The Longest Arms: A Gift for Grandpa He Hasn't Taken Off

Buying for grandpa is famously hard. He says he doesn't need anything. He already has the tools, the sweaters, the mug that says "World's Best Grandpa." So what do you give the man who holds the whole family together?

Mila, eight, had an answer.

The drawing

In our short film, Mila draws her grandpa with the longest arms in the world. They stretch across the whole page and wrap around everyone: parents, siblings, cousins.

Asked why his arms were so long, she said: "So he can hug all eight of us at once."

Grandparents hold families together, sometimes literally

There's a reason this drawing hits so many people. In a lot of families, grandparents are the glue. They host the holidays, they remember the birthdays, they're the house everyone ends up at. Children see that clearly, even if they can't put it into words. So they draw it instead.

A child doesn't draw grandpa with giant arms by accident. It's a portrait of his role in the family, made by someone who has felt that hug.

Why it makes the best gift for grandpa

• It's about him, not about stuff. Most grandparents will tell you the grandkids are the gift. This puts the grandkids right on his chest.
• It can't be duplicated. No other grandpa in the world has this exact drawing.
• He'll actually use it. A hoodie gets worn on walks, in the garage, at the game. In the video, the family gave it to grandpa, and "he hasn't taken it off."
• It captures an age. Mila won't draw like this forever. The embroidered version keeps this moment.

Occasions that fit

Christmas is the obvious one: a gift for grandpa that won't end up in a closet. It's also a lovely birthday present, a Grandparents Day surprise, or a Father's Day gift when grandpa is also someone's dad. If your family is large and spread out, a drawing of everyone together, held by one pair of very long arms, says "we're still one family" better than any card.

How it works

Your child draws (or already has drawn) grandpa. You take a photo. We embroider the drawing onto a hoodie exactly as it is, crooked lines and extra-long arms included.

A few tips for a great grandpa drawing:

• Let the child choose what to draw. "Draw grandpa" is enough.
• Don't correct proportions. The "wrong" parts are usually the meaningful ones.
• Ask them to tell you about it, and write their words down. They make a perfect gift card.

Send the photo through anorashop.com and choose a hoodie or a t-shirt. During our grand opening, code BESTGIFT gives everyone 15% off.

A gift with a hug built in

The best gifts for grandparents are the ones that remind them they're loved by the people they love most. Mila's grandpa gets a hug every time he puts his hoodie on. Yours can too.

Send us your child's drawing. We'll embroider it on a hoodie or a t-shirt for grandpa.