Grandparents’ favourite gift (and it’s not what you think)
Grandparents' favourite gift: what they really want from you
Grandparents' favourite gift is rarely what we actually give them. Every Christmas, every Grandparents' Day, every birthday, we hunt for something that'll genuinely make them happy – and we often end up back at the same old safe bets. What if the answer were simpler – and more surprising – than you'd expect?
What grandparents already have – and what they're really missing
The cupboards are full. Scarves gifted with love, "World's Best Grandma" mugs stacked in a drawer, boxes of chocolates polished off in a week – before the next one arrives at Easter. These gifts come from the right place. But they pile up, and your grandparents know it just as well as you do.
What most grandparents are missing isn't another thing. It's presence. News about grandchildren growing up too fast. Photos from everyday life – the first drawing from school, the gap-toothed grin, the funny faces at dinner. A regular, tangible connection that goes beyond the Sunday phone call.
It's also the story behind Tribu. Arnaud, the founder, was living abroad and wanted to give his grandmother – recently widowed and not very tech-savvy – a way to stay part of his family's life. He started by printing off WhatsApp photos. A few simple pictures made her so happy that the idea of a monthly journal almost created itself.
Grandparents' favourite gift: family news, month after month
Try asking a different question: not "What would you like as a gift?" but "What do you really miss?". The answer almost always comes back to the same thing: you, your children, your everyday life.
Grandparents' favourite gift, then, isn't an object. It's regular presence – something tangible they can hold in their hands, flick through in the evening under the bedside lamp, and proudly show their friends. Something that tells your story. And that comes back every month, like a long-awaited visit.
That's exactly what the Tribu family journal offers: a monthly photo journal, created by all the family members through the app, then printed and sent straight to your grandparents' letterbox. No screen on their end. No hassle. Just a beautiful paper journal waiting for them on the first of every month.
How does the Tribu family journal work?
The principle is simple. Throughout the month, family members – parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles – add their photos and little messages in the Tribu app. You select which photos go on each page, then choose the layout that works best for you.
The result: beautiful, personalised pages that feel entirely yours – without the sense that you're "doing design".
At the end of the month, Tribu prints your journal in your chosen format and sends it by post, straight to your grandparents' door. They receive a 100% paper journal – one they can hold in their hands, flick through endlessly and keep safe on the shelf.
Multiple family members can contribute at the same time from their own phones. It's often the perfect opportunity to bring in relatives who live far away – cousins at the other end of the country, or children living abroad. One journal, made together, received with emotion.
And over time, a stack of journals builds up on the shelf. A stack that tells years of family life, page by page – built month by month, without ever having to think too hard about it.
Which format suits your budget?
Tribu offers three journal formats. Depending on your family size, how many photos you share each month and your budget, one of them will be a perfect fit.
| Format | Price | Size | Photos / Pages | Best for… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | €6.95/month | A5 (21 × 14.8 cm) | 10–140 photos · 16 pages | Small families and smaller budgets |
| Classic | €9.95/month | A4 (29.7 × 21 cm) | 10–280 photos · 16 pages | The best value for money |
| Premium | €14.95/month | A4 (29.7 × 21 cm) | 10–400 photos · 24 pages | Those who want the best, no compromise |
Frequently asked questions
Can grandparents take part in making the journal?
Yes, absolutely. Your grandparents can contribute to the journal through the Tribu app, just like any other family member. But it's not mandatory – many families choose to keep grandparents purely as recipients, which is already a wonderful gift in itself.
Do you have to commit to a long subscription?
No. The Tribu subscription has no minimum commitment. You can pause or cancel at any time from your personal account.
That's also what makes it such a great gift: the recipient discovers Tribu at their own pace, with no pressure to continue – although grandparents tend to ask pretty quickly when the next one's arriving.
Is the Tribu family journal available outside France?
Yes. Tribu delivers its journal to Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. It's often families with members living abroad who get the most out of it: the journal becomes a tangible connection between two countries, two time zones, two very different everyday lives.
The best gift for your grandparents isn't one that fills a drawer. It's one that fills their eyes – every first of the month, when the letterbox opens. Give them what they really need: your family's news, printed and delivered to their door, month after month.
Start our story togetherReady to get started? Create your family journal in the editor
