Valentine’s Day is coming up tomorrow. This is a ritual holiday that aging families can really celebrate. Here are
some gift ideas you do can make or do at the last minute to Mom feel extra special on a day about love. These ceremonial holidays and gifts mean so much more when parents are older.
Bringing the grandchildren into the celebration is a lovely gift in itself.
Handmade cards from grandkids are a top drawer present. Just bring them over with flowers or candy. If Mom lived long distance you can have the young artists email copies their colorful greetings or think of giving Mom My Celery as a gift for future holidays and sending mom greeting. This is an easy 2-way computer free e-mail where the grandchildren can email grandma a greeting for Valentine day- or any day they want. It just comes out of a fax in Grandma’s home and works with any fax she may already have. You and the kids can then send her pictures, reminder, and notes throughout the year. You might pay extra shipping or have a friend, neighbor or relative pick up and deliver for you
Another wonderful product is Presto, a printing mailbox that prints e-mails and attachments. You can scan your 4-year-olds terrific cards (kids art is the greatest) and e-mail Grandma as an attachment. With Presto, the card comes out of her fax you either buy as a gift for mother’s day or skip the fax if she has one already. You could have a friend, other relative or Mom’s neighbor pick it up where she lives and deliver it as a surprise
You could all make a big sign to have that same friend or neighbor – or relative tack somewhere in Mom’s home saying “Happy Valentines Day.” A homemade gift is really a bonus for grandma or Mom. Handcrafted gifts are penny wise but mean more than storebought because they came from you or the kids. Grandmothers radiate in handcrafted gifts
If your kids or you are arty make a mobile for Mom /grandmom. Attach cutouts of items she loves most -like her cat, photos of the grandkids or her favorite food. (mine would be chocolate covered cherries. Then you can use Skype or your i phone to show it to her then mail it
When they were little, my daughter made simple prints of my grandchildren’s hands and framed them with an inexpensive frame- a great gift for me. You probably can hold off on these thoughts until mothers day
If you have a Geriatric Care Manager, you can have her take care of all this for you as she or he is in the same town. They have a big heart as well.