Sweet Christmas cards for your grandpa

A sweet card for your grandfather works best when it is short and plain. He is not after fireworks. A sentence about what he taught you, and the words 'thank you', will land harder than a page of poetry.

6 things to write inside

Swap in their name. Change anything that doesn’t sound like you.

  1. sweet Grandpa [first name], thank you for teaching me how to fix things, and for never making me feel stupid when I broke them. Happy Christmas. Love always.
  2. sweet Dear Grandpa [first name], I tell people your stories and nobody believes them. I tell them anyway. Happy Christmas.
  3. sweet Grandpa [first name], you are the man I picture when I think about being steady. I wanted you to know. Happy Christmas. I love you.
  4. sweet Grandpa, whatever else changes, I hope the Christmas lunch always has you at the head of the table carving too slowly. Love you, Grandpa [first name].
  5. quiet Grandpa [first name], I am glad you are my grandfather. Happy Christmas.
  6. quiet Thinking of you, Grandpa [first name]. Thank you for the long drives and the quiet.

Questions people ask

What can I write in a card for my grandfather who has everything?

Skip the present talk and write a memory. A day you spent with him, something he taught you, a thing he says. Grandfathers who have everything are often short of being told that it mattered.

My grandpa is not good with technology. Can he still open an e-card?

If he can open a text message, yes. Send it to him directly, or to someone nearby who can open the link on his phone and hold it up. It opens like an envelope, with no password or app to download.

Is it okay to be funny in a card to my grandpa?

Usually, and he will probably like it more than a mushy one. Keep the joke warm, aim it at yourself or at something you both know, and finish with one sincere line so he can see you meant the rest.