[ctown21]

Hello! My mother-in-law will be celebrating a birthday in just a couple of weeks. Due to health concerns, she and her husband have been spending most of their time at home. We usually go the restaurant gift card route, but since she is not venturing out quite yet, we don't think that is a great fit for this year. Thought we would go right to the source and see if any of you Villagers had ideas or advice. Thank you!!

[davem4616]

guessing that she is financially secure, but on a fixed budget....so I'm reflecting upon what my parents and my in-laws appreciated (both of whom had everything and where always a challenge to buy for) that you might consider:

- a photo album that reflects all the good times that you've all had together at holidays, birthdays, weddings, etc.
(accompanied with comments from you on each picture)

- handwritten notes from all the grandkids (bound together) telling them what's going on in their lives and/or what they enjoy remembering about some special experience that they had with her (wouldn't that be something)

- a lab top with a camera so that she could 'zoom' with you (if she doesn't already have one)

- does she cook? Maybe a one time order from Omaha Steaks or so other food vendor

- find out who mows their lawn (if they have a home) or plows the driveway and pay for the next couple of months or the season

- donate some money to their favorite charity in their name....or to their church (churches are feeling the pinch)

- do they have a DVD player?...guessing that you talk enough to know what their favorite movies are from the old days that they
haven't seen in awhile and send them the DVD(s)...or DVD's that their favorite actors/actors were in

just some quick thoughts...the older we get the more we relish just being able to connect with our friends and families (the younger generations are often so busy that the grandparents get squeezed in between everything else that they have going on in their busy schedules and the phones calls are basically 'checking off the box' versus quality time that has been truly set aside)

[EdFNJ]

If they like to go out to eat but can't now how about an Uber Eats or Door Dash gift cards. With the pandemic and slower restaurant business many decent and many not so decent restaurants will deliver food through Uber Eats and Door Dash and a couple others. You won't get Ruth's Chris Steakhouse types but quite a few places do use those services (assuming they are comfortable using an app). Our kids gave us a card back in June for our anniv and it worked out quite well plus after our first order we got 2 $30 off $30+ purchase coupons from Uber Eats which equaled 2 free meals after we used up the gift $$. Food was surprisingly hot and almost as good as going there.