10 things to buy your grandad for Christmas

Buying for your grandad goes the same way most years: you get to the week before, panic, and buy the safe thing he already has three of.

These ten are here because they either get used weekly or they mark something. UK prices, one pick from our own range, and the card sorted at the end.

10 Christmas gifts for your grandad

1. A printed, framed photo of the grandchildren, every year without fail. Update it yearly and it becomes the thing he points at when people visit.
2. Coasters for the chair-side table. Chair-side coasters get used every day without a word said about them.
3. A visit with a date on it, written into the card. Putting the date in the card makes the visit real rather than intended.
4. The drink he's had since 1974, the good version of it. The good version of his usual drink is a small, specific luxury. Shop this card
5. A print about his team, his trade or his music. A print about his team or his trade says you know what he talks about.
6. A large-print puzzle book or a jigsaw with big pieces. Big pieces and large print keep a pastime going rather than quietly ending it.
7. Something warm and practical: gloves, a fleece, thick socks. Warm and practical gets worn; decorative gets shelved.
8. An old photo restored and reprinted. A restored old photo is the present that gets talked about for the rest of the day.
9. A stocking filler that gets used in January, not one that gets binned with the wrapping paper. Small and useful beats small and novelty once the decorations are down.
10. Our pick: the pack of 6 minimalist wooden coasters - used every single day next to the chair, and no instructions required.

How much to spend

• £15 to £40, and a visit in the diary counts for more than the parcel.
• Pooling with siblings or friends on one bigger present beats three separate medium ones.
• A £15 thing used weekly beats a £60 thing kept in a cupboard.
• If money is tight, give time with a date attached instead - it isn't a lesser gift.

What to avoid

• Gadgets he'll need talking through twice.
• Ornaments with nowhere to go.
• Anything that's really a hint.
• Gift sets you'd be embarrassed to receive.

Getting the timing right

• Anything personalised or printed needs ordering by early December.
• Last UK posting dates land around 18 to 20 December - order the week before.
• Buy the card with the gift, or it becomes a 23 December problem.

Don't forget the perfect card

• The gift gets opened in a minute. The card sits on the shelf for weeks and in a drawer for years.
• Write something only you could write about your grandad - one specific thing from this year.
• Sign it properly. A name and a real sentence beats 'love from all of us'.
• Every card we make is designed in house and printed in the UK, and it posts in the same parcel as the gift.

Shop Christmas cards

How to write it so it lands

• Specific beats expensive - the best gift is the one only you would think of.
• Order the card with the gift so they arrive together.
• Write the card before you wrap, while you still have something to say.

Where to shop next

• Our pick: Pack of 6 minimalist wooden drinks coasters
• Shop Christmas cards
• Shop all cards
• Posters and prints
• 10 things to buy your grandad for his birthday
• 10 things to buy your grandad for Father's Day
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy your grandad for Christmas?

Something he uses weekly or something with a date attached - a print for a wall, the good version of an everyday item, or an outing already booked. All three beat a gift set bought in a hurry.

How much should I spend on your grandad?

£15 to £40, and a visit in the diary counts for more than the parcel.

What should I write in the card?

One specific thing from the last year, then how you actually feel about it. That single line is remembered long after the present has been put away.