Illustrated portrait of Ellie Hartman framed by a rose sprig, in the Gifts for Grandma palette

Writer at Gifts for Grandma

Ellie Hartman

Family gifting writer

About Ellie

Ellie spent eight years writing lifestyle and gifting features for regional magazines in the Midwest, where roughly one story in three turned out to be about somebody's grandmother — the recipes, the good china, the drawer of every card anyone ever sent her.

She started Gifts for Grandma after reading a hundred "gifts for grandma" lists that all recommended the same scented lotion set, and none of which sounded like they had been written by a person who had ever chosen a gift for one. The site is her attempt at the version she wanted to read: fewer items, more thinking about who the gift is for.

She writes every guide on the site. Off-topic enthusiasms include handwriting, pressed flowers, and the argument that a framed photograph beats almost any gadget at four times the price.

How Ellie works

  • People before products

    The strongest gifts in this niche contain the family — photos, names, birthstones, recipes, handwriting. We start from what a gift says, not from what it costs.

  • Say who it is not for

    Every recommendation names the grandmother it suits and the one it does not. A guide that says everything is perfect for everyone has told you nothing.

  • No invented tests or numbers

    We explain how to choose. We do not claim to have tested products we have not, we quote no price or rating we cannot source, and we give no health, mobility or medical advice.

Articles by Ellie

Contact

Spotted an error, or have a question or suggestion about a guide? Write to pablobravo44@gmail.com or use the contact page.