Alessia.
I like just about everything, especially quilts.....
voleurdebijoux
NicoAndMooMoo
That Grandma reminds me of my sweet grandma Dina. A kiss to her and to all the grandmothers watching over their grandchildren - a hug
CrowBiz
Some really cool things for Grandma!
Think of these as a "hip" replacement!
(sorry, I couldn't resist)
CarryTheWord
This grandma would love to receive any of these lovely things!
knittingguru
So thanks a lot Vanessa for including my Lipstick Red Merino Lace Cowl in this list. But for grannies? I actually pictured it for MUCH younger wearers. AND, I'm certainly not a member of any Etsy Granny Team myself!
Thanks anyway. You DO NOT have to be a granny to want to wear my sexy cowl!!!
Laura4ca
Being a grandma myself..............I like things that are from the old school but with a new twist. Such as tatting, knitting and crochet with the new styles....Like the cute little neck scarf by knittingguru. that's feature here.....Check out our Grandmas team here on Etsy....WWWG
designsbymariejulie
We have some pretty young grannies that may like some items for their new babies. Maybe they would like a timeless piece of jewelry that can become an heirloom.
Check out the WWWG team. Very talented artists.
ErikaPrice
I'm a young grandma, and a WWWG, and I love all sorts of young and trendy things!
timesandchimes
HomemadeZen
katieblairdesigns
Thanks for including my notecards! My grandma loves them. ;)
vivikas
Great ideas, I am buying some of my grandma's gifts here at etsy and I am always happy with the items I found!
morgansilk
I know very few grandmothers who fit that profile-- We are much hipper than our mothers were, that's for sure. The beautiful red neckpiece by KnittingGuru is ageless.
ThePeachTree
Have you met my grandmother?? I swear, you and her must have done some serious shopping together :)
weirdwolf
kylieB
glyntpottery
Here's an idea! My grandkids are always bringing flowers that they pick... A small vase for those flowers would be great!
JuneMoonBeads
snappypendants
KarmaRox
Ummmmmmm....wow....not all "grandmas" are gray-haired, shawl-wearing old women with gray hair. Jest sayin'.
sillylittlelady
Oh gosh I LOVE that cupcake cookie jar! Not even for my grandma, just for me hehe
NanasPasstime
Hi, Grandmother's and mom's love to collect my bottle Santas. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
SallyRags
I am proud to say that I am a Grandma. There are no words for how fabulous it is...
artofthefirebird
Oh grief, here we go again with the stereotyping of the elderly a la Etsy.
pickleberries
The grandmas attached to this house are getting a garnet bracelet from TangoKDesigns, envelopes from adnagam, soap & lip balm from dennisanderson, a traveling tea pouch from mvansciver, and a monkey cup cozy from MonkeyTravelClub.
DiBeauDesigns
Yes, grandmothers are not all gray haired, and dressed in lace and lavender.
I appreciate most things modern, and high tech.
I like the idea of the garnet bracelet pickleberries. I love anything red.
ElenaMary
We have years of ROCK...not rocking chair... left in us..would you attribute this to a grandmama?
wildernessties
You have come up with some neat ideas. I'd like to add one more. There are many of us Grandmas who like something practical, so here are some holders with Grandmas Gingerbread recipe on them.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
ennadoolf
I do love many of the choices above - esp the birdhouse.
But...this is something I'd like to find under the tree! and yes, I'm a grandma!
sewinggranny
I think Grandma would love this under her tree:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
ModFarmgirl
somethingupmysleeve
Some grandmas have sons and grandsons serving in the military. They might like to have a dove to send to their soldier who won't be home for Christmas. Place one of the tree to honor your loved one.
littleredbear
KellesKitchen
Grandma - I want the vintage purse and scarflette for myself!!!
fragments
I'm not quite sure what my Grandmother would have said to a nipple teapot...maybe Grandma's have changed these days? :)
sharpbeads
hi,
i made this set for my mom, who is a great grandma but still like pretty things
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?....
and as a granny myself, sexy is in.
knittingguru
Vanessa,
If sexy red cowls are ageless and not, in your opinion, just for grannies, why is my cowl in this list? More importantly, why is there a list for grannies? This is ageism in the extreme and I, for one, resent it. You can no more say what a granny wants than what a person of a particular race or religion wants. Please, let's get over this kind of article! Plus, it's not in Etsy's interest since the demographic with the most to spend is the senior population. We don't want to alienate them by stereotyping them, do we?
archaicdesign
ebbandflo
ok i'm old enough to be a grandmother but currently am fulfilling the "mother to a kindergartner" role so should i be lining up for the rocking chair or the hipster kiddy stuff?
and PS: my son's grandma spends her time stripping down her pc and re-installing the software - would the rocking chair be more appropriate for her?
rozzissweetpeas
Thank you for remembering the Grandmas...we are a unique and talented group. xxxooo rozzi grandma. Have a merry Christmas and Happy NEW YEAR and Happy Holidays EVERYONE.
posssum
I don't know why so many people are getting their panties in a wad. I'm 29 and LOVE some of this stuff. I don't see this as ageist at all. It seems like some people have their own issues with age.
sungazer
It's not the stuff. It's the depiction of older women - who are a diverse lot, just as younger women are - as stereotypical "grannies" who bake cookies, wear shawls, and sit in rockers knitting.
My grandmother was an artist, who lived a long, rich and interesting life, and she would have been insulted and appalled to have been reduced down to nothing more than a stereotypical "granny" as if taking care of grandchildren was the only thing worthwhile about her and her experiences.
Just because people are old doesn't mean that they are all the same or like all the same sorts of things.
If this article had simply shown an assortment of interesting items that you might want to get for this person you love and find important in your life, instead of trying to envision what a stereotypical "granny" might like, it'd be a lot less offensive.
mydesertstudio
This article is beyond offensive. Do you even know any people in this age group? Use stereotyping much?
For a site that claims to do demographic studies, you sure don't know much about the 45-65 year old age group. We're the baby boomer's remember? Many of us were the hippies in the 60's and we listen to rock music. I know this may be hard to believe, but we might even be hipper than you are.
I don't spend my day in a rocking chair, sipping tea.
Here's a suggestion: Perhaps you need to get out more. Or hire a couple of staff who are over 30.
CrystalynKae
I agree! What about a beautiful, useful and unique bag? Gramma's are stylin' too! My 80 year old grandmother asked me for one for Christmas!
foxaz
My goodness! I'm a Grandma and this piece of BS article sucks 'nads!! You should have done some research about this- and used your spell check / proofreader- the first two sentences make no sense. If you were hired to write English, I think you need a refresher course.
This is just totally insensitive and offensive, proving once again: Etsy=FAIL.
Sinta
circleinthesand
Well, I am a Grandma (11 at the last head count), and I didn't find this article offensive at all. I think it's a well known fact that the Grandmas of today are totally different than the Grandmas of yesteryears. I appreciate the mention of the Wild, Wise and Witty Grandmamas Street Team. We're an awesome bunch of modern day Grannies who consider ourselves to be "hip", but also, don't mind baking cookies and rocking a grandchild in the good ole rocking chair!! Thanks Vanessa for highlighting us Grannies!! Happy Holidays everybody!!
Come take a peek at the WWWG team.
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.ph...
fourtailslampwork
What are you selling, items or manufactured nostalgia? Sigh. May I suggest some education in both the English language and in the concepts of "stereotype" and "ageism"? Failing that, kick out the Storque writers entirely and hire someone with common sense who can actually write.
morriganTOO
You didn't learn from last summer did you?
THIS: http://sebafernandez.files.wordpress....
...could be an example of someone's grandmother.
I don't imagine if she was alive today that she would be much interested in any of those suggestions. Please STOP with the stereotypes already!
DeliciousCrochet
Thank you so much for using my amigurumi's photo to illustrate such a wonderful post :)
My granny is 91 years old and loves to crochet capelets, gloves and slipers for all of us, but never keep any of them for her. So I'm planing to give her a crocheted capelet and slipers as a Christmas present.
Happy holidays to all and I wish you a Very Happy New Year :)
kateblack
It's a gift guide. Etsy is a commerce site.
People come here to shop and many want/need suggestions for their grandmothers (and grandfathers and mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers, etc). I think there's a good variety of items mentioned to cover a variety of types of older women. But if anyone's ticked off that their item has been slandered by association with "ageist" stereotypes, Etsy admin should feel free to substitute their work with mine!
I've got plenty of things in my shop for hip older folks, especially if they love to write or draw.
Vanessa
This post was just meant to remind shoppers to get something for their grandparents. We're doing a whole series of shopping posts for all sorts of people. There's a mix of items because yes, not all grandmas are like mine - with white hair and rocking chair. Some are hip and wear sexy red cowls and like sassy humorous teapots. The mix of items is intended to show a range. I didn't mean to stereotype anyone: it's just pointing out that a lot of buyers have grandparents on their lists. The post was meant to be an invitation for all sorts of grandmothers to say what they'd like to get. That's why I encouraged people to post in the comments with their ideas for gifts.
auniquepiece
Etsy has much to offer the child and grandchild in finding just the right match of a gift for grandma's interests. It is fun to hear Grandma's comment when she opens the grandchild's gift. Beside giving something personal and around the house don't forget something to use in the car.
morgansilk
I have to say I was instantly offended by way this article was written, not by the items. It's important not to stereotype huge segments of the population; it's worth taking more care not to do that.
greytlife
Please be mindful of the fact that "grannies" and "grandpas" of this era are the infamous Baby Boomers....a far cry from the white-bunned women of generations past. We are active, vibrant people who are more likely to be white-water rafting than rocking on the porch.
BluCille
Oh the chocolate owl is so cute! I also like the Victorian love note cards.
FREE SHIPPING in my shop with purchase of any two or more items until December 21st. Expedited available1
christinececelia
PearsonMaron
Love that birdhouse so much! Grandma would have loved it too!
sleepingcatbeads
Both of my grandmothers (yes, one is my Granny!) are older and can't get around well. They like practical things. One year I got my granny a webbed keychain (the kind that goes around your wrist) in a bright colour. It's large, and doesn't get lost in the basket of her walker. She can also see it from across the room. I made my other grandmom a necklace with a magnetic closure so she can put it on herself (I have magnetic closures if anyone would like me to change out any of my other closures for the magnetic ones).
Other than that, my grandmothers like pics of their great-grandkids. Some picture frames up there would have been a great idea, or scrapbooks, brag books, etc.
I think many older grandparents (80 and up) like practical things, especially since they are moving into assisted living homes and don't have much space for more "stuff".
RegalBeads
I have to say, while I love my grandmothers very much (both real and adopted) this article is insulting.
Not everyone who is "older" sits around baking and knitting.
Many travel the world, invest their time in charities or in doing things like running marathons, putting young people to shame. To name just a few...stereotyping is always ugly.
EJPcreations
dangerousmezzo
Vanessa, it's the ARTICLE that's insulting, not the items. I know you don't get this (because you didn't understand why your thread asking for old people in the Midwest who quilted was ageist), but you might want to try to figure it out, especially before you do something like this again. It's condescending and it does seem to be Etsy's attitude overall.
I now notice that you've edited the article rather significantly from the one you originally posted. You've made it about YOUR grandma, rather than a stereotype of grandmas. That's better. But do you understand why it's better?
TopShelfTotes
Vanessa: Wow... if my Mom read this, she'd be pretty offended. She is a traveling, well educated, well cultured, etc. etc. woman. As dangerousmezzo wrote, it is NOT the items, but the article. How nice that the article now represent your Grandmother. Lovely.
Some women who are much better role models for the 'Grandmother' you were trying to talk about:
- Madeline Albright
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Barbara Bush
- Carla Fiorina (ok, not a GM yet, but has two stepdaughters, and she could easily be one today, falls in the age bracket)
- So many others, but why continue...
Read the Huffington Post lately:
"No previous generation of grandmothers has contained such a high percentage of women who either worked while raising their kids or returned to work when they had grown up. As a result, many of today's grandmothers are women at the very top of their careers, more likely to be locked in a boardroom or speaking at an international conference than gardening or watching TV."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02...
This article (and the Grandfather one, too) really rubbed me the wrong way... it is sad to me that you don't even see beyond yourself and undertand that these stereotypes are why many people are passed over for a job, promotion, or other experience.
limamike
That Cherry Red Velvet tree skirt is incredible -- as are all the pieces pictured. But I never would have thought "Grandmother" when I saw them -- Grandmothers are all so different!
kibbles
paisleykitty
I suppose it is time for me to turn in my snowmobile for a rocker and my gun and hunting license for knitting needles ans yarn now since our first grandchild is due any day now. Nope, I think I will keep doing what makes me happy and encourage this new life to do the same.
My 80 year old mother is a great grandmother and she would be offended by the stereotype.
Seriously, the world does revolve around the 20 something admin circle. And as business people you should be more enlightened about your audience before posting such drivel.
picklevalentine
I don't even know what to say. The ageism in our society is so prevalent that it has become invisible to all but those of us who are often its victims. Vanessa, I am deeply offended by stereotypes in this article...and I got to see your article before you edited it. You were writing about grandmothers in general, not your grandmother.
I am 62. I don't know any cute little old ladies who wear dusters. I don't know any women from lets say 40 to 79 who has a curly white perms that gets done once a week.
What else can I say about us? Most of us have worked our entire lives. In fact, many of us had mothers who worked. We are well educated and creative. We are involved in the world, we are political, we care about the environment, we care about human rights. Most of us are ribald, opinionated, and well read. We've had lots of adventures and have made lots of decisions, some good and some bad.
Most of us have raised families and were pioneers in one endeavor after another. We grew up in an unequal society and faced hardships because of racism and sexism that you know nothing about.
Some of us face health issues now, which may be a pain. A lot of us are feeling a real financial pinch. But most of us take an interest in everything and even, although you may find this impossible to believe, cultivate friendships with younger people.
Ask any woman my age how old she feels inside, and you will probably hear,"I feel no different inside than when I was a young woman."
My suggestion would be to get to really know lots of older women on an intimate friendship basis before you write about us again.
FerragamoStudio
This article is ageism and it's embarrasing and shows the lack of forethought by Storque writers. Yes, the article has been amended, but it's still just plain wrong.
How about an article on Gifts for Black People or Gifts for the Obese? Do you see where I'm coming from? If not, just stop writing.
knittingguru
I'm very impressed by what you wrote PickleValentine. It could be the beginning of a great book. I hope that everyone on Etsy reads it with the care and thought you put into writing it.
I'm also happy to say that I just sold my Lipstick Red Lace Cowl to someone buying it for her sister. I have no way to know their ages and that's just as it should be! If you'd like a similar cowl made for you, please contact me. I can make one in any color desired and ... it will certainly please anyone from the teen years to the nineties and beyond!
FireChickTick
Huh. As I write this, my kids' granny is rocking her SPORTS CAR, not a rocking chair.
Stereotype much?
mishkat
picklevalentine - wonderful post. YOU should write a Storque article - I would love to read it.
FunkyQuail
My Grandmother was an artist whose work hung in the Virginia Museum, and continues to be shown the Virgina State Assembly building. She painted until she was well into her 90s.
Some of the greatest gifts I gave her were rides to the art supply store and gift certificates for paint and canvas.
Everyone grandmother is different and if you want to talk about gifts for women of a certain age, then please go out and do a thorough job with it, and not just one person's view.
To your credit, the items here are a little better than in the Grandpa article. But where is the fine art? And fine jewelry?
jodieflowers
Does grandma like to sew and make cute clothes for her grandchildren? Stop on by! ♥ Great article and great finds!
cthulhumas
All I'm saying is, the day I buy my grandma a teapot covered in nipple casts is the day the apocalypse happens.
99Lollipop
My vote is in, Timeless Totes absolutly rocks!!!!! I admit I have no defense against a good vintage purse!!!
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These are great gift ideas!