Christmas Gifts for Grandparents from the Grandchildren: 15 Personalized Ideas

Updated October 2026

In short: the Christmas gift grandparents keep the longest is the one that carries a trace of their grandchildren: their handprints, their drawings, their names or their photos of the year. There is no need to spend much: the best gifts are made in an afternoon with the kids. Here are 15 ideas in three groups, with a step-by-step guide for the handprint picture.

Why a gift made by the grandchildren means so much

Most grandparents don’t expect anything material: they often have everything they need. What matters to them is the bond with their grandchildren and the passing of time. A gift that keeps the size of a hand at age 2, a drawing at 5 or the names of the whole clan becomes a keepsake they show every visitor.

Gifts to make with the kids (€0 to €10)

1. A handprint picture. The great classic, and the most moving: one hand per grandchild, with names and year. See the step-by-step below.
2. A framed drawing. Ask the child to draw “Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa’s”, then slip it into a nice frame. Write the date on the back.
3. Decorated cookies. Star or tree shortbread, icing and sprinkles added by the kids, in a metal tin.
4. A jar of little notes. Folded papers with a memory, a compliment or a joke, to pick one a week through the year.
5. A card with a photo. A photo of the kids, a handmade card and a few words dictated by the little ones.

Gifts personalized with the grandchildren’s names (€10 to €40)

6. A poster with a loving message or the grandchildren’s names. To print and frame, like our tender poster for Grandma or our message-of-love poster for Grandma.
7. A 2027 photo calendar. Twelve photos of the year, one per month, with the grandchildren’s birthdays already marked.
8. A photo album of the year. Holidays together, first steps, back to school: a family year in a few pages.
9. A mug with the kids’ drawing. The drawing is printed on the mug: Grandpa thinks of them with every coffee.
10. A memory book to fill in. A book of questions (“What was Christmas like when you were little?”) that grandparents fill in for their grandchildren.

For grandparents who live far away

Distance doesn’t stop a gift from being personal. Just choose a gift that travels well, or doesn’t travel at all.

11. A poster sent by email, which the grandparents print near home, or which you have printed and delivered locally.
12. Opening presents by video call. Set a time on 24 or 25 December and open the parcels together, each in front of a screen.
13. A parcel delivered to their door by a shop in their town: flowers, chocolates, a food hamper.
14. A connected photo frame, to which the parents send new photos all year round.
15. A letter from the grandchildren, written or drawn, sent by post: personal mail is rare, which makes it all the more touching.

For more long-distance ideas, read our article on giving a gift when you live far away.

Step by step: the handprint picture in 15 minutes

You need: washable children’s paint, a wide brush, a sheet of thick paper (at least 200 gsm), a fine marker, a frame.

1. Paint the child’s palm with a brush, one colour per child.
2. Press the hand on the paper, fingers spread, pressing finger by finger before lifting in one go.
3. Add the names and year under each hand once the paint is dry.
4. Frame it: a light wood or white frame shows off the colours.

Tip: with a baby, do a footprint instead, easier during a nap or right after the bath. And repeat the picture every year: grandparents love watching the hands grow.

Which gift for the grandchildren’s age?

Age	What they can do	Gift idea
0 to 2	Nothing alone, but their hands and feet make lovely keepsakes	Prints, photo, calendar
3 to 5	Paint, stick, decorate cookies	Framed drawing, cookies, card
6 to 10	Write, choose, organize	Jar of notes, letter, planned video call
Teens	Edit photos, cook	Photo album, family recipe cooked for them

How to give the gift

• Let the kids hand it over themselves, and film the reaction.
• Always add a note, even a short one, signed by each grandchild.
• For a printable poster, present it framed or rolled with a ribbon.

Expecting a baby and want to tell your parents over the holidays? Here are our ideas for announcing a pregnancy to grandparents-to-be.

Frequently asked questions

What Christmas gift should you give your grandparents?

A personal gift that carries a trace of the grandchildren: a handprint picture, a framed drawing, a photo calendar or a poster with their names.

What can I give Grandma on a small budget?

Something homemade: cookies decorated by the kids, a jar of little notes or a framed drawing. Allow €0 to €10.

What can a baby make for their grandparents?

A hand or footprint on thick paper, with the baby’s name and the year, then framed. Use washable children’s paint.

What to give grandparents who live far away?

A poster sent by email and printed near their home, a parcel delivered by a shop in their town, or opening presents together by video call.

Does each grandchild need to give a gift?

No. A single shared gift, with each child taking part (a hand, a drawing, a signature), is often more appreciated than several small items.

Read also: kids’ Advent calendar: 24 ideas · baby’s first Christmas: 12 keepsake gift ideas