A Gift for Grandmother or Grandfather: A Gift That Lasts Generations
Grandmother and grandfather have seen most things. They built the family, worked their way through an entire working life, and now say "you shouldn't buy anything for me". But when they unwrap a hand-painted painting of the family, their childhood home or their own father, the tears come. Ready in 2-3 weeks, delivered throughout Switzerland.
Order their painting →A generation that asks for nothing
Grandmother and grandfather belong to the generation that "doesn't need anything". They have lived a whole life in which you did not ask for presents and in which home, family and honesty mattered most. That makes them the hardest - and the most grateful - people to give a gift to.
The truth is that older family members often already have most things. They have bought what they need over a lifetime. What they lack is not things. It is memories - made visible and permanent. A hand-painted painting of a grandchild, of an old photo of their own father, or of the house they built in 1972 hits exactly where their heart is.
We have painted hundreds of paintings for grandmothers and grandfathers. The reaction is often the same: a long silence, a hand that trembles a little, an "I never expected this". Many older family members are hard to reach emotionally - but a personal painting hits them right in the chest, even those who are "not like that".
See examples in our guide to a personal painting, and find motif inspiration on our page about personal gifts.
Why a painting moves grandmother and grandfather so deeply
There are several reasons why hand-painted portraits affect the older generation so strongly. Here is why it works so well.
1. It speaks to a tradition they value
Grandmother and grandfather grew up in a time when paintings and portraits were something that was handed down. It speaks to a culture they understand - and appreciate in a way younger generations perhaps do not.
2. It tells the family's story
For older family members, the family is the whole point of the work. A painting of the grandchildren, of their own parents, or of the childhood home is a visual story of everything they have built.
3. It breaks through their modesty
The older generation almost always says "you shouldn't buy anything". But what they mean is "you shouldn't waste money on me". A hand-painted painting is not wasted money - it is a memory. They understand that.
4. It brings back images they have not seen in 50 years
Many older people have old black-and-white photos of their parents or grandparents in a drawer. We paint them in full colour - and suddenly grandmother can "talk to" her own mother, whom she has not seen clearly in 50 years.
5. It is an inheritance - not just a gift
An oil painting with UV varnish lasts 50+ years. When grandfather has passed away, the painting still hangs in the family - first with his children, then with the grandchildren. It becomes a bridge between generations.
6. Time is short - use it
We will not sugar-coat it: time with grandmother and grandfather is limited. A hand-painted painting is one of the gifts they get to enjoy - and that the family inherits afterwards. Many customers later write that the painting was given "at the last moment" and is now the family's most treasured heirloom.
4 motif ideas that work for grandmother and grandfather
The older generation has a broader repertoire of motifs they love. Here are the four most often chosen with us.
1 His vintage car or her childhood home
Grandfather often has an iconic memory from his youth - an old Ford, a motorbike from the 60s, the fishing boat. Grandmother has her childhood home, the village shop she grew up in, or the garden she grew up with. A painting of the physical things from their youth hits deeply.
2 The family together - several generations
For the older generation, family is about belonging across generations. A painting with children, grandchildren (and perhaps great-grandchildren) on the same canvas is the ultimate gift - a visual family tree. We can combine several photos into one. Read our guide to a family painting from several photos.
3 Their own parents - great-grandmother and great-grandfather
For a grandmother of 85, her own mother died 40 years ago. She may have just one black-and-white photo left. We paint it in colour - and suddenly she gets her mother back as a painting. It is one of the most touching gifts we make.
4 The home or the holiday house
The house grandfather built himself in 1972. The holiday house grandmother has held together for 40 years. The place where the whole family has spent Christmas Eve since 1985. A painting of a physical place is a gift that points to a life's work.
Read our guide to preparing old photos - especially useful when you are using older pictures of grandmother's or grandfather's parents.
Prices for a personal painting as a gift for grandmother and grandfather
One fixed price per size - frame and shipping included. All prices are for a hand-painted painting on canvas in genuine oil paint, with a floating frame and free shipping throughout Switzerland. For grandparents, a medium size is typically perfect - not so large that it dominates the room, but large enough to be clearly seen.
| Size | Price | Best for grandmother/grandfather |
|---|---|---|
| 60 x 40 cm | 495 CHF | Retirement or care home, smaller flat or his office - discreet but visible |
| 70 x 50 cm Popular | 645 CHF | Classic gift for grandfather's living room or grandmother's wall |
| 70 x 70 cm | 795 CHF | When several generations pool together for the gift - a beautiful family portrait |
| 100 x 70 cm | 1,095 CHF | A family legacy with all the children and grandchildren together - an heirloom |
A floating frame in black, white, natural, silver or gold is included in the price - the painting arrives ready to hang. See our full price guide to a hand-painted portrait, or go straight to the order now.
How to have the gift ready in 2-3 weeks
A birthday, Christmas, a special day - the whole process takes 2-3 weeks from order to wrapped gift. For busy periods such as Christmas, we recommend ordering in good time.
From photo to finished grandparent gift in 2-3 weeks
Choose a photo
Find the right photo of the family, his vintage car, her mother or the childhood home.
Approval
We check the photo and suggest improvements, especially for old black-and-white pictures.
We paint
Our artist paints in genuine oil paint on canvas over 7-10 days. You receive pictures along the way.
Delivery
Packed discreetly, delivered by trackable parcel shipping (DHL/UPS) to the front door. Ready to give on the day.
If you are worried about not making it in time - or if grandmother/grandfather should choose the motif themselves - we have a gift card solution that can be given on the day.
3 stories from grandmothers and grandfathers who received their painting
How does the older generation - who often say "you shouldn't buy anything" - react when they unwrap a hand-painted painting? Here are three stories.
"My grandfather turned 80 and said, as always, 'You shouldn't buy anything for me.' We gave him a painting of his old MF tractor from the farm in the Emmental where he grew up. He looked at it for five minutes without a word. Then he just said, 'You thought of this.' It is the closest I have ever seen him come to tears."
"We gave my grandmother a large 70x100 cm painting of the whole family - 12 people on the same canvas - for her 90th birthday. Her hands shook so much that she could not open the parcel herself. When she saw it, she cried quietly for 10 minutes. She died three months later, and the painting now hangs with us as the family's most treasured heirloom."
"My grandfather lost his own father in 1962 and has never had a good picture of him. We found a small worn photo in a drawer and ordered a painting. He is 88 and normally very reserved. When he unwrapped the painting, he sat down quietly and said 'Hello, Dad.' I cried for the rest of the evening. It is the most beautiful gift I have ever given."
Frequently asked questions about a gift for grandmother and grandfather
How long does it take to have a painting made as a gift for grandmother or grandfather?
The total delivery time is 2-3 weeks from order until the painting is ready. Our artist spends 7-10 days on the painting itself, and it is then packed and sent by trackable parcel shipping (DHL/UPS).
Does it need to be faster - for a special birthday? Contact us and we will find a solution. In busy periods such as Christmas, we recommend ordering in good time.
Can you paint from an old black-and-white photo of grandfather's father or mother?
Yes - it is one of the most touching tasks we do. We have painted countless black-and-white photos from the 1940s, 50s and 60s in full colour. We research skin tones, clothing and backgrounds to make the result realistic.
Read our photo preparation guide - especially the section on old, worn photos.
How much does a painting as a gift for grandmother or grandfather cost?
Prices start at 495 CHF for 60x40 cm - frame and shipping included. For the older generation, these sizes are the most popular:
60 x 40 cm: 495 CHF (retirement or care home, or a smaller flat)
70 x 50 cm: 645 CHF (classic gift - popular)
70 x 70 cm: 795 CHF (family portrait)
100 x 70 cm: 1,095 CHF (family legacy with all the children and grandchildren)
Free shipping throughout Switzerland, and the floating frame is included in the price. Read more in our price guide.
What if grandfather lives in a care home and has no space?
In that case, we recommend 60x40 cm. It fits on a chest of drawers, a bedside table or a small piece of wall. It does not take up much space, but it is still visible enough that he sees it every single day and can show it to staff and visitors.
Many families have given 60x40 cm paintings to grandparents in care homes - it is the size we most often recommend in that situation.
Can several children and grandchildren pool together for the gift?
Absolutely - and it is one of the loveliest ways to give a large painting to grandmother or grandfather. When three generations (children and grandchildren) chip in for a 70x70 cm or 100x70 cm painting, it becomes a shared family gift - often with everyone in the family on the same canvas.
Read about how we combine several photos in our guide to a family painting from several photos together.
What if grandmother or grandfather does not like it?
We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If they are not happy with the painting, we repaint it for free or you get all your money back. It happens very rarely - the older generation is the most grateful group of recipients we have.
Read the details in our satisfaction guarantee.
For which occasions do you give a painting to grandparents?
The most popular occasions are milestone birthdays (75, 80, 85, 90 years), Christmas, Father's Day and wedding anniversaries. But we especially recommend being proactive when grandmother or grandfather is over 80 - time is short, and a personal painting is a gift they get to enjoy.
Our page about a gift for him has specific ideas for grandfather, and gift for her for grandmother.
Will the painting become an heirloom the family can keep?
Yes - it is actually one of the strongest advantages of a hand-painted oil painting. Genuine oil paint with UV varnish lasts 50+ years. When grandmother or grandfather has passed away, the painting lives on in the family - first with the children, then with the grandchildren.
Many customers write to us later that the painting we made for a late grandfather is now the family's most treasured heirloom - a bridge between generations.
Order grandmother's or grandfather's painting today
The older generation almost always says "you shouldn't buy anything". But a hand-painted painting of the family, their parents or the childhood home is the gift they never expected, and that the family inherits afterwards. Ready in 2-3 weeks with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.