Stocking stuffers for grandparents: 15 small gifts for Grandma and Grandpa

1. Warm, soft socks

Socks are a classic stocking stuffer because they are truly welcome. Choose a soft, warm pair with a loose top that is gentle on the ankles, or a pair with grips on the sole for wood and tile floors. Fun patterns are fine for a Grandpa with a sense of humor. Roll them up and put them in the toe of the stocking, where socks belong.

2. Their favorite candy from years ago

Find the sweets they loved when they were young: butterscotch discs, peppermint sticks, chocolate-covered cherries, licorice, ribbon candy. A small bag of an old favorite will get a bigger smile than an expensive box of chocolates, and it nearly always comes with a story about the corner store where they used to buy it.

3. A pocket-size photo of the grandchildren

Print this year's school pictures or a favorite snapshot in wallet size, and add a small magnetic frame for the fridge or a keychain frame for the car keys. Write each child's name and age on the back. Grandparents like to have a current photo close at hand, ready to show a neighbor at a moment's notice.

4. A rolled-up scroll of questions

Print a page of questions about their lives, roll it up and tie it with ribbon. On Christmas afternoon, let each grandchild choose one to ask. You can pick favorites from our free list of questions to ask your grandparents.

To turn it into a full gift, tuck in a note that says a journal is waiting under the tree: Tell Me Your Story, Grandma or Tell Me Your Story, Grandpa, each with 100 guided questions and 120 quick memory questions. They are printable downloads, so you can print one on any day in December.

5. A deck of large-print playing cards

A fresh deck of cards with big, clear numbers is easy on the eyes and gets used all year for solitaire, gin rummy and games with the grandkids. Add a small score pad and a pencil. If they have a favorite card game, write a challenge on the box: "Best of three, after dinner".

6. A special tea, coffee or cocoa

A small tin of good loose tea, a bag of fresh coffee or a few packets of rich hot chocolate fits neatly into a stocking and makes winter mornings a little nicer. Choose a flavor close to what they already drink. A jar of local honey or a cinnamon stick or two finishes the set.

7. Question cards for the Christmas table

Our printable Christmas Eve Family Question Game includes 48 question cards in four categories: Christmas Past, Family Firsts, Just for Fun and Hearts & Memories. Print and cut the cards, tie a stack with string, and slip it into the stocking.

At dinner, pass the cards around the table. Grandparents usually have the best answers, and the youngest guests love asking.

8. A handwritten note from each grandchild

Give every grandchild a small card and one sentence to finish: "I love it when you...". Little ones can draw a picture instead. Fold the cards small and scatter them through the stocking, so Grandma and Grandpa keep finding another one as they dig. These are the stocking stuffers that tend to be saved in a drawer long after the candy is gone.

9. Cozy gloves or a soft scarf

A light pair of knit gloves, a soft scarf or a fleece ear warmer rolls up small and is put to use on the very first cold walk to the mailbox. Pick a color that matches the coat they already wear. Gloves with touchscreen fingertips are handy for grandparents who answer video calls on the go.

10. A puzzle book and a good pen

A book of crosswords, word searches or number puzzles in large print, plus a smooth pen or a mechanical pencil with an eraser, is a daily pleasure for many grandparents. Choose the kind of puzzle they already enjoy, and a level that is fun, not frustrating. A small jigsaw puzzle in a tin is a nice alternative.

11. Hand cream and lip balm

Winter is hard on hands. A tube of rich, lightly scented hand cream and a good lip balm are small comforts that get used every day and rarely get bought as a treat. For Grandpa, look for an unscented working-hands cream. It is a useful little present, and useful is welcome.

12. Something homemade from your kitchen

A small bag of homemade cookies, spiced nuts, fudge or granola tied with a ribbon is a gift of your time. Even better, bake something from Grandma's own recipe and label it with her name. If you are far away, choose something sturdy that travels well, and send it in a tin.

13. A book of stamps and pretty notecards

Many grandparents still love to send real mail. A book of stamps, a small pack of notecards and a few return address labels make it easy. Add a list of the grandchildren's current addresses, especially for those away at college. You may well start getting letters back, which is a gift for the whole family.

14. An ornament with this year's date

A simple ornament marked with the year, a child's handprint in salt dough, or a small photo ornament of the newest grandbaby gives them something to hang on the tree right away. Over time these become a little history of the family, one ornament for each year, and unpacking them every December is a pleasure of its own.

15. Coupons for time together

Make a few small paper coupons: "Good for one afternoon of baking", "Good for a ride to the garden center", "Good for one phone lesson", "Good for a Sunday lunch, my treat". Children can decorate them. These cost nothing, weigh nothing, and are often the most valued thing in the stocking, as long as you remember to honor every one.