{"id":6017,"date":"2016-11-23T06:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-11-23T11:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.elfster.com\/?p=6017"},"modified":"2023-02-10T14:03:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T19:03:45","slug":"thoughtful-gift-ideas-for-seniors-inexpensive-to-unexpected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elfster.com\/blog\/2016\/11\/23\/thoughtful-gift-ideas-for-seniors-inexpensive-to-unexpected\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughtful Gift Ideas for Seniors, from the Inexpensive to the Unexpected"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Warm socks come from the heart\u2014and can warm the soul | Image courtesy Amazon seller Solmate Socks<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Buying gifts for seniors, whether your parents or another special person in your life, always seems strangely difficult, even as it feels more vital and urgent\u2014and I think I\u2019ve figured out why.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve had a lifetime to accumulate things. More than that, though, I\u2019m always worried about getting something that seems too common, too basic, and not weighted with the thoughtfulness they deserve. There is so much I want to express with my gifts\u2014love, appreciation, respect, a quiet thanks for everything they\u2019ve done through the years\u2014that tossing an Amazon gift card into an envelope seems almost inappropriate. But, through a series of gift giving fiascos, I\u2019ve learned something that is a bit counterintuitive: it\u2019s not just the thought that counts.<\/p>\n

OK, the thought does<\/i> count. Giving someone a gift is a great way to demonstrate that you love them, that you care about them, and that you\u2019re thinking of them. Many older adults are scared of loneliness, and can feel isolated, so even a small token of appreciation and love can brighten a day. So, the thought counts, of course, but it especially counts if the gift demonstrates real thoughtfulness. Getting someone a gift is great, but it\u2019s much better if you get them something that they need or genuinely want. Recognizing this has made gift-buying a lot less stressful for me. So, here are a few gift-giving ideas for seniors, so that you can show them the love you feel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gifts That Warm, from Heart to Toes<\/h4>\n

You know that feeling when you come in from the cold, into a warm house, and you start to feel that warmth seep deliciously into your body? I can never decide if I\u2019m getting warm from the inside out, or the outside in. It\u2019s just a slow-spreading pleasant tingle.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I love buying cozy gifts for the seniors in my life. When people get older, their metabolism tends to slow. That\u2019s just science, and an inevitability of aging. But giving them something warm and helpful can be a way to show that you care about their comfort, and a way to have that warmth spread throughout their body. A gift like that creates the feeling of plunging indoors from a snowy day, and feeling like you\u2019re coming alive.<\/p>\n

A few ideas for warming gifts include:<\/p>\n

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Warm and<\/em> stylish | Image courtesy Etsy seller AngelaGardnerStudio<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n