Unique Gift Ideas for Your Beloved Grandparents

Our grandparents (or older parents) have been with us since the beginning – they baked us cookies, bought us those special holiday gifts and made us feel special. There’s never a wrong time to make them know that they’re on your mind with a thoughtful (and useful) present. Of course it can be somewhat challenging, as their health status and personal taste may be vastly different than yours. Below are some ideas to help you out. Remember, it’s okay to be cheesy with your ideas, as it truly is the thought that counts; I’m sure that Mac and Cheese art you created decades ago is still around the house somewhere.

Gifts that will make their lives a little easier

Massage Pillow

Need to relieve stress? A massage pillow can provide that for your grandparents. It can provide stress relief from watching their grandchildren, cleaning, and cooking. This would even be a great idea for anyone with kids.

Alert System

If you have parents that are older than 65, have a history of falls, or has a disease that creates risks for them, an alert system is a necessary gift. Our parents still seek to be independent, and that is something that we want for them as well. This is a tool to making that a reality. At home medical alert systems, like ones found here, monitor your parents for falls via a light device they can discretely wear. The true gift that will come from this purchase is peace of mind for both you and your grandparents.

Lazy Susan

How does this rotating, circular surface like these help older adults? The kitchen is a common place for injuries for seniors, and many falls occur when individuals are forced to stretch for “out of the way” goods. Placing this in easily accessible shelves will allow your grandparents to easily access a whole host of supplies without being forced to reach deep or dig about.

Gifts that will bring joy to their lives

Membership to a Local Museum

It’s a safe bet that most grandparents love museums and spending time with their family. A good way to combine these two things is to buy them a family membership to a local museum or institute. This provides your parents with a go-to activity for babysitting your kids, or something to do on a rainy afternoon.

Digital Picture Frame

If you are giving a gift to someone who is a little more tech-savvy, or you’re willing to set this up yourself, go ahead and buy them a gift that keeps on giving. Digital frames constantly change pictures, providing endless warm memories. Fill the frame like this with photographs of you, your kids, and the happier moments.

A Trip to the Spa

Don’t think Grandpa would like being pampered? Though he may be iffy upon first receiving the gift certificate, he’ll be happily purring after being treated to a massage and soak in the steam room. Allow the recipients to feel like royalty and perhaps take him or her out to dinner afterwards.
When looking for your next gift, put any of these on your list; the point of any present is to make someone feel truly valued, and all of these items will send the clear message that you cherish your relationship with your grandparents.

Lovely Gift Ideas for Truck Drivers and Owners

Here are some of the Best Gift Ideas for Truckers

If you know a trucker, you know that their job is one of the most taxing and challenging. Truckers spend days at a time away from their loved ones, so why not give them a reminder that you care about them by giving them a gift that will make their lives on the road easier? Here are some of the best gift ideas for truck drivers- even though the holidays are past, they will appreciate knowing that you care.

Cooler or Mini-Refrigerator

Ever eat at a truck stop? Did you feel healthy afterwards? Probably not- so not one but two of the gifts on this list involve helping your truck driving friend cook their own healthy meals right in their truck cab. Get them a cooler or mini fridge to store the food, and a…

Slow Cooker

..to help them cook it! Slow cookers are remarkably versatile, and both 12 volt slow cookers and mini fridges can easily plug into the truck cab’s power supply, making healthy eating much easier.

Slow Cooker

Coffee Pot

Truckers work long hours transporting goods across the country. Keep them alert and awake with the gift of a 12 volt coffee pot. In addition to providing truckers with their morning coffee, a trucker making their own coffee can save a lot of money every month by skipping expensive restaurants and coffee shops.

Fire Extinguisher

Nearly every truck driving company requires truckers to carry fire extinguishers in their cab, but fire extinguishers need to be replaced after a few years. If you suspect that your truck driving friend has an old or empty fire extinguisher in their cab, surprise them with a simple gift that can save their lives in an emergency.

GPS

Nobody likes getting lost, especially truckers, whose livelihood depends on them getting their cargo to the place it needs to go as quickly as possible. A modern GPS system is much easier to use in a truck cab than an old-fashioned map or atlas, and can easily be updated to include current road conditions, which can save a trucker hours of time.

Sunglasses

Truckers have to drive in all conditions, and one of the most difficult can be driving into a sunrise or sunset. The sun’s rays can blind a driver, causing an accident. A pair of good sunglasses can make it easier for the trucker in your life to stay safe on sunny days.

Wooden Tire Thumper

This may sound like a strange gift idea, but a sturdy wooden tire thumper can come in handy in more ways than one. Most trucks have 18 wheels, so keeping track of the air in the tires is very important. A flat tire could spell disaster for a trucker, and the wooden tire thumper tells the trucker right away if a tire needs air added to it or not. Also, the tire thumper can be used as a self-defense tool in an emergency!

Darren Davis is truck driver and writer from Tucson, Arizona. He enjoys writing about trucking as well as his travels across the United States, and recommends DSW Drivers for all of your transportation needs.