Christmas gifts for grandparents in India: one gift for both of them, from all the grandchildren, safe for older handsChristmas gifts for grandparents in India: one gift for both of them, from all the grandchildren, safe for older hands

A gift for their house, not for each of them

Grandparents rarely want two separate presents. What they enjoy at Christmas is the house full: grandchildren back from college, a cake on the table, the crib or the tree in the corner, everyone at lunch. So the gift that works is one thing for their home, given by all the grandchildren together, that is still there on an ordinary evening in January.

It also has to be safe. Older eyes, a hand that shakes a little, a shawl that trails: an open flame in a grandparent's house needs more care than in yours.

Raajkosh hand-pours pure soy wax candles in Jalandhar. For grandparents we would pick:

• Vanilla Reverie, Rs 549: our only scented candle, warm vanilla in an amber glass jar with a black screw lid and gold flakes. The flame sits inside the glass, the lid goes back on when they are done, and it can stay on a side table with no fuss.
• Spiral Pillar Candles, Rs 799 for the set of 5 in ivory, pink, blue, yellow and navy, or Rs 179 for a single. For the Christmas lunch table, lit only while the family is seated around it.
• Urli Candles, Rs 699 for the pair: flower-shaped bowls with a gold rim and a yellow wax sunflower. For grandparents who mark Christmas as a family holiday alongside Diwali, a pair either side of the door looks festive in either season, lit or not.

Choosing by how they live

The set of five spirals with Vanilla Reverie comes to Rs 1,348 and ships free. Vanilla Reverie with the Urli pair is Rs 1,248, also free. Below Rs 999, shipping is Rs 79.

Splitting it between the grandchildren

If there are four or five cousins, the cleanest way is for one person to order and the rest to send their share on UPI. The gift reads better with every name on it:

• One card, every grandchild's name, in each person's own writing if you meet before Christmas, or typed on the gift note if you are sending it. You can add gift packaging and a gift note on the product page.
• "Dadi" or "Nanu" on the tag of the candle itself is a custom piece, by enquiry; our personalised gifts for grandparents page explains what to ask for.
• Add a printed photo of all the cousins from this year. Grandparents keep those far longer than any candle.

Making sure they use it safely

Tell whoever lives with them, or tell them yourself on the phone after it arrives:

• Never leave a lit candle in a room nobody is in, and blow it out before they nap.
• Keep it on a stable, heat-proof surface, away from curtains, the tree, the crib straw and trailing shawls.
• Trim the wick to about 5 mm before each use, and keep each burn to 3 to 4 hours.
• With the vanilla jar, let the glass cool before moving it.

If any of that worries you, ask them to keep it unlit. Every piece we make is shaped to look good on a shelf.

Other Christmas gifts grandparents enjoy

• A plum cake or a rich fruit cake from a bakery they like, delivered on the 24th.
• A warm shawl, a cardigan or a lap blanket for December mornings.
• A large-print book, a calendar with family photos, or a digital photo frame loaded with the grandchildren.
• A video call set up properly: a tablet with the family group already added.
• Time: the most common thing grandparents say they want is a visit.

Sending it to their home before Christmas

Christmas is a Friday this year. We dispatch in 24 to 48 hours and delivery takes 2 to 7 days after dispatch, anywhere in India. Order in early December, check the estimate for their pincode on the product page, and if they live alone, tell them a parcel is coming so they do not refuse an unknown courier. We cannot promise a delivery date.

Payment is prepaid by UPI, card, net banking or wallet through Razorpay; there is no cash on delivery, so they will not be asked to pay at the door. Request a return within 24 hours of delivery; damage reported in that window is replaced or refunded.