How To Appreciate Your Grandparents ♥

   In my last post, I said I was going to create a list of ways in which you can appreciate your grandparents and the time in which you have left. The idea is to create some fun, interesting ideas as to how to spend this time, and to avoid being the people saying "I wish I had..." instead of "I'm glad I did..." These ideas are not limited to any particular time, therefore you can pull these out of the blue whenever you wish. Starting with the simple, everyday, almost mundane ways of appreciation to those with a little bit more thought, and some specific to particular days, I'm sure there's a little bit of everything for everyone. No matter what time or age limitations apply to you.

• Dedicate a day to doing whatever your grandparents would like. This can be as simple as baking a cake, talking or playing a game of backyard cricket.
• Buy them gifts and their favourite chocolate. If you don't know what they like, then ask them! Take them on a shopping trip and spoil them rotten, and pay for everything yourself.
• Take them for a picnic or out to a fancy dinner. Make it even more special and do it on a special day. For example, if your grandma is widowed, take her out for dinner and a movie or cook it home-style on the day of her anniversary to her deceased partner. Instead of moping at home, she'll enjoy the time with you and appreciate that you thought of her on the loneliest day of her year.
• Simply sit and listen to the stories they have to tell. In order to make this even more memorable, grab a notepad and pen, or laptop, and write down each story they tell. Grab a scrapbook and create it into a scrapbook-style storybook for you and your family to share. Trust me, they'll all appreciate it.
• Create a little spa gift pack for them. Include a bar of their favourite chocolate, home-made biscuits, a fluffy new towel, bathrobe, bath crystals, candles and lovely shampoo, conditioner and perfume/deodorant. To make it even more memorable? Have dinner cooking while they're spoiling themselves and present it to them like a waiter in a five-star hotel when they emerge.
• Make a personalized cup for them. Grab a permanent marker, a plain cup and design whatever you wish. 'I love you Grandma/Grandpa' is enough or look to songs for inspiration. Place the cup in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius for approximately 5-10 minutes for the ink to set.
• Frame a photo of them.
• Hug them. Sounds too simple to be appreciative but it's probably the best. Give them a tight squeeze to show them they are truly loved.
• Call them. Don't have the time? Email them. They don't have the internet? Post a letter. Don't have the time or the words? Grab a post card, write 'I love you Grandma/Grandpa', stick on a stamp and get your assistant to post it. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!
• Create a CD of all the old songs they used to listen to, and listen to it with them.
• Have a water fight.
• Play board games.
• Take them overseas.
• Save your money, grab a map and tell them to point to any place. Wherever they point, you must take them there just for an ice cream of their choosing. Could get very interesting depending on how large an amount of land your map covers, whether it be just the state, country or even the whole world!

So on a final note, R.I.P. Grandpop and Grandnan Hend, and Grandpop and Grandnan Watson. You are dearly missed every single day and the stories you have left behind are both inspirational and a lot of the time, hilarious. Love you all! ♥