So this question is really for my parents... Does anyone have any gift ideas/suggestions for grandparents with 17 grandchildren? They usually buy an outfit, a savings bond and a toy per child, but obviously with that many kids, it gets to be very expensive. They also give either money or a gift card to each set of parents. All the parents then do a grab bag for all the kids where we pick 1 child per number of children we have and spend about $15 for that child. That also tends to become expensive, especially when you have 4 kids. So, we are brainstorming on ideas for Christmas. I would really appreciate ideas or for anyone to share their Christmas memories...Thanks so much. Incase it matters, the ages of the grandchildren are 19 months thru 20 years old. Once they hit 18, they are considered an adult, they get the money or giftcard.
My grandmother gives each of us an ornament that she either made or picked out, and $5. Once we got married she stopped giving us the $5, and instead gave us one of the ornaments from HER OWN tree (since she had to downsize when she moved into assisted living.) She is in her late 80s and still loves to choose the gifts each year for her grandkids.
My mom has 35 grandkids and many great-grands. Everyone gets TEN dollars only. And they can spend it as they like. That is the best part. I am concerned that my mom saves her money for this, but it is a sacrifice she loves. "Noni" is a name that lights up all the kids faces. They see her as the one that understands they need their own money. It is not about the amount, but about the love given. And for us? I just want a memory each year. I ask my mom to send me a memory of something that happened to me; sometimes I ask for clarification of a memory or sometimes I will ask for something that happened when I was 6, or 2, or 10, etc. I store them in a scrapbook. At her age of 84 I know that there will not be many more, so they are becoming more precious by the day. Good luck and God bless.
Our "Nonie" did the same as below.. Each year she found an ornament that could hold cash in it.. They she would give each grandchild the same dollar amount..
She is no longer with us.. but we still have our Nonie ornaments for our trees..
Every Christmas growing up our grandparents would give each child a small gift, the adults drew names at Thanksgiving for adult gifts, and every family gave my grandparents a gift. Basically my grandparents gave inexpensive gifts to kids only (plus hosting Christmas dinner).
Once I became an adult I didn't feel left out not getting a gift from my grandparents even though we remained very close; I could choose to opt in or out of the adult drawing.
In my dad's family we have simplified. my dad has 5 siblings I have 33 cousins and we have 24 grandkids. Plus we are spread out over the US. MY Dad's dad sends a card and check to all the kids and grandkids who have their own household. Kids and grandkids supported by their parents are included in their parents' cards. Anyone who wants (at least their own kids) get somthing for grandma. As for the rest of us we jsut enjoy getting together. We go to grandpas on Christmas eve. We used to do a fancy dinner but now grandpa orders 30 or so dominos pizzas and buys a bunch of 2 liters. Everyone else brings sides and dessert. It is SOOO Stress free and wonderful!
my grandparents have 6 kids (all but one married) 14 grandkids, one great grandchild and one on the way, and I estimated that they spend about about $1600 a yr in christmas gifts! (plus they host christmas eve) they give each person $50 and something extra for the grandkids (and my son as the only great grandchild gets extras and extras lol) but the extras are usually inexpensive but mean alot. a couple yrs ago my grandmother embrodiered a picture and had it framed for all her grandaughters (my cousins was really cool she had just bought a hosue and grandma embroidered a pic of the house!) anyway mine is hanging on my bedroom wall and I think of her when I see it...I don't know what they are planning on doing next yr
o boy that is hard. how about your family starts a tradition where you adopt a family in need and go about gifting that way saving presents for just the immediate parents to the immediate children. In our family we just do presents for the children no adult gifts.
We have a large family. My mother has 13 grandchildren. We get age appropriate games for the kids. There are some really great games out there for various prices. We personally love Pictonary, Scrabble, Monopoly, Say Anything, Uno, and so many more. For the smaller children there are games like Candy Land, Shoots and Ladders. We also love Twister but with the older crowd we get alot of "I've fallen and I can't get up" or "somebody please get Uncle X off my leg". Great laughs, fun times and affordable gift giving all wrapped up in one.
Our family does a White Elephant usually adults only but some of the kids join in too; depending on the age! We set an limit on the gifts. One person picks a gift and opens it. The second person has a chance to pick another gift or steal the gift from person number 1. Rule one gift can only be stolen twice so if number 3 person likes the gift...he can steal it from person number 2 and then noone can steal that particular gift. It's pretty fun. Or...a free gift for an oil change or a utility bill gift certificate is popular for my grandparents...they love the free oil change.
What about changing things up and giving a gift to the individual families rather than each person? Games, movies, etc. My sister gives my family a board game each year, she can't afford to get something for each person. We love the idea and look forward to what she chooses.
draw names at Thanksgiving! It's fun......
I'm not sure whether the grandkids all live in the same area or not, but an idea might be to give the family zoo or museum memberships and go together at least once. Perhaps they could still give a small gift to the kids.
Or, we started including my grandparents in the exchange with the adults so they weren't buying for so many people.
We've also done where the grandparents give a gift card to Build A Bear for one age group and the parents chip in any add'l cost for the outing, and the group goes, an older group could go to a Lego store or where there are activities and for others a basketball or hockey game.
My great grandmother gives me $$ for my kids and then we buy the gifts for her to give them (the kids do not know this) and at the gathering she attends we bring them for the kids to open....just in case the effort is a challenge for your parents too.
AE
Wow...your parents spend a LOT of money on Christmas!!! Are they feeling like they are being stretched too thin and wanting to come up with a way to cut back a bit? I think they should consider a dollar limit for each child and then get the gift that makes the most sense for the child. If it is a child who needs clothing...then get school clothes for them...if they don't need clothes but would like books to read or toys to play with...do something that interests them...keeping the money limits in mind as they shop. For the older children...(12 and up maybe??) how about a gift certificate to a store that would have something they would be interested in...or to a fast food place or ice cream shop?
For the rest of the family...we have started doing "family gifts"...instead of putting individual names into the pot...put family names and then your family buys one gift for another family within the group. We usually go for things like board games that everyone can play or a gift certificate to somewhere like Pizza Hut or Chuckie Cheese...someplace that the whole family can enjoy going. Of course you would tailor it to the ages of the family and their interests. Or if that is too problematic...coming up with something for the entire family...what about all of YOUR children buy one gift to be used by all of the other children in another family unit?
Christmas shouldnt be a financial burden to anyone...it is all about love and family and being together...it is too bad that things can get out of hand so quickly.
Happy Holidays to you!!!
