Gifts from The Grands

Part of The Parent Bloggers Grandkids Gift Giving Blog Blast. 

The question is, How do you deal with the grandparents’ gifts at your house - are you a list-giver, cash-taker, or just extremely trusting? And what do you do when the gift giving goes terribly wrong?

I have been exceedingly happy with the gifts that my kids have gotten from their grandparents.  One set usually gives magazines, which I adore for them, because a) I can't afford them and b) they get a gift all year and c) they don't clutter up the house. And handmade toys, which go over REALLY well.  One grandparent gives money.  I usually swipe it for myself. (kidding!  Mostly.) The only gift I could ever say that went terribly wrong was the habit that one grandparent has of giving one of my children  one of those stuffed animals that laughs or sings or plays music every.stinkin'.holiday, but I just send those to live with that grandparent and all is cool.

The best thing, I think, has been the gifts of time that both my mother and my father have given my kids.  One year for Christmas my father and his wife paid for a plane trip out to visit for two weeks for my oldest kids.  That was a great time for them, to get to know my father, who they had never really met for any length of time.

My mom has a great habit.  It started about three years ago.  For Easter, for Valentines, for really any gift giving, she gives them "Nana time."  A trip to a movie, a show, a ride on the carousel.  An ice cream eating trip, a jaunt to the bookstore, a whale watching expedition or a museum visit.  All great trips. All memory building experiences. All enjoyable times for all involved.

In case you aren't so lucky, check out the Grandparents gift guide.  It is a truly fantastic, comprehensive guide to great gifts for grandkids.