[Respect for the Aged Day] With heartfelt gratitude: Handmade gift ideas that will delight residents in senior care facilities
You want to add a handmade touch to your Respect for the Aged Day gifts, don’t you? Thoughtful presents made in a care facility can become special gifts that bring smiles to seniors’ faces.
This time, we’re introducing handmade gift ideas that are easy to incorporate in senior facilities and can be made using scrap materials or items from 100-yen shops.
From practical items like pouches and coasters made with fabric remnants, or memo stands made with chenille stems (pipe cleaners) shaped into flowers, to heartfelt message cards that are perfect for conveying your feelings—we’ve got plenty of lovely ideas.
Imagine the smiles of the seniors as you take on the challenge of making something by hand!
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Respect for the Aged Day: With gratitude. Handmade gift ideas that are well-received in senior care facilities (21–30)
Mini Crane Strap
A small crane mascot made from chirimen fabric has a distinctive softness that conveys a traditional Japanese feel—one of its main charms.
Prepare a square piece of chirimen fabric and shape it into a crane by following standard origami steps.
The key is to secure each step with glue as you go; firmly setting each fold will lead to a beautiful final result.
It’s also fun to try different colors of fabric to see how the crane’s look and impression change.
Turtle strap with a decorative knot
This strap features a turtle motif, with craft bands knotted to recreate the shell’s distinctive bumps.
Fold three bands in half, layer them alternately, then weave; the knots that form are treated as the shell, to which you attach decorative parts.
If you tighten the knots too much, the shell won’t have volume, so be mindful of how firmly you weave as you go.
It’s also fun to customize your own design by changing the color of the craft bands and the size or shape of the parts.
owl strap
This is an owl-themed strap made by weaving thinly split craft bands like strings.
It’s important to split the craft bands to the same width; adhere them in a radial pattern and then weave as if making a basket.
Along the way, incorporate strings of different colors to add a gradient effect.
Next, use fold-backs to shape it into a rounded form, and attach parts such as the face, beak, and the strap hardware to finish.
It’s also recommended to change the colors of the craft bands and strings to create your own unique owl.
Message bookmarks
A handmade bookmark using a transparent sheet—the fact that it’s transparent makes the message you add easy to see, which is a key point.
Cut the sheet into the shape you want, then freely write a message of thanks or anything else on it.
Since it’s used between the pages of a book, it’s important to make it a size and shape that’s convenient in that situation.
You can punch a hole to thread a string, or add lively decorations to make reading more enjoyable.
While thinking about the person you’ll give it to, finish it with your own unique design.
Decorative celebratory crane
It’s a mascot that looks auspicious, as if a crane’s wings were festively decorated with flowers.
You’ll use crepe paper that’s a different color on each side, and fold it following origami steps to form a crane with spread wings.
Since the paper is soft, once the shape is made, fix it to a base with glue so it can stand on its own, then decorate the whole piece from there.
What you choose for the decorations is also important; using lucky flowers to create a lively look is recommended.
It may also be important to keep color balance in mind so that both the crane and the flowers stand out.
Parent-and-child turtle hanging ornament
This mascot combines tsumami-zaiku elements on a base, evoking the charm of a baby turtle riding on a parent turtle’s back.
Using a halved foam ball as the foundation, shell parts are layered with fabric, and tsumami-zaiku faces and limbs are attached to create striking three-dimensionality.
It’s recommended not only to vary the sizes of the parent and baby turtles but also to change the colors; finishing them in a colorful palette enhances their auspicious feel.
Express your originality by exploring how to combine different colors.
Two-tone fan crane
The red-and-white fan crane is a perfect motif for celebrations.
How about making it together with seniors as an item to liven up Respect-for-the-Aged Day? After folding a red sheet of origami paper in half twice, make a cut in the center.
Fold along the cut and create an accordion fold.
Use the other side to fold the crane.
From here, the work becomes more detailed, but the steps are the same as folding a standard crane.
When making the second one, change the color or reverse the front and back before folding.
Combine the two pieces to complete the fan crane.
The fine movements in origami help exercise seniors’ fingers and provide good stimulation for the brain.
Let’s all make them and enhance the atmosphere for Respect-for-the-Aged Day.
