ALT-3 Great Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Seniors
Seniors vary in personalities, age, preferences, physical and mental abilities, personal needs, living environment needs, and personal tastes. Consider this when purchasing small gift items for Christmas stockings. Stocking stuffers are fun to shop for and in order to give something unique, useful, special or needed, get to know who you are buying for.
Seniors who are away from family may appreciate a homemade family video. Film the family and/or friends, and place it on a DVD or VHS cassette. Be sure to copy the film to equipment that can be played on the electronic equipment the senior currently has. Take or collect family photos and place them into a small photo album, wrap it, and place it in the senior’s stocking. Record each family member’s voice onto a tape recorder. These types of personal gifts are frequently treasured by seniors.
Seniors who are not limited physically, and are still driving, may enjoy a few new road maps. Include a portable magnifying glass for easy reading. Small travel size, portable umbrellas are nice too. Seniors who travel with pets may enjoy receiving portable pet bowls.
Stationary and stamps are useful and helpful to give seniors who live away from family members, even if they use e-mail to communicate with. Stamps may be needed for bill paying, mailing in rebates, or other items they need to mail.
Gift cards are useful for a variety of senior’s needs, hobbies or desires. Consider gift cards for gas stations, for stores for crafting supplies, for outdoor supply stores for fishing, boating or other outdoor activities, and for restaurants.
Gift certificates to hair salons and barbers are perfect stocking stuffers for seniors. These certificates can be used for regular hair and nail care.
Senior centers often provide a meal service to them at a discounted rate. Purchase meal tickets, if they are available in your area, and provide transportation to the center. It provides the seniors with a meal and a way to meet other seniors. If a meal delivery service is offered in the senior’s town, and they are not able to cook for themselves, purchase home delivered meals and place a handwritten note in their stocking explaining the delivery.
Seniors who have grandchildren, who also participate in school sports, may enjoy a seasonal prepaid pass, to all of their grandchildren’s sporting events.
Purchase a blank journal, and write journal prompts at the top of each page, asking “remember when” questions for them to answer. They will enjoy thinking back to their childhood and enjoy writing it down for other family members to read.
Seniors who have physical disabilities may enjoy receiving tools that assist them with everyday living. These are helpful for seniors who also require the use of wheelchairs, walkers and other assistance. Ideas for such helpful tools can be found on the Internet with medical supply stores or gift stores with the elderly in mind, so they can function by themselves. Small tools, for stocking stuffer gifts, may include pill cutters and carry-on tote bags for walkers and wheelchairs.
Games, especially ones that challenge the use of thought, are wonderful stocking stuffer ideas for seniors. The Nintendo DS (or DS Lite), offers games that promote brain function and mental sharpness – Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! and Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!. Although expensive, this fits nicely into a Christmas stocking. Other games to consider or large print cross-word puzzles, and word search books. If you include a package of large print playing cards, consider including a tabletop playing card holder.
Music and Movies fit nicely into a senior’s Christmas stocking. Purchase musical CD’s with the senior’s favorites in mind. Purchase DVD’s or VHS cassette tapes that the recipient will enjoy. Personal movie or television shows on DVD, vary from senior to senior, but may include westerns, biblical, historical and standup comedy.
Books are always nice, but consider that many books are now sold in large print, making reading easier for those who require eye sight assistance. Book magnifying cards, magnifying glass, or bookmarks, are nice gifts to assist seniors whom are reading small, or regular, print books.
For those seeking homemade gift ideas, consider making hot pads, dishcloths, washcloths, scarves, gloves, mittens, hats, lap blankets, eye glass cases and book covers. All of these items can be made by sewing, quilting, crocheting or knitting. Even tote bags that hang from bedsides, wheelchairs, and walkers can be handmade with fabric and thread. Grandchildren can give grandparents homemade coupon books, offering free services such as yard work, house cleaning, homemade meals with delivery, window washing, and other work.
Christmas is a time where thoughts are often reflected upon love, kindness, sharing and especially giving to others. Whether you are blessing a senior with your handicraft talents, or purchasing a gift, be sure to let them know you love them.
