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Arts & crafts

Kids gifts to Grandparents

(156 Posts)
Grammy666 Fri 22-Apr-22 17:37:55

Does anyone else feel the same as I do about handmade stuff being given to us from our Grandchildren ? At first I was delighted and put up the paintings, plonky wonky pottery plates, and other attempts but after a few years the novelty has worn off and I have to pretend how much I love these things .. Just give me some soap, second hand book, charity shop gift but please I don't want rubbish , am I odd ?

Twopence Tue 26-Apr-22 12:32:22

I would be so happy to receive "wonky" gifts made with love if I had been lucky enough to have children or grandchildren.

Lollipop1 Tue 26-Apr-22 12:31:33

Oh how strange. I love all the home made cards and presents from my grandchildren and I have two adult sons and love it if they draw pictures for me in my birthday cards as they're still my babies. Call me sentimental.

stephenfryer Tue 26-Apr-22 12:29:39

I've never had any children of my own. So when my wife's adult children started having children of their own I never expected anthing for me, only for her.
But then, when they were a few years old, those grandchildren gave her AND ME homemade cards and gifts and even wilting flowers.
And I, a grown man, cried.

Sputnik Tue 26-Apr-22 12:26:49

I love that the grandchildren give me some of their artwork, write their names all wonky etc, but don't feel the need to keep it. I give fulsome praise and gifts in return but I still have no desire to keep the cards. (I don't keep store bought cards from friends/family either). So no, I don't think this is odd and I wouldn't prefer any store bought cards etc from grandkids either.

MissAdventure Tue 26-Apr-22 12:21:39

Not everything children do is,with love and effort though.
2 brown splodges of paint isnt.

HillyN Tue 26-Apr-22 12:21:11

When my DDs were little I saved all their homemade cards, crafts etc. Recent ones were displayed, older ones stored in a box which found its way to the loft.
When they bought their own houses we got their stuff out of the loft for them to take. On discovering the box of 'artwork' they both exclaimed "Why on earth did you keep all that c7@p!" Even now my GS, age 5, tells me to take down his old pictures because he can draw/write better now! So I'm not sure it matters to them whether we keep stuff or not. Doesn't stop me doing it though!

nipsmum Tue 26-Apr-22 12:18:37

I am so happy to receive things that my grandchildren have made with love and care. It's too easy now to just go and spend money buying things. The love and thought that goes into handmade things is always better. Anyone can buy things, grandchildren make things that are unique to them and are made with love and effort.

MissAdventure Tue 26-Apr-22 12:17:28

I'm glad I'm not the only one to be selective.
I was expecting the nspcc to be knocking my door down.

Audi10 Tue 26-Apr-22 12:14:31

I love the handmade cards from my youngest two, the older one boy is almost teenager so he doesn’t make me things anymore or handmade cards, he’s a big boy ? I have big box of their paintings etc , but yes I keep for few years and agree you have to be a bit selective can’t keep every single thing

Kartush Tue 26-Apr-22 12:14:30

I love everything my grandkids and nieces have made me, a gift that they have made me is a gift of total love. How can anyone not enjoy them and rather have soap?

sodapop Tue 26-Apr-22 12:13:26

I agree with MissA I didn't keep all the art work etc that my grandchildren gave me. They are all adults now and I kept a selection of art and gifts they made me. I don't like a lot of 'stuff' either.

MissAdventure Tue 26-Apr-22 12:11:56

grin

Chocolatelovinggran Tue 26-Apr-22 12:11:18

I wonder if my children ( aged between 32 and 44) feel the same about my home made cross stitched cards.."oh lordy, look at the junk mum's sent today"....yes, probably!

MissAdventure Tue 26-Apr-22 12:09:31

I'm sure we all have certain things made long ago.
Not every single thing though.

sazz1 Tue 26-Apr-22 12:07:14

I still have a cardboard candle covered in shiny paper and a small hanging glitter Xmas tree that comes out every Xmas. DC now in their 30s but I've kept them since they were made in infant school

Codyodo Tue 26-Apr-22 12:07:02

No grandchildren yet but still have most of the gifts my 34yr old daughter made me x

MissAdventure Tue 26-Apr-22 12:04:47

I don't want anything mass produced and bought in a,hurry, either.
In short, I'm uninterested in "stuff".

Doglessfornow Tue 26-Apr-22 12:01:27

My granddaughters gave me a bottle of gin, I gave them a huge carving knife for their flat share. Brilliant, but then they are 27 and 22.

pen50 Tue 26-Apr-22 12:01:06

Photos! Take photo of child with gift. Display gift for a few months. Then store or chuck, at least you have a record.

jaylucy Tue 26-Apr-22 12:01:05

Grammy666 - I am astounded about how uncaring that you seem to be about your GC!
If for one moment, you just stopped and looked at their faces as they give the hand made gifts to you, I would hope that you would feel differently!
Children absolutely love crafting things - even more so than when they have someone in mind to give it to! For you. it's useless old tat but for them it has been made with love, is unique as just for you.
By all means put them away in a box out of your sight if you don't like them, but only after the GC have gone home. But I know that I would much rather have something given with thought and love than anything else . Even a bunch of nearly dead flowers clutched in a little hand means way more than something mass produced, bought in a hurry because they no longer care. Wouldn't you ?

NellieJ Tue 26-Apr-22 11:59:40

Love all my cards and hand made gifts but some discretely have to go x

Nannashirlz Tue 26-Apr-22 11:58:44

Oh that’s so sad you feel that way. I get home made cards and gifts and knowing that they have gone to so much effort to make them means more to me than something grabbed off a shop shelf that anyone can get. I’ve little crackers my sons made when 4-6 and now 37-35 one of my sons found them and he laughed and said I can’t believe you still got them after all these years I remember making it. He showed his son what he had made me proudly. Yes one day they will have to get rid of them when I’m no longer here but at least they know that they meant something to me. and probably look at them and remember when they did them for me I keep them in own boxes with their names on. Yes you can’t keep every drawing but I put them up until the next one comes along.

Nightsky2 Tue 26-Apr-22 11:57:15

How sad.

One of the nicest gifts I’ve ever had was given to me by my then 6 year old DGS. It was after my much loved dog had died. He drew a picture of a red heart and in the middle of the heart was my dog. He knew and understood how I felt.

I treasure the drawing.

GrumpyGrandy Tue 26-Apr-22 11:55:29

GagaJo

Yes, afraid so.

I love getting stuff from my GS. Obviously, most of it I don't keep (learned my lesson with that from my DD), but I don't need 'stuff' so am happy to see things he's spent time making.

Yes are odd I’m afraid, handmade is everything, I now get them from 6 GGCs

Lizzie44 Tue 26-Apr-22 11:52:50

Gifts from grandchildren (wonky drawings etc) are an expression of love. What could be nicer? Our grandsons are now in their 20s and whilst most of their "artwork" has been thrown away I still keep a couple of their early drawings. Nowadays we get photos on WhatsApp from around the world. How much the world has changed even in the short span of their lifetime.