As you grow old, it’s not only your body that changes, it’s also your mind. Although it’s true that many grandparents have to deal with memory lapses and low energy, that’s balanced out by a growth in empathy, wisdom, and humor.
Although the world and the internet are full of stories about funny, thoughtful, and caring grandparents, these stories tend to be scattered around. To solve that problem, we’ve scoured far and wide to collect and present these heartwarming anecdotes in one place.
From knitted gifts to suitcases full of cheese, here are 40 times grandparents were just plain grand.
Cheesy Packing
When grandmothers pack for a vacation, they pack only the essentials. Younger folks may want to have a variety of clothes – some for the beach, some for a party, and some for nights in. Grandma’s, however, are fine with a single pair of clothes.
That’s because they want to fill their suitcase with food! More specifically, a few pounds of cheese, a half dozen or more pepperoni, and plenty of salami. Looks like this grandma has her heart in the right place – namely, the stomach!
Bring pajamas
If you’re going over the river and through the woods to your grandparent's house, don’t forget to bring a few essentials. A phone for entertainment, a spare deck of cards, and, of course, some pajamas if you’re staying the night.
If you forget, however, don’t worry. As you can see above, grandparents usually have an extra pair of stylish pajamas for you to wear. By “stylish,” we mean in style about 50 years ago. Regardless, it’s the thought that counts!
Don’t Trust the Machines
Ever since The Terminator came to theaters in the early 80s, people have been wary of the power of robots. Will they become our overlords telling us what to do, or will we be their masters directing them to sweep, clean, and mop? For those who own robotic vacuum cleaners, it’s the latter.
That being said, not everyone trusts these robots. For example, the grandpa above. Instead of assuming the vacuum will do its job, grandpa wants to make extra sure.
Being a Grandpa
People often say there’s nothing better than being a grandparent. You get to experience the best part of being a parent, such as enjoying the cute and funny things kids do, and avoid the more challenging parts, such as dealing with incredibly high energy levels.
Sometimes, however, you have to take one for the team. For this grandpa, that means sitting quietly on the couch as your granddaughter fills your face with stickers. Luckily, he seems to be a good sport about it.
Ear-resistible Conversation
One of the best ways to stay in touch with those living far away is through video chats – Facetime, Skype, Whatsapp, etc. People of all generations love it, even if they don’t know exactly how it works.
For example, grandpa above. Although he wanted to chat with his grandson, he had no idea that a video chat differs from a regular phone call. Regardless, he had a lovely convo with his grandson, and the latter got to see the inside of his ear.
Special Delivery
As we saw with the elderly newlyweds above, you can never be too old for a bit of romance. The picture below shines through in the form of a hospital visit. It was their 57th anniversary together, but unfortunately, this grandma was cooped up in a hospital room.
To cheer her up, a very stylish grandpa put on his tuxedo, grabbed his cane, and strolled on in with a bouquet of flowers. It made for a very touching day and a great photo!
i-Butter Case
The disposable world of one-time-use plastic bags and cardboard boxes is unfamiliar to older generations. They grew up in a humbler time when people reused nearly everything. A yogurt container became a container for leftovers, and plastic bags got reused at the grocery store.
Using the same logic, the grandma above reused an iPhone case to store some butter – you butter believe it! To be honest, it’s a great idea. If stores stocked it, this fancy butter would probably be some of the most expensive on the shelf.
Clever Dodge
Although some grandparents love to fall in love (again) in their later years, the grandmother below isn’t one of them. She loves having her own space, which means she has to jealously guard it against intrusions by the neighbor who has a crush on her.
Luckily, she’s full of wit and sly tactics. When the neighbor asked her out for dinner, she didn’t skip a beat – “I don’t eat,” she said, and then scarfed down a delicious meal a few minutes later.
Unconditional Support
The world is changing so quickly that many grandparents have trouble staying up to date. A whole slew of jobs that are now popular (web designer, influencer, coder, etc.) didn’t exist for the majority of their lives. So, understandably, they’re a bit confused.
Despite their confusion, though, they remain incredibly supportive of whatever newfangled crypto thing their grandkids are doing. That level of unconditional love is very reassuring (and very rare) in the dog-eat-dog world that many compete in on a daily basis.
Just a Snack
Grandmas are notorious for showing their affection through food – cookies, ice cream, delicious homemade meals, and much more. For many, this is absolute paradise. For some, however, it presents some problems as they’re trying to watch their weight.
As you can see above, the definition of “a little snack” changes from person to person. For the grandchild, it might mean a small ice cream or slice of cake. For a grandma, it means 37 eggs and enough ham and sausage to feed a small village.
Dicey Pills
Acknowledging you have a problem is the first step toward recovery, so the grandpa below is on the right track. The next step is to seek help, which this grandpa did through a very unique form of prescription medicine.
Namely, pills that look like dice. Or, better yet, small dice that remind him to stop gambling. Although gambling addiction can lead to serious problems, this light-hearted prank is a definite “dad joke.” Well, to be more accurate, it’s a dad’s dad joke.
Mistaken Identity
The grandma below is a big fan of all the different shapes, sizes, and colors that rocks come in. She managed to find a gorgeous spherical one with a rainbow interior. She kept that treasure on the table for eight years.
Unfortunately, the beautiful rainbow sphere wasn’t a rock, it was a giant piece of jaw-breaker candy. Whoops! The grandchild is wrestling with the question of whether or not to let grandma know. It’s a delicate question, but we say to just let the candy-rock be.
Geriatric Superheros
The grandpa below was bitten by a spider, which is troubling enough. Luckily, his grandson was nearby to go into the other room and grab some medicine. When grandpa was alone, he added a little humor to the situation.
This kind of humor helps people come to terms with the mental and physical declines that come with aging. Plus, in this case, it’s quite accurate – no 70+-year-old needs to fight villains while swinging from building to building. It’s a job for young people.
Knitted Converse
Converse shoes – especially the famous Chuck Taylor All Stars – were invented in the 1920s and became incredibly popular from the 1940s to the 1960s. In other words, grandmothers are familiar with them. When you mix this familiarity with a love of knitting (a trademark grandma thing to do), you get what’s below.
Namely, well-knitted Converse All-Stars! Although they weren’t what the poster expected, they weren’t disappointing either. Who wouldn’t want a comfy pair of handmade (and incredibly unique) slippers to wear around the house?
Sliced Bread and iPads
Although older generations saw their fair share of technological change – color TVs, cordless phones, and the invention of the internet – the pace of change is much faster nowadays. Understandably, some older folks can’t keep up, so it’s important to be patient.
For example, the grandma above thought that the hardy blue iPad case was actually a cutting board. So, she threw down some bread and sliced it up for everyone. Luckily, she wasn’t slicing mangos, pomegranates, or some other kind of juicy fruit that leaves a stain.
Grandpas and Birds
It’s no secret that words change meaning over time. In the 1920s, going to the “big house” didn’t mean visiting a mansion – it meant going to jail. Likewise, today’s slang may be unknown to older generations.
Or, even if the slang is known, grandpas can always find a way to misinterpret it. For the text above, “love birds” was taken a bit too literally by grandpa. Whether he’s being serious or making a sly joke, we agree that birds are great!
Bending the Rules
Grandmas and grandkids go together like nothing else. Although they act parental, the fact that grandmas aren’t directly responsible for their grandkids means they have a more laid-back approach. For example, instead of scolding her tiny grandson to get out of the refrigerator, this grandma waits a second.
During that second, she snaps a photo to make a cherished memory – and to share on social media! After that, she’ll gently help him with some apple juice or strawberries before shutting the door.
Happy Birthday Cats
Cats are great companions for grandmas. Both love the finer things in life – naps, eating, and, of course, snapping hilarious pictures to send to your grandkids! Take a look at the cat below.
The cat’s expression is hard to read. It doesn’t look visibly annoyed yet it doesn’t look overwhelmingly happy either. Instead, it looks content with a birthday hat and a “Happy Birthday Dennis” card. Considering this went over so well, we wonder what costume grandma is planning to dress the cat up in for other holidays.
Prepared for Everything
There’s a long-standing theory that grandparents know just about everything. The jury is still out on that, but the jury is decidedly in favor of another pet theory: grandparents prepare for everything. That is absolutely true – just take a look below.
Despite not staying up to date with the latest gizmos and gadgets, this grandma is certainly up to date with how to fix them when they get wet. Namely, “telephone rice” – a container specifically set aside for drying out soaked phones.
Avoiding Ear-ritation
It’s no secret that your ability to see well and hear well declines as you age. Hence, the need for glasses and hearing aids. For some, this is a scary change but for others, it’s not so bad. In fact, it comes with its fair share of benefits.
For example, say you don’t want to hear something. All you have to do is turn off your hearing aid and you’re in blissful silence. The great-grandfather above did that to avoid the less-than-stellar voice of a girl in his great-grandchildren's concert.
Nap Revenge
As people get older, they tend to value one of the greatest inventions of humankind: the nap. Kids love them, adults wish they could take them, and grandparents take up the habit yet again. However, nowadays, they risk having a few mocking photos taken.
Luckily, this grandpa knew just the way to get back at the two grandkids who poked fun at him while napping – namely, to poke fun at them while they napped! It’s a genius move and gets at the deeper truth that we all love to nap.
Human Flag Time
The full mane of gray hair certainly makes the guy look like a grandpa. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking he might act like one. Rather than hobbling over to a “preferred seat” on a train, this grandpa did something else.
Namely, the so-called human flag move. Instead of sitting down, he lifted himself up sideways, held it long enough to get a photo, and then gently let himself down. We just wonder if he took the preferred seating afterward.
Hard to Say “No”
Grandparents love to dote on their little grandkids. For some, that means knitting them Converse slippers. For others, it’s all about bringing over a suitcase full of cheese and pepperoni. For the grandparents below, it means extra lollipops.
The granddaughter is clearly excited that she has a blue, red, and purple lollipop. The grandparents are happy that she’s content. The parents, however, might be less-than-happy that their young one is filling up with sugar rather than something healthy. It’s just too hard for grandparents to say “no.”
Bringing the Beats
Kids nowadays pair their Bluetooth headphones to the latest smartphone to stream their favorite songs or listen to a podcast. The grandpa below, however, is a bit more old-school. Instead of using Bluetooth technology, he uses a cassette player.
It gets the job done, and the fact that he put in wired headphones is a nice addition for the other patrons. What is grandpa rocking out to? We may never know, but we do know that he sure is stylish.
It’s the Thought that Counts
Grandpas aren’t content sitting on a porch all day making fun of whoever comes by. Instead, they want to lend a helping hand to those they care about. Unfortunately, sometimes that helping hand relies on an ear that’s less than perfect.
For example, when Jean got her phone wet, she asked her grandpa to “put it with rice.” Hearing “cook it with rice,” he did exactly that. Although it ended up destroying the phone, it’s the initial thought that really counts.
Like Newlyweds
These grandparents know where to get the best food in town: In-N-Out Burger. What’s better is that they document their trips to the classic fast-food chain every time they go. As you can see, grandpa absolutely loves the burgers, soda, and fries.
The fact that grandma texts a picture to her grandkids every time is very sweet. It shows that, even if you’ve been married for many years, you can still be romantic and celebrate the simple things in life.
The Pickle Treatment
The “silent treatment” is something that nearly every generation does. Whether you’re seven or seventy, people tend to get quiet when they’re mad. Of course, this makes it hard to know what upset them. This genius grandfather figured out a simple way to break the silent treatment: pickles.
Whenever grandma is mad at him, all he has to do is tighten up the pickle jar. Next time grandma wants a pickle, she’ll struggle a bit, may ask for help, and in the interim, they’ll get in a good chat.
Grandpa the Knight
When most people get invited to a medieval-themed wedding (which, to be fair, isn’t something most people get invited to), they dress in a fancy robe. The grandpa below, however, went a bit further.
Alongside a proper knight’s helmet, he took into account transportation. Not only did he take it into account, but he actually built (and decorated) a horse so he could ride it to the wedding. That kind of dedication deserves some kind of knighting by the king.
The Sleeping Game
Although grandparents and grandkids share a lot of things in common – in particular, a love of desserts – one thing they don’t share in common is energy. Kids are full of stuff while grandparents are exhausted a few hours after waking.
That presents a problem when small kids want to play with their grandparents. For a kid, “play” is all about running around and jumping for hours on end. For grandparents, it’s all about sitting in one place and sleeping for hours on end.
Granny Security
Although many elderly people retire from work, not all of them do. For example, the grandma below decided to keep her job as a security guard. It wasn’t to pay off bills or because she was bored. Rather, it was to guard her daughter using the ATM.
As you can see above, granny is ready for whatever may come. To be fair, she might not be much of a deterrent for a determined thief, but the fact that she’s willing to try is all that really matters.
Never Too Late for a Wedding
Some people say love is a game for youngsters. They think that elderly people are too jaded and cynical to fall in love. Well, we’re here to tell you that’s untrue – just take a look at the lovebirds below.
Although her new love may need a cane, that doesn’t stop him from sharing a dance with his bride. It’s pretty amazing that great-grandmothers can fall in love again and, despite their age, feel much younger because of it. Cheers to happy times together.
This woman isn’t just a grandmother – she’s a great-grandmother. And even at this stage of her life, she ended up falling in love with someone and is enjoying her wedding day.
Grandpa’s Hat Collection
For some collectors, beanie babies are where it’s at, while others prefer coins, stamps, and comic books. For the grandpa below, however, it’s all baseball caps. This lovable grandad proudly displays the hats of all the universities his grandkids attended.
So far, we count 19 including the one he’s wearing now. Although his grandkids may differ a lot from each other, they all share at least two things in common: being a grandchild and putting a great big smile on their grandad’s face.
Grandpa’s New Sidekick
Cats and dogs can boost the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of elderly people in general and elderly people living alone more specifically. For example, dogs can push you to walk around outside, are full of loyalty, and bring joy to your life.
That’s clear the moment you look at the photo of the happy grandpa above. In the two heartwarming photos, it’s clear these two form a dynamic duo – and that the tiny dog is a perfect companion for a nice old grandpa.
Grandma Knows
Although it’s important to keep on good terms with your grandparents and reach out for a regular chat, that doesn’t mean the chat will always go as planned – or be easy. As you get older and your memory declines, your sense of certainty can go in the opposite direction.
For example, the grandma above was absolutely certain that she knew the age of her grandson. When he disagreed, she was adamant that she was right. Oddly enough, it turned out she was right!
Private Messaging
It’s true that older people have taken to certain social media platforms such as Facebook. However, that doesn’t mean they’ve mastered them – or, in some cases, understood the basics. This seems to be the case for the public tweet sent below.
This tweeting grandma didn’t know she was tweeting. Instead, she thought she was sending a private message to her grandson. Whoops. We hope she eventually got in touch with him for a Twitter 101 tutorial. In the meantime, we wonder if she got any new followers.
*Slaps Forehead*
Kids are many things – energetic, funny, cute – but one thing they aren’t is tactful. No one has ever complimented a child on how well they phrased a delicate matter without hurting anyone’s feelings. On the other hand, plenty of people have thought “well that was rude.”
That seems to be the case with the tweet above. This hip grandma (who, kudos to her, is on Twitter) posted something rude that her grandson asked – namely, are you having a baby? We give him one pass, but nevermore.
Grandmas Love Gifts
It’s no secret that grandmas love to give gifts to their grandkids no matter what age they are. Usually, those gifts are in the form of delicious homemade cookies or store bought candy, but other times they come in the form of clothing items such as sweaters, scarves, and shoes.
When this woman complimented her grandma’s shoes, she never thought that grandma would return the compliment with a gift – namely, the same exact shoes! Just another example of Grandma being the absolute best human being.
No Pelican, Bad Pelican
It’s well known that kids don’t like to be scolded. What’s less well known is that pelicans don’t like a scolding either – just take a look at the guilty-looking pelican on the handrail below.
It turns out the pelican tried to bite grandma, and she was having none of it. So, like a good disciplinarian, she pointed her finger at the pelican and gave it a proper dressing down. Considering the regret-filled face of the unlucky animal, we think it worked.
Invisible Grandma
The grandma below found a remarkably low-tech way to do a high-tech thing. Spies, armies, and secretive government agencies should pay close attention to what she’s doing. Now you see her – now you don’t.
By wearing the same floral pattern as the carpet, grandma managed to disappear right before our eyes. What’s more, she didn’t need to fork up the cash for an expensive invisibility suit. All she had to do was buy a reasonably priced dress – frugal and innovative!
Jesus Cena
The devout grandmother below wanted to get a bracelet to show her love and devotion to Jesus. Instead, she ended up with a bracelet of John Cena, the famous wrestler. Although to some die-hard WWE fans, Cena is a religious figure, that’s not what grandma had in mind.
More likely, her eyesight was a bit off and the design of the bracelet resembled a rosary. We just hope the grandkids let her know gently before it causes any future embarrassment.