For grandpa: a gift that's neither a gadget nor another book
Grandpas have a reputation for being hard to buy for. They already have everything, and gadgets aren't their thing. A personalised colouring book works because it sits outside the usual options (not high-tech, not edible, not yet another historical biography) while staying tangible and personal. The grandchildren can even come and colour it with him. And there's no need to wait for Christmas: Grandparents Day is a good excuse.
A few examples that work for this case
Personalised gift ideas for grandpa
Grandpas often say they don't need anything, and they're usually right. The gifts that work with them are useful, tied to what they love doing, or bring them closer to the grandkids. A few ideas, from the most practical to the most sentimental.
1.A quality tool for his hobby
Good pruning shears, a tackle box, a well-made pocketknife. A solid tool lasts for years and he'll actually use it. Only go this way if you know his habits: people with a hobby have strong opinions about their gear.
2.A day out with one grandchild
A ballgame, a boat trip, a railroad or car museum with a grandson or granddaughter. The time together matters more than the place. Someone just has to organise it and hold the date.
3.His stories on record
A grandchild asks him about growing up, his first job, how he met grandma, and records it on a phone. Nothing to buy. The family keeps his voice, which only gets more precious over the years.
4.A colouring book with his grandkids
His photos with them become colour pages and pages to colour. If he doesn't colour, the kids will do it next to him. Allow 5 to 7 business days before shipping, and use sharp photos: blurry scenes taken from far away turn into weak line art.
5.An old photo, restored and framed
His wedding, his first car, his old team: have a worn print scanned, restored and framed. Inexpensive and very personal, as long as you can track down the original.
6.A game to pass on
The card or board game he loved as a kid, so he can teach it to the grandchildren. Add a note that sets the date of the first game, or the box stays shrink-wrapped.
Gifts for grandpa: the traps to avoid
The first trap is the gadget. A smart weather station, a key tracker, a mug with a slogan: fun for five minutes, then gathering dust. If it needs an app or a manual, ask yourself who's going to set it up.
The second is the generic grandpa gift: the best grandpa ever apron, yet another history book. He probably owns the last three. A personalised gift only earns the name if it carries something of his, his photos, his places, his grandkids, and not just his title.
The third is the rushed gift. Grandpas spot a last-minute card right away. On the other hand, a grandchild's drawing tucked into the package changes how he receives everything else.
Which photos to pick for grandpa's book
Beyond recent photos, look for his earlier life: grandpa as a young dad at the beach, next to his first car, on his wedding day. The grandkids discover a man they never knew, and he starts telling stories. Scanned prints work as long as the faces are sharp.
Keep one photo per moment. Three near-identical shots of the same cookout make three pages that look alike. Twelve different scenes are better, even if a few are less than perfect. For group shots, choose the ones where grandpa and one or two grandkids fill most of the frame.
In the cover title, use the name the grandkids call him, Grandpa, Pop, Papa or Gramps: it's the first word he'll read. A short dedication from them gets a page of its own, signed with all their names.
Christmas, Grandparents Day, Father's Day: when to give it
Christmas is still when grandpas get the most gifts. The book gets opened with the whole family around: the grandkids look for themselves in the pages and grandpa comments on every photo. In December, order early and leave extra room for shipping.
Grandparents Day is quieter, and its date depends on where you live. Fewer packages, more attention, which makes it a good moment for a gift that takes some preparation. Father's Day works too: plenty of grandpas get a card from the grandkids that day.
For a milestone birthday, 70 or 80, pick one photo per decade. For his retirement, mix photos from his working life with weekends spent with the kids: the book marks the move to more time for them.
Our tip for grandpa
Pick photos of shared activities: fishing, the garden, DIY, walks. Grandpas usually prefer real scenes to posed portraits. If you know he'll never colour himself, the album becomes a way to trigger time with the grandchildren when they visit.
Recommended format
24-page book, £34.99
Hardback
Room for several activities and several grandchildren without diluting the focus.
Create the album for grandpaHow we make your book
Printed on demand by our print partner, close to your delivery address. Square 21.6 cm format, 90 gsm uncoated inner paper that holds pencils and water-based markers well, hardback on the 12 and 24-photo formats (saddle-stitched on the 6-photo format).
- 21.6 cmsquare format
- Stays flat when open on the table, the right size for colouring.
- 90 gsmmatte uncoated paper
- A grain that grips coloured pencils and won't bleed with markers.
- Soft or hardcover
- Softcover for the 6 photo format, rigid hardback for the 12 / 24.
- 5 to 7days to ship
- Printed as a single copy by a professional printer, then shipped with tracking.
Frequently asked questions
Grandpa never colours. Is it worth it?
Yes. The album becomes the thing the grandchildren pull out when they visit grandpa. It works less as a solo activity and more as a trigger for shared moments.
When is Grandparents' Day in the UK?
In the UK, Grandparents' Day falls on the first Sunday of October: 3 October 2027, then 1 October 2028. Allow time to choose your photos, approve the pages and receive the book. If the date is too close, a gift card can be given right away.
What do you get a grandpa who has everything?
Time or memories rather than another object. A day out with a grandchild, a restored old photo, a book made from family pictures: things he can't buy for himself. A colouring book has an extra use, because the grandkids pull it out to colour with him when they visit.
What's a good gift for a first-time grandpa?
With a first grandchild, the photo of their first meeting at the hospital is often the one he keeps. Early on, photos with the baby are still scarce, so the 6-photo book fills up more easily, or you can wait a few months to have more. A gift card also lets you give it right away and choose the photos later.
Can we give one book to both grandparents?
Yes, if they live together. Pick photos where each of them appears with the grandchildren, and bring both of their names together in the cover title. If you're also celebrating the other set of grandparents, make one book per couple: a shared book always ends up at one house and never at the other.
Our personalised books made from your photos
Three ways to turn your family photos into an activity book, from free colouring to guided play.
- Personalised colouring bookEach photo becomes a colour keepsake page and the same scene to colour freely.
- Personalised colour by numberYour photos as numbered zones with a colour legend: guided colouring, true to the memory.
- Personalised dot to dotThe drawing of your photo appears as you connect the numbers, then gets coloured in.
Ready to create your book?
Every page is checked before printing.
Create the album for grandpaRead more
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