These fall days must be a marketing nightmare. Grocery store sale bins are full of orange and black-foil-wrapped Halloween candy, even some marshmallow ghosts; these colors mix nicely with the leftover “Harvest” selection which was in brown and orange wrappings and the day after Thanksgiving, the marshmallow turkey “peeps” will be tossed in the mix.
Waiting in the wings of the store aisles are hundreds of packages of red and green dressed canes, santas, elves and all of the menagerie which surrounds the holiday we used to routinely call Christmas, but nowadays, being P.C., we hesitate and choose instead a non-denominational name.
Whatever you call it, December 25 is nearly on our doorstep and with it, the perennial decision about what to get the person who has everything – Aunt Tilly, Grandpa Joe or the elderly neighbor.
Most senior citizens like Tilly, Joe or that nice woman next door would not fit into the category of people who have everything. They might own a house, not have to go out to work each day, but chances are, there are things they might not even think of to get. Here’s where it’s really helpful to have an idea list.
Many older folks wouldn’t buy a whole roll of stamps at one time. So you could put that at the top of your list. A book or several booklets of stamps is another idea. And one, which will fit nicely into a card. Be sure to get stamps, which are easily disconnected from each other. It’s a pain (literally) sometimes to fold and separate them.
While you’re at it, pads of lined paper are usually welcome. Pick out something attractive – there are so many varieties. Pre-stamped envelopes, or a box of self-stick envelopes are a good idea. Rolls of address labels are also great as gifts.
A newspaper subscription to a local newspaper is not expensive and is a gift each week! Check the pages for special subscription rates at this time of year.
Gift certificates to grocery stores, drug stores and hardware stores – all depending on the person – are always welcome. While a big poinsettia or Christmas cactus is pretty, a nice pot roast is beautiful!
By the time people get to a certain age, they generally have enough clothing. In my family, we used to give my grandfather shirts, pajamas and socks nearly every year. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to us that at 85 he wasn’t going to be wearing anything out – and sure enough, when his bureau was cleaned out after his death, there they were in still-sealed cellophane wrappers – some with ribbons and Christmas paper still folded neatly around them.
The scene was repeated after my dad passed away. It took awhile, but now I never buy clothing for older people.
In addition to stamps and envelopes, gift certificates and newspaper subscriptions, if a person uses a microwave, there are many varieties of microwaveable meals and snacks on the store shelves. Keep in mind special dietary restrictions.
Easy-to-pull-on slippers with rubber soles are a good idea – these do wear out sometimes. How about getting a decorative stocking and filling it with some of these gift ideas?
Don’t wait until Christmas to give. If your aunt or grandpa or neighbor lives in the country, make sure they have a bucket of salted sand near their doorstep. Give them one of those “draft snakes” to put by their door to stop cold drafts. Check their outside light and make sure it’s working. If your elderly friend or relative doesn’t have to travel outside, prepay their cable TV cost or give them an entertaining DVD or video.
And of course if there is a pet in these folks’ lives, then check out the pet food aisles. I’ll bet there will be some specially wrapped, red and silver and green cans of food, bells, toys and other paraphernalia which would be welcome. We’d rather see them under your friend’s Christmas tree than in the bin with the marshmallow reindeer “peeps!”
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