Awesome Christmas Gifts for Grandparents: Affordable and Cute

Did you know how many different names there are for grandmother and grandfather besides "Granny" and "Grandpa" and "Bubbie and "Zadie" and "Granddad" and "Gram?" The short answer: Lots and lots. Here are some common nicknames for grandparents.

I love selecting unusual gifts for grandparents. Since I've found that grandmoms and granddads tend to be more well-off than the purchaser, they have to be, above all, inexpensive without looking cheap. Here you'll find holiday suggestions appropriate for either a grandmother or grandfather, or for both together as a unit. These funny, creative, and thoughtful gifts will bring them real delight - without being too expensive for your pocketbook.

For general, non-Christmas themed gifts for grandfathers, check out Creative Gift Suggestions for Grandfather.

Grandparents these days are not the grandparents of yesterday. They're in their 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and up, and they're hip, they're cool, they're fashionable and modern, and they're thoroughly into the adventure of living.

But they're also traditional and nostalgic and sentimental. So when you're wondering what to give a grandparent for Christmas, you have three choices:

• Give the grandmother or grandfather something to they'd buy for themselves - a golf bag, a book by their favorite author, crystal. This might be hard to figure out and could get expensive, but there are some unusual ideas below.
• Give Grandma or Grandpa a grandparent-themed gift that emphasizes their family connections in a warm, funny or sentimental way This is a terrific idea for grandmothers and grandfathers who love their role and take every chance they've got to spend time with their grandchildren.
• Give "Papa" and "Nana" or "Abuela" and "Abuelo" or "Grammy" and "Gramps" or whatever else they might be called a beautiful Christmas-themed gift. A beautiful, special present evocative of the holidays will be a great memory to bring out each year during the Christmas season.

Many grandmas and grandpas are somewhat...eccentric. If you have an intelligent grandparent who's not the stereotypical sweetness-and-light granny or grandpa, gifting during the holiday season can be hard. For someone who likes to challenge his or her mind, go for a gift that's weird and unusual.

These sharp-witted, creative books will delight. From a witty collection of Christmas mystery stories about the old, clever barrister Horace Rumpole to books analyzing the origin of the modern Christmas celebration, these books are perfect Christmas fare for a grandmother or grandfather who's a bit cynical, who tends to analyze things, or who just doesen't go for pink lace doilies.

Have the grandchildren pool together to get a large Christmas gift basket custom made for grandparents.  Or choose from the more inexpensive gift baskets and gift sets.  A tempting combination of tasty Christmas treats and Christmas-themed gifts will please your grandparents and be a memorable present long after the food is gone.

They don't have to own a house to enjoy many of these homestyle Christmas presents.  Whether it's your own grandparent, your kids', or somebody else's, he, she or them will ooh and ahh when they open their gift.

From a cute owl toothbrush holder to a birdhouse made to look like a gingerbread house, to some unusual needlepoint Christmas stockings, a brass ornament, and old-fashioned handcrafted straw ornaments, this carefully chosen selection will please a grandfather or grandmother.

Grandpas who like reading about culture or nature will be absolutely enthralled with Grandfather, a highly rated book by naturalist Tom Brown, Jr. in honor of the Native American man he called grandfather for so many years, and who taught him most of what he knows about the natural world.

Grandpas who like to be teased by their grandkids and family, on the other hand, will go for All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandpa. Grandfathers sometimes tend toward quietness during family events, but this hysterical book that celebrates the things grandpas do will draw him out during the holidays. For a his-and-hers set, get Grandma All My Bad Habits I Learned from Grandma, below.

Getting a Christmas gift for Grandma is easy when you go the book route. Funny and heartwarming books like Funny, You Don't Look Like a Grandmother and The Hip Grandma's Handbook, a hilarious guide for grandmothers in the new millennium, draw on real experiences, poetry and anecdotes that will have her smirking and nodding her head.

To make a Christmas gift set, pair these two books with the inspiring Eye of My Heart: 27 Writers Reveal the Hidden Pleasures and Perils of Being a Grandmother.

There are mugs for Grandparents, and there are mugs. These cute pottery mug designs won't be shoved to the back of the cup shelf. They'll enjoy a place of honor in your grandmother and grandfather's cabinet.

Find more of these charming lead-free mugs with other nicknames by going to Amazon.com through the links.

For general gift ideas not specifically related to the Christmas holidays, see:

• Gift Ideas for Grandpa
• Gift Ideas for Grandma

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