How to Celebrate a Grandparent's Birthday

Last Updated: July 11, 2022

Your grandparents are some of the most important people in your life, and celebrating their birthday with them is one of the best ways to show them how much you care. Whether your grandparent lives far away, wants a quiet celebration, or is hoping for a huge party, you can make sure they have a happy birthday!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Choosing the Right Gift

1
Figure out your budget. Knowing how much you have to spend will help you pick out a gift more easily. Add up your monthly income or savings, and then subtract all of your expenses, including anything you want to save and anything else you need to buy. Anything left will be your gift budget.
- It’s okay if you don’t have enough money for a big gift--many grandparents are happy to receive anything from their grandchildren.
- You can also combine your budget with other family members to buy a group gift.
2
Ask your grandparents what they would like. Talk to them about what they'd like for their birthday, and listen carefully to their response. If you want to keep your gift a surprise, ask your parents or another close relative what they think your grandparent would like for their birthday.

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3
Buy a gift based on their interests. If you don’t know what they would like, think about what they like to do and pick a gift that’s related to it. For example, if your grandfather likes to golf, a golf shirt would make an excellent gift.
4
Make a homemade gift. If your budget is tight or you're the creative type, make a gift for your grandparents.^{[1]
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- A homemade card with a heartfelt message is always a great choice. Get creative with your cardmaking by adding drawings, craft supplies, or stickers to your card. Write a short message about your love for your grandparents on the inside.
- If you live far away from your grandparents, a photo album is a great way to show them what's going on in your life. Include pictures of you, your family, and any sightseeing or trips you've taken. You can put your photos in a ready-made album, or buy a blank scrapbook and design your own pages.
- Try making something they can use or display, like homemade soap, scented candles, or a memory box.
5
Choose a gift card. If you aren’t sure what your grandparent would like, a gift card can be a good option! Make sure that they know how to use it and that it is for a store in their area--many older people are uncomfortable shopping online.^{[2]
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6
Give your gift in time for their birthday. Make sure you can visit them on or before their birthday to give them their gift. If you live far away from your grandparent, you should mail out packages about a week in advance. If they live in a different country, you may need to mail your gift several weeks before their birthday.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Planning a Party

1
Ask them what kind of party they want!^{[3]
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Expert Source

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.} Ask your grandparent directly if they would prefer a big party, a small celebration, or a family outing. Don’t ignore their requests!^{[4]
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- If you can't ask your grandparent directly, think about what kinds of parties they've liked in the past, or ask your parents or another close family member what they think your grandparent would like.
- If you're thinking about a surprise party, be absolutely sure that your grandparents would like one before you proceed. Many older people find surprise parties upsetting. Ask yourself if they have hinted about wanting a surprise party, if they've enjoyed surprise parties in the past, or if they like surprises in general.
2
Set a budget. This will determine how elaborate the party will be.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.} This is especially important if you are taking your grandparent out--don’t expect them pay for their own birthday celebration! If you would like other family members to help you with the costs, ask them as soon as you can.
- Your budget should include food, drinks, cake, admission to any events, parking and transportation, decorations, and a gift.
3
Choose a date and location. If you can't celebrate on your grandparent's actual birthday, try the weekend before or after. Ask your grandparent if there is a time and a place they would prefer. Be sure that important guests, like your parents, aunts, and uncles, will be able to attend as well.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.} Depending on your budget and your grandparent's preference, you can have the event at a restaurant, your home, your grandparent's home, or a special event space.^{[7]
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4
Invite the guests. Ask your grandparent or parent for a guest list. Be sure to include your grandparent’s friends and relatives, even if you don’t know them. Do not invite your own friends, and do not “surprise” your grandparent by inviting someone they are estranged from. Be sure to send out invitations at least a month in advance.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.}
5
Buy food and drink for the party. Whether or not you order food or make it yourself will depend on your budget. Make sure that each guest has plenty to eat and drink--a good general rule is one pound of food and three drinks per person. If you are having the party at a restaurant, you will need to make sure their prices fit your budget.^{[9]
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6
Decorate the event space. Adult birthday parties don’t need as many decorations as children’s parties, but a few balloons and streamers will make the celebration more festive. Subdued, mature color schemes like black and white, silver and gold, and burgundy and cream are good choices for a grandparent’s birthday party.^{[10]
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7
Plan a short birthday speech. If you are hosting the party, you should prepare a short speech to deliver before the cake is served. It doesn’t have to be anything long or special, but you should recognize the occasion with a few words.
- If you aren't sure what to say, try "I wanted to thank everybody for coming to Grandparent's birthday. Grandparent has been such an inspiration to all of us, and I want to take a moment to tell Grandparent how much I love them. Happy birthday, Grandparent!"
8
Arrange for cleanup.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.} This is especially important if the party is at your grandparent's house. Don’t leave them with a mess on their birthday! You can ask family members to stay late and help you clean up, or you can even hire cleaning staff.^{[12]
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- If you're hiring a catering company, make sure they are cleaning up as they go, picking up dirty plates and glasses. This will help lessen the total cleanup needed at the end of the party.^{[13]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christina Millikin
  Founder & CEO, Glow Events
  Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Spending Quality Time with Your Grandparent

1
Talk to your grandparent. If you don’t live close enough to your grandparents to visit, make sure you get in touch for their birthday! Call them, email them, or write them a letter, depending on what technology they’re most comfortable with.
2
Plan a small outing for your grandparent. If they have asked to go out for their birthday, plan the excursion for them. Depending on their interests, make dinner reservations, buy show tickets, or arrange a tour guide. Make sure you arrange transportation and payment for them.^{[14]
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3
Arrange a quiet birthday at home. If your grandparent would prefer to stay at home or visit you for their birthday, plan for a small celebration in your home or theirs. Keep it small and low-key--invite only immediate family, and serve a cake and basic refreshments instead of a full dinner.^{[15]
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4
Ask other relatives to get in touch with them. If you know that your relatives often forget to call or visit, remind them of your grandparent’s upcoming birthday ahead of time. Many grandparents would appreciate hearing from all of their children and grandchildren, and helping make that happen would be a great birthday gift.
5
Tell them how much they mean to you. Quiet time together is the perfect opportunity to wish your grandparent a happy birthday and tell them about your love and respect for them. If you feel awkward speaking directly to them, write it down in a birthday card and give it to them.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you celebrate a unique birthday?

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Christina Millikin is the Founder and former CEO of Glow Events, an event planning agency based in San Francisco, California. Glow Events is a boutique event planning firm specializing in full event production and creative design for corporate and social events. Christina has worked with clients such as Salesforce, Heroku, Okta, and Netflix. Glow Events' work has been featured in Martha Stewert Weddings, InStyle, and SanFrancisco Magazine. Christina is an advisor to the management team at Glow, as well as a business advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, and she has a BS in Marketing from the University of Florida.

Christina Millikin

Founder & CEO, Glow Events

Expert Answer

For a signature birthday, just have fun and make it the party that the person have always wanted! Allow your grandparents to be a kid again and do something that will make them happy!
Question

How can I keep the party on budget?

Christina Millikin
Founder & CEO, Glow Events
Christina Millikin is the Founder and former CEO of Glow Events, an event planning agency based in San Francisco, California. Glow Events is a boutique event planning firm specializing in full event production and creative design for corporate and social events. Christina has worked with clients such as Salesforce, Heroku, Okta, and Netflix. Glow Events' work has been featured in Martha Stewert Weddings, InStyle, and SanFrancisco Magazine. Christina is an advisor to the management team at Glow, as well as a business advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, and she has a BS in Marketing from the University of Florida.

Christina Millikin

Founder & CEO, Glow Events

Expert Answer

Always start with a total budget that you want to have for everything to add up to. Then, create targets for every single category that you need, like venue, caterer, florist, etc. When interviewing vendors, see if they're all really aligned with your budget before making a decision.
Question

I am 7, my nana is in heaven with Jesus. How can I talk to her?

Community Answer

You can talk to her. All you have to do is pray and she will listen. Remember that she is in a better place and you will see her again. In the meantime, she is watching over you.