What to buy grandsons

Be careful though that your choice in jewellery may not be to the taste of your granddaughter

Especially if she is getting jewellery just because she is a girl and not becauae she has a particular interest in it!

Im female. If someone gives me jewellery I think "wow! They either really dont know me or they put zero efford into getting something personal to me"

For my DS and DGS I'm planning to get a box together with various items in it of what will be historical interest. For example, I've got all the menus from my parents' world cruise on the QE2, a few tickets from concerts of well-known bands, a millennium poster, a Concord keyring.... stuff that they might find amusing one day but that will be otherwise impossible come by. Just a bit of fun really. But for a serious present I agree - premium bonds.

How old are these twins? It sounds. from the OP that they have some way to go until they are 18. I have teenage GSs. I was going to send some cash to the one who will be 14 next week, but his dad says he can't be trusted with it - not sure what he's been up to! So I am going to send money to DS to buy something for him that he really wants. As he is going to be in France on his birthday, I might add a few euros as spending money.
Last year, I sent him and his brother (almost 12) lockable cash boxes - combination locks as they would be sure to lose keys.
All the teenage GC , boys and girls, love toiletries!

However if it is sellable/investment gold jewellery, its just as useful to a non jewellery wearer as a jewellery wearer (male or female)

I believe if anybody’s granny had bought a Dinky toy plus box every year or a Barbie doll for the last 18 years and kept them in mint condition they could be worth thousands now!
Quite an investment!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201907/medium-879711-d47928aa-0202-44a9-82a4-751522e439b7.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201907/medium-197213-34464e5f-c8fd-4300-9f28-f0c4c5dc799b.jpeg

Further to my post the Aston Martin shown sold for 285 euros ....and the vintage Barbie (wait for it...) over ?6000

Ooh, GrannyGravy that's interesting! I didn't know that N S & I had done that. Shall buy a new bonds every time I get a spare £25 - much more achievable than finding £100 a time

Watch cufflinks usb with a memory bank of photos

Grannygravy I didn’t know that either! That’s brilliant news.

Usbs may become obsolete & unreadable

Re toys: yes some go for crazy prices BUT others end up worthless. You would have to get lucky or else hedge your bets by collecting a wide variety in order to end up with one of the ££££ ones.

What about a presentation pack of first edition stamps. I think they put out at least one set a year?? I have a complete set of the millennium stamps that were issued. I've never been a philatelist, nor have I bought any further sets of stamps, but I rather liked the idea of the millennium ones.

Maybe also a copy of a newspaper purchased on their birthday each year.

My father bought our oldest son first edition stamps. He has kept them but when he moved out to the USA they were in his "Give to Oxfam" pile!!!

It might be a better idea to buy a brand new toy of the sort they want for their birthday each year - then at least when they are given them all those years later, pristine in their packets, with your letters, they will at least have some love for their memory of playing with it.

Oh yes, NotSpaghetti. The things we do to show our love may not have the effect we're hoping for. Friend of mine took his son to buy a guitar. His father had done this for him and it's a golden memory for him. However, the young man was overheard saying he didn't want a flaming guitar. I hate to say this but money always goes down well. A keepsake could just be a photo of the three of you which will cause amusement over the years. Especially if you're all in the same position. It's been done to death on the Internet but will raise a smile with those featured. I'd have thought. Good luck anyway!

Since the day my 4 grandchildren were born, we bought them all NSI children’s bonds for all occasions and when they reached 17, and cashed them in, they were able to buy a second hand car each. A couple of them wanted a slightly newer car, so we ended up buying ‘half a car’, with their parents helping them with the other half?. Best thing we ever did and to see the look on their faces was priceless!

I must have read this thread wrong you are all giving big ideas I thought the poster just wanted a small thing as a momento to add to the box each year and then give them the box when they are 18 with 18 small things in

I m not at all sure a kid of this generation will be interested in the things we think they will be, I have a great stamp collection and first day cover collection that I would offer to any of my grandkids, but none are interested in anything other than technology really I gave one of mine at 18 a ring from her great grandma on a chain (amongst other things) but I doubt if she even knows where it is now This generation don’t seem to have the same interest and value in old possessions as we have
Anyway I hope you find something to work with out of these answers

What BlueBelle said expresses my thoughts exactly.

The thing about keepsakes is that I only keep things that are associated with a memory. I box of "collectables" or "memories" that someone else collected are their memories not mine.

You can't go wrong with cash Im afraid. I dont think many 18 year olds will want a load of "stuff". What would they do with 18 teddy bears - sell them?

& these days things like attics and garages are increasingly a luxury. Your average young person is unlikely to be able to afford a home with room for "memory boxes" etc.

Storage space comes at a premium these days. I dont think you'll be thanked for giving them more stuff to store.

I spent months making a patchwork quilt out of one of my daughters's old clothes with lots of appliqué of her life etc and gave it to her for her 18th birthday - it soon got trashed, used at festivals, parties and got lost somewhere in one of her moves. Now she says she wishes she had looked after it - I should've made it for her 40th, then she would have appreciated it.

Most gifts would be considered ghastly by youngsters. My daughter’s taste in jewellery is far removed from mine, let alone her grandmother’s. My son wouldn’t have use for cuff links, he’ll wear a formal shirt to the occasional wedding and cuff links often come with the shirts now if they have that type of cuff. (Often they don’t). I don’t mean to be negative but maybe the whole idea needs a rethink.

But thats good suzied
A uses gift is a liked gift.
No point keeping things "for best". For best either never happens, or if it does, those "for best" things you put away for years are either moth eaten, mouldy, out if style or ill fitting

A gift my 9 yr old grandson loved - I printed a photo book featuring him through-out the past year enjoying holidays, birthdays and times out with us.

£10 a year + interest, accessed at age 18, could pay for driving lessons or something else they would really like.