Deciding what to gift an elderly senior loved one is a challenge for many.
They are past the stage of enjoying funky clothes or using the latest gadget. So, I found it really tough to choose. But, I did manage to shortlist a few inexpensive gifts, which I think you will also find useful.
The Best Inexpensive Gifts for Seniors
World of Puzzles & Games Subscription | Magazine Agent
Many seniors love working puzzles so why not provide them puzzles to work all year long. Puzzles help keep the mind active and sharp which can improve memory and keep away boredom. 9 Issues per year.
Story of My Life: A Workbook for Preserving Your Legacy | Amazon.com
Sadly, when our senior loved ones leave us, their stories and history goes with them. This workbook encourages them to share this history with your and provides a place to record memories through a series of questions and prompts. It will quickly become a treasured heirloom for the family.
Decade Candy Gift Box | OldTimeCandy.com
This cool gift box features 2 lbs of candy that was popular in your selected decade packed into a gift box. Decade options include the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and the 1990s.
For the true candy lover, there is a 4 lb choice as well as a monthly subscription box option to keep the candy coming on a regular basis.
Magazine Gift Subscriptions That Seniors Will Love
Magazine subscriptions provide a ton of benefits for seniors: education, entertainment, a way to pass some time. They can also be a great link to the outside world. Look for large print magazines like Reader’s Digest for seniors with vision problems.
Love With Food Junk-Free Snack Box | Snack Nation
This affordable subscription box ships internationally and is a good choice for those who have dietary restrictions.
It is a box of treats that includes ‘free from’ goodies. There are lots of options for those who need to avoid wheat, gluten, common allergens, and even dairy products. They offer lots of Organic and All Natural snacks too!
This box is a nice way for someone who has to avoid common snacks for the elderly to treat themselves.
Plus Snack Nation donates a meal to needy families for every box sold!
Unforgettable Senior Moments Desk Calendar
This calendar gives a full page to each day with full-color images and humorous examples of real life “senior moments” throughout history. Not for the easily offended! 6″ x 5″ with 365 days.
Eat Me Guilt Free Subscription Service
Eat Me Guilt Free is a line of healthier formulated sweets for those late night cravings. Created by a Registered Nurse and Certified Sports Nutritionist and started in her own kitchen.
These delicious treats get rave reviews for their taste and include selections of brownies, cakes, cookies, breads and even tortillas. Sign up for their monthly subscription service and save.
Create Simple Wall Tile Pictures From Photos | StoryBoards
Storyboards are a great way to keep seniors updated with photos of their family and your lives. Simply upload photos and they will be converted to 8X8 photo boards that can be stuck to the wall. The best part? They don’t leave any marks on the wall when removed so they should be nursing home or assisted living approved!
ProGlide Shield™ Shaving Starter Kit | Gillette®
Did you know you can gift quality Gillette razors and shaving products to seniors? And, you can have them delivered on a schedule that you prefer.
This starter kit includes the Gillette FlexxBall raxor handle, five blade refills and a travel-size sensitive shave gel. Sign up for their subscription service and get refills delivered every month, 3 months, or 6 months.
Xpand No Tie Shoelaces System | Amazon.com
When people have limited mobility, many basic tasks, like tying shoelaces, can be a challenge. Thankfully, with these shoelaces from Xpand, it’s possible to avoid tying your shoes. These laces can used with all kinds of shoes and consistently provide a great fit. A present like this could make for a great stocking stuffer.
Stackable Weekly Pill Organizer – Great for Travel!
It seems that taking medication becomes a routine part of life as we age. Sometimes, it can be difficult to keep track of it all too! This stackable pill organizer holds a weeks worth of medication in convenient daily drawers. Simply pull the current day out of the bottom of the dispenser and the other days slide down a notch to replace it. Each drawer has 4 different slots for the time of the day the pill should be taken. It also comes with stickers so you can label the drawers in 22 different languages. The small, compact size is great for travelers too!
Mini Bites Cookie Box | Cookies By Design
This gift includes 32 bite sized gourmet cookies in assorted flavors. Wrapped in packages of 8 to preserve the freshness. Available with and without nuts too!
Corningware® French White 20-ounce Meal Mug™ with Lid
This stoneware mug is made to go from microwave to table and includes a vented, splatter-free lid. Great for heating up oatmeal, hot chocolate, chilis, and soups and then eating right out of the bowl. Seniors can warm their belly and their achy hands by holding onto this warm mug/bowl combo. Dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe.
Peacock Panache Manicure Set | GreaterGood
Flawlessly contained in a peacock-designed case, this versatile nail treatment set highlights two sets of nail trimmers, a nail file, tweezers, scissors, and a fingernail skin trimmer to deal with each nail crisis that comes your direction.
Red Gift Box with Bow (12pc) | Ghirardelli
The assortment of 12 premium delicious chocolate squares is wrapped in a red gift box with gold ribbon and features their most popular flavors.
Neon Kactus Reusable Glass Coffee Cup
This trendy but still functional glass coffee mug can be used with both hot and cold beverages. The insulating silicone sleeve protects senior’s hands from getting too hot or too cold. The lid features a sippy cup style spout for less mess and spills.
Milk Chocolate Hazelnut G Cube Box, 22 pcs. | GODIVA
A tasty combination of rich hazelnut praline and famously smooth Godiva chocolate individually-wrapped and packaged in a modern cube gift box. 22 pieces.
Maddak Tan Hand To Hand Mug by Ableware
The hand to Hand mug is specifically designed for seniors and the elderly and is lightweight at only 6.4 oz. The large handle is easy to hold onto which is an important in a coffee mug for seniors with arthritic hands. Holds 10 oz and is microwave and dishwasher safe.
Good for You Tea Gift Sampler – Adagio Teas
This selection of loose teas was specifically chosen for their anti-inflammatory benefits and are loaded with anti-oxidants. Oh, and they are delicious too. Varieties included: Turmeric Bliss, Happy Belly, Skinny Tea, and Tea-Tox. A great choice for seniors with arthritis or who just enjoy warming themselves with a cup of tea.
13-Inch Pizza Crisper | Anolon
This pizza pan is a great way for seniors to heat up frozen pizzas or leftover pizza at home for a crispy delicious crust. Can also be used to make homemade pizzas too. Oven safe to 450 degrees and dishwasher safe.
Rejoice Cross Covered Box – Mikasa
This glass crystal cross shaped covered box is an elegant way to store your favorite accessories, small mementos or candy. Measures 4-1/4 inch long x 3-3/4 inch wide.
Personalizable M&M’s Candy Bags
Every senior seems to love having snacks and sweet treats on hand. Did you know that personalized M&M candies are a real thing? And, they make a great gift that is truly unique. Choose the message, the color, and even the graphics on the bag.
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Chocolate + Coffee = Perfection, right? These medium roasted espresso coffee beans are covered in a rich dark chocolate for the best of both. 2 lbs.
Naturewood® Spoon Rest – Pfaltzgraff
This Spoon Rest keeps you from constantly wiping up messy spoon marks. Plus, it’s as decorative as functional! Constructed of stoneware. Dishwasher safe. Spoon rest measures 10-3/4 inch long.
ASAKUKI Essential Oil Diffuser with Quiet Humidifier
An aromatherapy diffuser is a wonderful way to release a healthful mist into the air. This gift will transmit at various settings, so you can let it run for 6-8 hours with a tank of water.
Anyone who lives in a home with a furnace or heating system that dries out the air needs a humidifier to put some moisture back into the air. And what better way to do that than with favorite aromas too.
3X Large Magnifying Glass with Light | Amazon.com
As eyesight goes, this magnifying glass helps seniors read small print on medication, newspapers, maps, and books. The optical glass dome provides obstruction free viewing without any distortion. If reading is a problem all together, think about an easy to use audio book player.
Animals Ceramic Flower Pot | Amazon.com
If there isn’t room for a full garden, a planter is a great little gift to put some life into the living space. Look for fun, quirky styles, like these little elephant-themed terrariums. Include some seeds, soil, or some low maintenance succulents for a complete gift.
Teabloom Stovetop & Microwave Safe Glass Teapot
If your gift recipient’s a tea lover, get them a high quality set of tea accessories including a beautiful, but functional, teapot, a tea infuser, and a set of flavors you think she’ll enjoy. She may have been using the same teapot for decades now, so she’ll appreciate the upgrade.
ASUTRA Weighted Silk Eye Pillow for Sleep
For comfort and pampering, this therapeutic eye pillow is infused with lavender (one of the most relaxing essential oils),and adds a level of calm and relaxation to your loved one’s life. Having a weighted pillow rest on your eyes can provide a lot of relief, especially in this age of screens. This is an especially thoughtful gift for seniors with sleeping problems.
Burt’s Bees Hand Repair Kit
Everyone loves Burt’s Bees hand care products – from young to the old. It’s a great gift for senior men and women who suffer from dry, cracked, and painful hands including gardeners and travelers. This gift set includes 2 hand creams, a cuticle cream and a set of cotton gloves.
Dynotag SuperAlert Medical ID Tags | Dynotag
With these medical tags, it’s easy for first responders to get essential information about a patient. The tags are laminated and completely weatherproof, which means they’ll be in great shape for years. The set includes both a keychain tag and a wallet card. It’s a wonderful way to protect the people you love most.
Esky Wireless Key Finder
Featuring a transmitter kept at one location and six receivers that can be attached to car keys, house keys, remote controls, phones, or whatever else you might frequently lose or misplace. Hit the button, hear the loud beeps, and find what you’re missing!
Lightweight Folding Step Stool
Whether needing a sturdy non-slick step stool to reach the top of the shelves in the bathroom, the kitchen, or the basement, a reliable folding step stool is an incredibly practical and extremely useful gift. This encourages that all-important sense of independence and self-reliance while helping to reduce the chances of preventable accidents. See more step stools for seniors here.
Bedsure Soft and Fuzzy Fleece Sherpa Blanket Throw
If you’ve never spent the money on a truly special luxury blanket or quilt, you’re missing out. This one is a truly outstanding blanket that is comfortable, warm, cozy, and really will change the entire experience whether getting a good night’s sleep or just taking a little nap.
399 Games, Puzzles & Trivia Challenges Puzzle Book
There are many options when it comes to good brain games. Crossword power, Sudoku books, word searches, or something else entirely, brain games are important. This book is a great option among many for creating and interacting with games that not only pass time and keep you entertained, but also keeps the mind firing on all cylinders!
The Negg Boiled Egg Peeler
Peeling eggs can even frustrate people who don’t have arthritis. This simple egg peeler helps break up the egg shell with a few simple shakes and a little bit of water. Then, the shell slips right off – often in one piece!
Lock laces No-Tie Elastic Shoe Laces
Tying shoes is often impossible with arthritic hands. These elastic no-tie shoe laces are so much easier on arthritic hands. Just slip your feet in your shoes and lock the laces with one simple pull.
Prunus Portable Radio
This basically simple radio for seniors has a very easy and intuitive interface. Large, easy to press buttons are perfect for seniors with arthritis in their hands. Scan for local stations with one touch.
TimerCap Smart Pill Bottle Cap
This smart pill organizer helps seniors manage medication by displaying the last time the bottle was opened. This is a great gift for forgetful seniors who can’t remember if they took their medicine or not. Reduces the chance of them duplicating their meds. See more pill dispensers here.
Sleep Easy Sound Conditioner
Don’t go by the name of this gift. In fact, it makes pleasing sounds that can help elders go to sleep quickly. They have a variety of sound variations and also active noise cancellation facilities, allowing lonely elders to drift off to sleep.
Ariat Unisex Boot Jack
If your loved one has difficulty removing their work boots or snow boots, give them boot jacks. Taking off boots or other footwear can be a pain for older seniors. Boot jacks make this process much easier without them losing their balance.
Rative Anti-Slip Socks with Grips
This is one of the gifts that satisfy both functionality and fashion. Elders usually don’t tend to purchase new socks frequently. Some of them even wear double socks to keep them warm in winters. These socks keep the feet nice and cozy and reduce the chance of a slip and fall.
TaoTronics Light Therapy Lamp
In winter, you could have 16 to 18 hours of darkness. This keeps elders from getting out in the sun which can depress some elders. A light therapy lamp mimics natural outdoor light so that elders don’t feel they are missing out on anything outside.
My Top Pick
If you ask me which one is my favorite, I would have to at least choose three from this list: the pill organizer with alarm, the puzzle pack, and key finder.
So, which one are you gifting your elderly seniors this festive season?
What other ideas do you have for inexpensive gifts for senior citizens? Tell me about them in the comments below! Also, please share this article on social if you found it helpful!
