80th Birthday Gifts for Grandma

When it's time to choose 80th birthday gifts for Grandma and no one know what she wants, here are five fun, happy ideas to make her birthday as special as she is.

Sweets For The Sweet

Show Grandma she's sweeter than candy with a unique gift of her favorite childhood confections. There are online companies who have packaged selections ready to go or you can assemble your own. Some of the candies she may have enjoyed are Squirrel Food, Nik-L-Nips, Now & Later, Necco Wafers, Black Cow, Sugar Daddy, crystallized rock candy swizzle sticks, wax lips, Mary Janes, Peppermint Sticks, Pixie Sticks, Candy Cigarettes, Double Bubble Gum, Smarties, Spree, Violets, Teaberry Gum, Chicklets Gum, Candy Lipstick, Candy Necklace, Atomic Fireballs, Red Hots, Jujyfruit, Bubble Gum Cigars, Lemonheads, Chick-o-Stick, Lifesavers, Milk Maid Caramels, Hershey Bars and Kisses, Sixlets, and SweeTarts.

Get extras to give as party favors so everyone can sample the sweets. Enlist someone to videotape or write down her memories about her favorite childhood candies and why she liked them. Make them into a scrapbook with photos of the party for a special Christmas gift later.

A Birthday Card To Remember

When it comes to birthday cards, the White House will send one at no charge, signed by the President and First Lady, to U.S. citizens 80 and over. Plan ahead because it takes months to process a request for this special card.

Cover Her Coffee

Does Grandma regularly meet with friends for coffee or breakfast? Surprise her with a gift card from her favorite cafe or doughnut shoppe. If you can splurge, get one for enough to cover 80 cups of coffee or her favorite beverage.

Quilt a Keepsake

Assemble a keepsake quilt, where each family member is invited to make their own square. It does not have to be fancy. Provide a list of preferred fabrics and mediums such as traditional quilt squares in a pattern and cotton calico of their choosing, embroidered and cross-stitched designs on aida cloth or solid cottons, or let them choose their own. Make sure they stitch their name or initials, the year, and their relation to Grandma, such as sister, niece, or great-grandson, onto their square. Invite family to come for a quilting bee. Enlist someone to compile everyone's favorite stories about Grandma into a pretty scrapbook to give with the finished quilt. Quilt shoppes have experienced quilters who can finish this warm-hearted gift if none in the family knows how.

Secret Surprises

Invite party guests to bring 80 of an item. Either make a list they can choose from or make it a wildcard of secret surprises they can think of on their own. Younger kids can bring 80 coins of a kind; teens can bring 80 coins collected from the year Grandma was born. Adults could bring 80 of any combination of paper currency, lottery scratch-off tickets, or Grandma's favorite penny candies.

Check websites for any online discount coupon codes or downloadable coupons to save on 80th birthday gifts for Grandma.