Looking for personalised gifts for grandparents that won't end up in the "lovely, dear" drawer? This guide is for anyone shopping for a Nan, Grandad, Grandma or Grandpa this Christmas or for a birthday, and it's packed with ideas they'll actually use, laugh at and keep. Every gift below is designed and made at our family factory in Yorkshire, and every one can be personalised with photos, names or a cheeky message.
Grandparents are famously tricky to buy for. Ask what they want and you'll get "Oh, nothing, love, don't go spending your money on me." So we've done the thinking for you, from proper keepsakes to daft photo gifts that'll have the whole family in stitches over the Christmas pudding.
Why personalised gifts for grandparents work so well
Most grandparents already own a perfectly good set of mugs, more socks than they could wear in a lifetime and at least one box of biscuits they're "saving for visitors". What they don't have is something that shows a grandchild's face every time they put the kettle on.
That's the magic of a personalised gift. It isn't about the price tag; it's about the photo of the grandkids on the beach, the nickname only the family uses, or the in-joke about Grandad's famous Sunday roast. Those are the details that turn an everyday object into something they'll point at and say "our Lily got me that".
A few things grandparents tend to love:
- Family photos, the more the merrier, ideally ones they haven't seen a hundred times on the fridge.
- Useful things they'll pick up every day, like aprons, tea towels, coasters and door mats.
- A good laugh, because the best Christmas presents are the ones that get passed round the room.
- Comfort, whether that's a cosy blanket for the armchair or a squishy cushion for the sofa.
Our favourite personalised gifts for Nan and Grandad
Here are the gifts we'd happily wrap up for our own grandparents. We've included who each one suits best, why it works and a personalisation idea to get you started.
1. Mush Cush® face cushion: for the grandparent with a sense of humour
What it is: Our personalised Mush Cush® puts a face on one of our hilarious cartoon character bodies. You upload a photo, adjust it in the designer, pick your background colour and add text if you like, and you can personalise the back too. It measures 13" x 10" (31cm x 25cm) and is made from a soft touch faux suede fabric, stuffed and sewn closed in house.
Perfect for: the Nan who still tells everyone about the time you were sick on the vicar, or the Grandad who does a little dance every time his team scores.
Why it works: It's guaranteed to get a laugh on Christmas morning, and then it lives on the sofa for years, quietly making visitors do a double take.
Personalisation idea: Put the grandkids' faces on the front and "Nanna's Little Monsters" on the back. Or, for maximum chaos, put Grandad's own face on it so he can finally cuddle himself. Browse the full Mush Cush® range for more characters.
2. Personalised apron: for the Sunday roast champion
What it is: The Love Grandad and Cooking apron is a one-size, unisex apron of approximately 84cm x 61cm, with adjustable tie straps and a water-resistant coating that gives a showerproof finish. It's printed with water-based inks and can be machine washed at 30 degrees (drip dry only).
Perfect for: the Grandad who guards the gravy like it's the Crown Jewels, or the Nan whose Yorkshire puddings are the stuff of family legend.
Why it works: It's practical, it gets used every week, and it's a lovely nod to the meals they've been cooking for the family for years.
Personalisation idea: Add their name or what the grandkids call them, whether that's Grandad, Pops or Grumps. If you'd rather start from scratch, have a look through our full personalised aprons collection, which covers baking, BBQs and everything in between.
3. Sentimental fleece blanket: for cosy nights in the armchair
What it is: The Best Grandma sentimental quotes fleece blanket is made from 370gsm ultra plush luxury fleece and comes in two sizes: 75cm x 75cm or 150cm x 150cm. It's machine washable at 30 degrees (drip dry only).
Perfect for: the Nan who always feels the cold, keeps a throw over the back of her chair and won't turn the heating on until December.
Why it works: It's warm, soft and full of feeling, so it gets used every evening and becomes part of the furniture in the nicest possible way.
Personalisation idea: If you'd prefer photos to words, our create your own photo blanket lets you fill a blanket with family pictures. We've written a whole guide to personalised photo blankets if you'd like to dig into designs and sizes.
4. Personalised door mat: for the proudest front door on the street
What it is: The Floral Sketch Neutral personalised door mat measures 60cm x 40cm and is 1.5mm thick, with a non-slip rubber nitrile base and a polyester surface. The low profile means doors close easily over it, and it can go in the washing machine (drip dry only).
Perfect for: grandparents who've just moved or downsized, keen gardeners, and anyone who's ever said "shoes off, I've just hoovered".
Why it works: It's the first thing the grandkids see when they arrive for a visit, and it's a thoughtful, useful present that doesn't add to the clutter.
Personalisation idea: Add the family surname, "Nan and Grandad's House" or a cheeky "Grandkids spoiled here". There are lots more designs in our personalised door mats collection.
5. Photo drinks coasters: the perfect stocking filler
What it is: Our Your Face personalised drinks coaster comes in a circle or square, both 10cm x 10cm. It's made from washable polyester fabric with a neoprene base, so it protects the coffee table from tea rings and can go in the washing machine.
Perfect for: the grandparent who has a cuppa on the go from dawn till dusk, and anyone who needs a small extra present to sit alongside a bigger gift.
Why it works: Every brew comes with a grinning grandchild underneath it. Order one for each grandchild and you've got a whole set that tells the family story.
Personalisation idea: Use a different grandchild's photo on each coaster, or recreate an old family photo for a "then and now" pair. You'll find more designs in our personalised drinks coasters collection.
6. Photo collage tea towel: for the kitchen that never closes
What it is: The create your own collage tea towel lets you upload up to 50 photos. It's approximately 50cm x 74cm, made from 300gsm microfibre towelling that's lighter and more absorbent than cotton, printed edge to edge on one side and hand sewn.
Perfect for: the Nan whose kitchen is the heart of every family gathering, and the Grandad who is "in charge of drying up" (and supervising from the doorway).
Why it works: It's a whole family album that earns its keep. Plenty of grandparents end up hanging it on the oven door just to show it off.
Personalisation idea: Fill it with photos from a whole year, every grandchild's first school photo, or decades of family Christmases. Our personalised tea towels collection has lots of other layouts too.
7. A Mini Me® of Grandma or Grandad
What it is: Our Grandma Mini Me® and Grandad Mini Me® are soft, cushion-like dolls with a face printed from the photo you upload, handmade at our factory in Yorkshire.
Perfect for: grandkids who live far away and want to send a little bit of themselves, or as a funny present that turns Nan into a tiny, huggable version of herself.
Personalisation idea: Make a Mini Me® of each grandchild for Nan's sofa, or make one of Grandad for the grandkids so they can take him on holiday.
8. A home bar runner for the Grandad who loves a pint
If Grandad has a little bar corner, a shed with a fridge or a cabinet of "special occasion" whisky, our World's Best Grandad bar runner is a fun way to crown him. Read our guide to personalised bar runners and home bar gifts for more ideas.
Personalised gifts for grandparents from the grandchildren
Some of the best grandparent presents are the ones that come "from" the little ones. Even if Mum or Dad is doing the actual ordering, a gift from the grandkids carries extra weight. A few ideas:
- Use their drawings. Photograph a child's drawing in good daylight and add it to a tea towel, coaster or apron alongside a photo. Nothing beats a wobbly crayon "I love you Nanna".
- Let them choose the photo. Children always pick the funniest pictures, and grandparents love seeing what made them laugh.
- Write the message in their words. "Grandad is the best at hide and seek" is far more charming than anything a grown-up could come up with.
- Do a sibling set. A coaster for each grandchild, or a collage tea towel with every cousin on it, means nobody feels left out.
If you're also shopping for the little ones this year, our guide to personalised Christmas gifts for kids is a good place to start.
Practical tips for choosing the right gift
Think about how they spend their day
Is your Nan always baking? Go for an apron or tea towel. Is Grandad glued to his armchair for the afternoon film? A blanket or cushion makes more sense. The gifts grandparents treasure most are the ones that fit neatly into their routine.
Choose a photo they haven't seen a hundred times
The school photo on the mantelpiece is lovely, but a candid shot from a family day out often means more. Look through the camera roll for a picture with real smiles, good light and faces that are clear and close up.
Check your photo quality
Our product pages recommend high resolution images, because they print much more clearly. A recent phone photo is usually fine, but avoid screenshots, heavily zoomed images or pictures taken from social media, which can be compressed. Our guide on how to choose the best photo for personalised gifts walks you through lighting, cropping and resolution.
Mix funny with sentimental
If you can't decide, do both. A heartfelt blanket plus a ridiculous Mush Cush® is a winning combination: one to make them well up, one to make them cry with laughter.
Order in good time for Christmas
Every gift here is made to order at our factory, so it pays to get your order in early, especially in the run up to Christmas. Production and delivery times change through the year, so check the product page and our shipping policy before you order.
Things to consider
We want you to buy something they'll love, so here's the honest bit.
- Not every grandparent loves a joke gift. If your Grandma is more "fine china" than "fun and games", lean towards the blanket, door mat or tea towel and save the Mush Cush® for the cheekier side of the family.
- Check sizes. Our fleece blankets come in 75cm x 75cm and 150cm x 150cm. The smaller one is handy as a lap blanket, while the larger one covers a sofa or bed. Coasters are 10cm x 10cm and door mats are 60cm x 40cm, so measure the doorway if space is tight.
- Close up faces work best. For face cushions and Mini Me® dolls, a front facing photo with the face filling most of the frame gives the clearest result. The Mush Cush® product page notes that the bigger the face, the more distorted the final cushion can look, so use the edit menu to get it just right.
- Care instructions. Our aprons, blankets, coasters, door mats and tea towels are machine washable, and the product pages say to drip dry. If your grandparents rely on the tumble dryer, it's worth mentioning when you hand the gift over.
- Allow time for production and delivery. Everything is personalised and made to order, so it can't be rushed out like a shop bought present. Check the product page and shipping policy for current timings.
- Be gentle if a grandparent has passed away. If you're buying for a grandparent who has lost their partner, a photo gift can be a real comfort, but it's worth thinking about which photos to use. Our memorial gifts collection has softer, more reflective designs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good personalised gift for grandparents who have everything?
Go for something personal rather than practical alone. A photo collage tea towel, a sentimental blanket or a face cushion of the grandchildren can't be bought anywhere else, which makes them ideal for the grandparent who "doesn't need anything".
Can I use a photo from my phone?
Yes, in most cases. Our product pages recommend high resolution images, so use the original photo rather than a screenshot or a picture saved from social media. Good light and a clear, close up face make the biggest difference.
How long do personalised gifts take?
Each gift is made to order at our family factory in Yorkshire, and production and delivery times vary through the year. Please check the individual product page and our shipping policy for up to date timings, and order early for Christmas.
Are your gifts made in the UK?
Yes. Our products are designed, printed and made at our own family factory in Yorkshire, near Haworth. You can read more about how our products are made.
Can I add more than one photo?
It depends on the product. The create your own collage tea towel takes up to 50 photos, and our photo blankets come in multi-photo designs, while products like the Mush Cush® and photo coaster are designed around a single face. The designer on each product page shows you exactly what can be added.
Can I spread the cost?
Klarna and Clearpay are available at checkout, which can help if you're buying for a lot of grandparents, aunties and uncles this Christmas.
Find the perfect gift for Nan and Grandad
Grandparents have spent years spoiling everyone else, so this Christmas it's their turn. Whether you go for a face cushion that makes them howl, a blanket that makes them well up or a tea towel full of the people they love most, a personalised gift says "we thought about you" in a way nothing on the high street can. Have a browse through our personalised Christmas gifts, design something in minutes, and we'll make it for you at our family factory in Yorkshire. Just remember to order in good time, and maybe hide it somewhere Nan won't go looking.
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