Present ideas for a gran spending Christmas alone

How about a digital photo display loaded with photos of all the family. if you have their wedding day photo, why not enhance it and include it too. She’ll then have a rolling display of all the family to enjoy all day and every day, which can be updated at any time.
Merry Christmas xx

Choose 12 small gifts to be opened on the 1st of every month. Lasts all year & something to look forward to.

I have just arranged 6 months of letterbox flower deliveries for my mum, in this case to start after Christmas as she won't be alone. I got a discount code for Bloom and Wild online

I chose to be alone on Christmas day last year. My son and grandkids came on Boxing day.
That suited me fine. I wanted to be alone with my memories. It's was only a few weeks since I had lost my
dearest husband after 51 years.
When the kids came with prezzys, there was no food stuffs to remind me I was a solo.
There were flowers, bath smellys, a rather nice brooch........
This year I am going away..... On a solo holiday, just 4 days in the UK.
I am looking forward to this trip, but a little anxious all the same.
The kids will visit me on the 28th.....and I have a pal coming over for New Year.

Just because she wants to spend Christmas in her home she may well still be lonely on the day, could you not pop in with cake and share a cuppa and a chat with her, that would be my suggestion.... your time.rather than material goods.

what about Audiobooks?

I think Pophleys got the right idea. all three of them ; messages from grandchildren, flowers and an event to look forward to - brilliant Its what I'd want.

I once gave my elderly aunt a home-made gift token saying that I would come when it suited her and clean out the cupboards she had difficulty reaching down to, as she no longer could kneel on the kitchen floor.

She greatly appreciated the thought, and I did clean those cupboards.

Something similar might be appreciated, perhaps.

juju you dont just 'go'. If she wanted to share, she'd have invited.
It sounds sad but probably comforting to her to be in their home, no putting on a face, etc

A digital photo frame with loads of family photos loaded- including those of happy times with the person they will be missing at this time of year.

How about trying to get a photo of them and put it in a nice new frame? It’s a bit late to suggest you do a scrap book with photos and little funny stories to go with them for happy memories. It’s a matter of personal choice without knowing what she likes or doesn’t like. Some music from the year they got married? The last thing she will do, no matter what you do, is forget him and the life they shared. You can’t take away her sadness. She has chosen to be alone, she will be sad no matter what. I would be the same . Whatever brings her comfort and then a little treat of chocs or a CD she can get engrossed in? It’s hard for you, I know. Then, the best thing you can give her after the day, is your time x

just to add that she will not want anything that costs too much. She sounds likely to be alone the whole week, so a small treat a day will give her something to look forward too. I completely understand her wanting to be alone, no-one wants to be the granny to be taken in by someone for christmas. The one who sits in a corner, trying to be invisible but all the time wanting to get back home, to her own nest

I believe that the only thing elderly people really want is people’s time. I absolutely understand her wanting to stay in her home on Christmas Day but perhaps you could phone her (or arrange a short visit from somebody) and her present would be a voucher or home made invitation for an outing for her on a specific date not too far ahead so that she could look forward to that and know that people want to spend time with her.

Polnan so sorry for your recent loss. I hope that you find some comfort with your family this Christmas. Wishing you well

I am widowed and spending most of christmas alone. The gift I would like best would be small wrapped gifts, one for each day of christmas week. Craft chocolates in a lttle box, a small wordsearch book, a small bottle of prosecco etc nothing permanent and nothing in the normal family food line

my first Christmas with dh dead now.. very recently, I don`t want to be alone, going to eldest ds and dil, and gks, and youngest ds and dil also coming..
that is Christmas Day, but then the rest of the Christmas and New Year.. don`t like being alone, but also not yet ready to join a large group, like at church

Audio books? I find them a great solace.

Go and spend Christmas with her so she isn't alone! A no-brainer!

Does she like a certain drink perhaps, and you could make up a food hamper of het favourite foods. With some little treats .

A basket of upmarket food items, such as soup, pickle/chutney. A florist might supply some cellophane/ribbon to wrap even some straw to bed it down. If you dont have a spare basket item, you could cover a make a hamper from a cardboard box and cover with Christmas paper.

I've just bought some lovely truffle cheddar cheese and grain biscuits for a friend. I hope she likes them.

Does she live near enough for you to take a Christmas dinner?

Small package of flowers eg box of flowers on line and if funds permit what about a magazine subscription.

Don’t give her sweets or biscuits - just because she is elderly doesn’t mean she doesn’t want nice things. How about a cheerful cardigan, or something fancy like leather gloves - and of course a visit from you.

How about a nice food hamper with some lovely treats?
Or if you can get hold of DVDs of films that were showing when they were young? At the very least, there is A Wonderful Life, White Christmas and Holiday Inn available.