But here’s the secret every grandparent knows and most of us forget: they don’t want more stuff. They have enough stuff. They want you. Your time, your effort, your slightly wonky handwriting on a card. That’s why a homemade gift is so much better compared to anything you could grab off a store shelf. My grandparents acted like that macaroni necklace I made in 2008 is a priceless family heirloom until I was well in my 30s!
The good news? You don’t need to be crafty, artsy, or Pinterest-perfect to pull this off. Whether you’re a glue-gun pro, a busy parent wrangling little helpers, or someone whose last art project involved macaroni like myself, there’s something on this list for you.
So grab your supplies, clear off the kitchen table, and get ready to make this the Christmas Grandma and Grandpa brag about to everyone at bingo night.
Handprint and Fingerprint Keepsakes
These are the classic “tiny hands” gifts, and grandparents keep them for years. If you only make one, make it the Christmas Tree Handprint Towel because it is fast, useful, and suits both Grandma and Grandpa. I would pass on the Footprint Snowman Keepsake if your toddler hates having their feet painted, because the fingerprint mug is a lot less squirmy.
Fingerprint Christmas Mug
A plain white mug dotted with tiny fingerprint lights, snowmen, or holly. You need a ceramic mug and paint made for ceramics, plus a brush for details. Best with a toddler or preschooler and adult help. Treat it as a keepsake for Grandma or Grandpa to display.
Christmas Tree Handprint Towel
A white tea towel stamped with green handprints layered into a tree shape, topped with a star. You need a flour sack towel, fabric paint, and a small brush. Toddlers can stamp the tree with help, and there is no oven or multi-day drying involved, so it is last-minute friendly. Works well for Grandpa too, since it is useful in the kitchen.
Handprint and Footprint Reindeer Art
Hands become antlers and a single footprint becomes the reindeer face on paper or canvas. You need brown and tan paint, paper or canvas, and a marker for the nose and eyes. Toddlers need adult help, and preschoolers can add the details themselves. Good for grandparents who love a funny keepsake to frame.
Footprint Snowman Keepsake
Baby or toddler footprints turned into a row of snowmen on paper, each with a hat and scarf. You need white paper or canvas, white and black paint, and fine markers. You will want an extra pair of hands to hold the foot steady. Adorable for a baby’s first Christmas, for Grandma and Grandpa both.
Santa Handprint Art
A handprint transformed into Santa, with fingers as the hat trim and palm as the face and beard. You need red and white paint, paper, and markers for details. Quick to make with toddlers and preschoolers. Frame it or tuck it into a Christmas card for either grandparent.
Handprint Photo Frame
A small wooden or cardboard frame decorated around the edge with the child’s handprint and a favorite photo inside. You need a plain frame, craft paint, and a printed photo. Toddlers need help placing the print; older kids can do it solo. Both grandparents will want one for the side table.
Handmade Ornaments for Their Tree
Ornaments get unpacked every year. Plan to start early here, because salt dough needs days to dry. My top choice is the Salt Dough Cut-Out Ornaments for the sheer variety with cookie cutters. Skip the cinnamon applesauce ones if you have curious pets or small kids who might try to taste them, since they smell wonderful but are not for eating.
Salt Dough Cut-Out Ornaments
Classic cookie-cutter shapes like trees, stars, and hearts with a ribbon for hanging. You need flour, salt, and water, with one common ratio of 1 cup salt to 2 cups flour and water added slowly. Air drying takes about 4 to 7 days in one maker’s method, and another maker bakes low at 200 degrees for about 3 hours, so start early either way. Kids of any age can cut shapes while adults handle rolling, and the finished ornaments suit Grandma and Grandpa together.
Salt Dough Handprint Ornament
A palm pressed into salt dough, then painted and sealed with a ribbon. You need the same salt dough mix, paint, and ribbon. Needs the same drying time as other salt dough, so start a week before you want to gift it. Best for toddlers and preschoolers with adult help, and a sweet one for Grandma and Grandpa to hang together.
Fingerprint Christmas Tree Ornament
A salt dough circle or tree with tiny fingerprint dots as ornaments or lights. You need salt dough, paint, and ribbon. The fingerprints make each one different, which is the whole point. Preschoolers can do the dots themselves while toddlers need guidance, and either grandparent will find a spot for it on the tree.
Fingerprint Snowman Ornament
A thumbprint trio stacked into a snowman on a salt dough disc. You need salt dough, white paint, and fine markers for faces and scarves. Same drying note as above, so plan ahead. A good pick for small fingers and a quick paint job, for Grandma, Grandpa, or both.
Baby Imprint Ornament
A soft imprint of baby’s hand or foot set into air-dry modeling clay, not salt dough. You need air-dry clay like Model Magic, paint, and ribbon. The clay dries without baking and captures tiny details. Ideal for a baby’s first Christmas, as a gift for Grandma and Grandpa.
Photo Transfer Ornament
A small wooden or flat ornament with a family photo transferred onto the surface and sealed. You need a flat wooden ornament, a printed photo, a photo transfer medium, and ribbon. Better for older kids and adults, because the photo needs careful placement. A lovely way to put the grandkids on Grandma and Grandpa’s tree.
Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments
Deep brown ornaments made from cinnamon and applesauce that smell like Christmas. You need cinnamon, applesauce, cookie cutters, and ribbon. Allow drying time before you wrap them. Keep them as decor for either grandparent, not treats.
Photo Gifts They’ll Show Off
For the grandparents who keep every photo on the fridge. My pick is the Tile Photo Coasters, because they are sturdy, simple, and actually get used. Save the Scrapbook Photo Calendar for a week when you have real time to spare, since it is the most time-consuming project in this group.
Tile Photo Coasters
Family photos sealed onto 4×4 bathroom tiles with a clear finish. You need tiles, printed photos, Mod Podge, and a clear spray sealer. Adults or older kids can handle cutting and sealing while younger kids pick the photos. Both Grandma and Grandpa will use these.
Scrapbook Photo Calendar
A 12-month calendar with a different family photo and little notes for each month. You need cardstock, printed photos, a calendar template, and glue. The calendar takes the longest of the photo gifts, so plan more than one sitting. Adult or teen maker, with kids helping choose pictures, and a gift both grandparents will check every month.
Popsicle Stick Sled Photo Frame
Tiny sleds built from popsicle sticks that hold a wallet-size photo. You need popsicle sticks, paint, glue, twine, and a small photo. Kid-friendly and fairly quick once the paint dries. Charming on a tree or mantel for either grandparent.
Photo Display in a Jar
An upcycled jar that holds a rolled photo standing inside, like a snow globe without water. You need a clean pickle or mason jar, a printed photo, and a little greenery or fairy lights if you like. Older kids can assemble it with help; adults can do it solo. Works for Grandma or Grandpa.
Dangling Photo Bookmark
A ribbon bookmark with a taped photo that dangles from the top of the book. You need a printed photo, clear packing tape, glue, and ribbon. Very quick, with no drying time, so you can make it the week of Christmas. Sweet for a grandparent who reads a lot.
Gifts Made of Words and Memories
When you want something more personal than another picture on the wall. I am partial to the Reasons We Love You Jar because even grown grandkids can make it without a craft drawer. You might hold off on the All About Grandma and Grandpa Book if your kids are very young and cannot write yet, unless an adult interviews and writes for them.
All About Grandma and Grandpa Book
A small booklet where kids fill in prompts about their grandparents, favorite foods, sayings, and memories, with drawings. You need paper, markers, and a stapler or small binder. Best with preschoolers and school-age kids. Adults can scribe for toddlers. A keepsake Grandma and Grandpa will read more than once.
Wooden Tile Christmas Card
Small wooden tiles decorated with washi tape and paper to make a chunky, keepsake Christmas card. You need wooden tiles or thick cardboard squares, washi tape, paper scraps, and glue. Older kids and adults can cut and layer neatly. Nice when you want a card that Grandma and Grandpa can keep out as decor.
Reasons We Love You Jar
A jar filled with folded notes, each with one reason you love Grandma or Grandpa. You need a jar, paper slips, and a pen, plus ribbon if you want to dress it up. Anyone can make it, from kids who dictate to adults writing on their own. Works for Grandma, Grandpa, or both, and mails easily.
Homemade Treats in a Jar or Tin
For the grandparent who says they have no room for more stuff. My go-to is the Christmas Shortbread Tin because it is three ingredients and Grandpa will actually eat it. The Cookie Mix in a Jar is the one to pass over if your grandparents rarely bake, since it still leaves them the mixing and baking.
Hot Chocolate Mix in a Jar
Layers of cocoa mix and toppings like marshmallows or chocolate chips in a mason jar with a tag. You need a jar, the dry ingredients, and a ribbon. No cooking, so it is last-minute friendly. Adult or kid maker, cozy for both grandparents.
Christmas Shortbread Tin
Buttery shortbread cut into holiday shapes and packed in a tin. One common version uses just three ingredients. Needs baking and cooling time, but no craft drying. Adult maker or older kids with supervision, and an easy win for Grandpa.
Cookie Mix in a Jar
Dry cookie ingredients layered in a jar with a printed recipe card attached. You need a jar, flour, sugar, add-ins like oats or chips, and a card. Quick to assemble and easy to ship. Kids can pour and pat layers while adults check measurements, and it suits a grandparent who still likes to bake.
Cozy Gifts for Cold Winter Nights
These are the grown-up maker projects that still feel handmade. Start with the Rice Heating Pad, because it is simple and suits Grandpa as well as Grandma. Leave the No-Sew Fleece Tie Blanket for another year if you are pressed for time right before Christmas, because all that fringe takes a while to tie.
Rice Heating Pad
A fabric pouch filled with rice that can be warmed or cooled. You need cotton fabric, rice, and basic sewing or a no-sew fabric pouch, plus thread if you sew. No drying or baking time. Nice for cold hands and feet, for either grandparent.
No-Sew Fleece Tie Blanket
Two pieces of fleece cut and tied together with fringe knots, no sewing needed. You need two pieces of fleece and scissors. Kids can help with the tying while adults handle the cutting. Cozy and big, nice for Grandma and Grandpa to share on the couch.
Peppermint Sugar Scrub
Sugar, oil, and peppermint mixed into a soft scrub and spooned into a small jar. You need sugar, an oil, peppermint for scent, and a jar. Very quick to mix, fine to make the night before, and smells like Christmas. A pampering pick for Grandma.
That grandparent who insists they need nothing usually means they want something with a story. Pick the project that fits your week, not your wish list, and let the uneven paint and crooked ties stay. Those are the parts they will point out every Christmas.
Don’t forget to pin this to your Christmas Gifts Board for later!
