Christmas Gifts for an Elderly Man

Ask an older man what he wants for Christmas and the answer is almost always nothing. That usually means he has what he needs and does not want a fuss made over him. The best Christmas gift for an elderly man either makes his daily routine easier or honors the life he has lived. Our top pick is a song made from the stories he tells over and over, because it shows him someone was listening.

Listen to a real Songbond song

This one was made for another family. Yours would carry his name and your stories.

12 Christmas gift ideas for an elderly man

1. A song made from his stories ($39.90). The time he drove across the country, the job he held for 30 years, the way he still calls his wife the boss. Share them and Songbond turns them into an original song, ready within 24 hours.
2. A handyman for the jobs he can no longer do. Book someone to clear the gutters, fix the dripping tap and change the high light bulbs. Many men find it hard to ask for help, so paying for it ahead of time takes the pride out of it. Usually $100 to $250.
3. A simple radio with big dials. For ball games, the news and the old station he likes. Skip anything that needs an app. Usually $40 to $100.
4. A framed map of his hometown. An old map or aerial photo of the town or street where he grew up. It starts a conversation every time someone visits. Usually $40 to $100.
5. A zip cardigan with deep pockets. Warm, easy to put on, with room for glasses, keys and a handkerchief. Usually $40 to $80.
6. A guided memory journal. A book of questions about his childhood, his work and his family, with space to answer. If writing is hard for him, sit together and write down what he says. Usually $15 to $30.
7. A front page from the day he was born. A reprint of the newspaper from his birth date or his wedding day, framed or rolled in a tube. Usually $30 to $60.
8. A heated seat cushion. For his favorite chair or the car. Look for one with an automatic shut-off. Usually $30 to $60.
9. Binoculars and a bird guide. For the back porch or a drive out to the lake. Pick a lightweight pair he can hold steady. Usually $40 to $120.
10. A puzzle made from a family photo. 300 or 500 pieces, printed from a picture of him with the grandchildren or with his old truck. Usually $25 to $50.
11. A drive to see the Christmas lights. Pick him up after dark, bring a thermos of coffee and take the long way through the best-lit streets. It costs a tank of gas.
12. A standing lunch date. The same diner, the same day, once a month through the new year. Write the dates on a card so he can put it on the fridge.

How to choose a gift he will use

Older men tend to use what fits a routine they already have. Watch what he does for a day: where he sits, what he listens to, what he grumbles about. The gift that fixes one of those small grumbles will get more use than anything new and shiny.

• If he is proud and independent: the handyman visit, the cardigan or the heated cushion.
• If he loves to talk about the old days: the memory journal, the hometown map or the song.
• If he gets lonely in winter: the lunch date, the lights drive or the radio.

What to put in his song

Think about the stories he tells at every family dinner, the ones everyone at the table can finish for him. Those are the best material you have. Then add the small, specific things: the nickname his old friends still use, the coffee he refuses to change, the phrase he says every time he gets up from the table. Words like kind and hardworking describe a lot of men. A detail only your family knows is what makes the song sound like him and nobody else.

Give him his song this Christmas

Create a song from his stories. Share what you know about him and the song is ready within 24 hours. There is nothing to ship, so even if you are reading this on December 23rd, express delivery gets it to you in about an hour.

Also in the Journal: songs for grandpa and why a song makes a good Christmas gift.