# Gift idea for an Octogenarian?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-idea-for-an-octogenarian/562693>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 2, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-idea-for-an-octogenarian/562693 "2010-12-02T18:34:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-idea-for-an-octogenarian/562693/21 "2010-12-05T18:53:50Z")

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> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#):
>
> Every year, I ask them if there’s something they’d rather have. And every year, they assure me that they love the edibles, because they are CONSUMABLE, and they re-use the tins.

Reminds me of elderly friends who send a huge, very ornate tin of German cookies and chocolates to us every Christmas. The box alone is quite beautiful, so when calling to thank them, I mentioned to the wife “…and the tin box is really nice!”  
She answered, “Yes. And it makes a great casket for a cat.”  
She meant that sincerely, and actually used one for her cat when it died, but now I have that stuck in my head and whenever the package arrives, I tell my SO “the kitty casket is here…”

Back to the OP.

I agree that edibles are the best route to go - practical and something the person can use. Most of the gifts I used to buy my parents would sit in the garage, unopened and unused until I too caught on that nibbles were the best way to go. Those huge cans of cashews and gourmet foods you find at Costco or Sam’s Club are perfect.

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**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-idea-for-an-octogenarian/562693/22 "2010-12-05T21:39:25Z")

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For my grandpa’s last Father’s Day, one of his daughters made him a cd with a huge number of family photos and a soundtrack. He watched it about a dozen times that day, and talked about it for 3 months. It was really great.

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**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-idea-for-an-octogenarian/562693/23 "2010-12-05T21:45:07Z")

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How about a nice, warm, comfortable pair of house slippers.

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