Grandparents are the hardest people on any Christmas list, and the reason is not that they have everything. It is that they spent fifty years buying things for other people and stopped asking for anything themselves around 1995.
The gifts that land with this group are not the practical ones, because they already own the practical ones. They are the objects with a reason to exist: something soft, something collectable, something that will outlast the year and end up with a grandchild's name on it eventually.
This guide covers the three brands that do that job in New Zealand, what each one costs, and where the money is genuinely well spent.
Why soft things work for this age group
A teddy bear is not a children's item in this market. Charlie Bears and Steiff both sell primarily to adults, many of them over sixty, and the collector base is the reason the resale market exists at all. A grandparent who collects is not being sentimental, they are participating in a hobby with a shelf and a catalogue.
That matters for gift buying. If the person already collects a brand, buy into that brand and nothing else. A Steiff collector does not want a Bear & Me, and the difference is obvious to them even when it is not obvious to you.
The three brands, compared
| Brand | Price band | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear & Me by Charlie Bears | NZ$33 to NZ$45 | The accessible Charlie Bears line. Soft, jointed in some models, and designed to be handled. | The grandparent who likes a bear on the bed rather than behind glass |
| Charlie Bears (main line) | NZ$180 to NZ$280 | Numbered collectables, plush and mohair, released in annual collections. | The one who already has a shelf, a catalogue and opinions about the 2024 release |
| Steiff | NZ$57 to NZ$180 | The German original. Button in the ear, established 1880, strong on licensed characters. | The traditionalist, or anyone who remembers Steiff from their own childhood |
| Jellycat | NZ$40 to NZ$100 | Soft, modern, and the brand most likely to be recognised by a visiting grandchild. | The grandparent whose house is where the grandchildren actually play |
Under NZ$60
Bear & Me Charlie Bear By Charlie Bears
NZ$38.99
A Charlie Bears at NZ$38.99, which is the entry point to the brand. Soft enough to be handled, branded enough to be recognised as a Charlie.
Steiff Key Ring Pendant Snoopy
NZ$56.99
A NZ$56.99 Steiff that goes on a handbag or a key ring. The practical version of a collectable, and the one that gets used daily.
At this price the gift is a gesture rather than an addition to a collection. That is fine, and it is the right level for a grandparent you see twice a year. The mistake is buying a NZ$40 bear for someone who collects NZ$250 bears, because it does not fit the shelf.
NZ$60 to NZ$120
Jellycat Bartholomew Bear
NZ$66.99
The medium Bartholomew at NZ$66.99. The size that sits on a chair rather than a shelf, which is what makes it a grandparent gift rather than a child gift.
Steiff Soft Cuddly Snoopy Love
NZ$109.99
A NZ$109.99 Snoopy in the soft cuddly range. Licensed characters are the safest bet when you do not know the collection, because everyone has an opinion on Snoopy and none of them are negative.
NZ$120 and up
Steiff Elmar Teddy Bear
NZ$176.99
The keepsake. A NZ$176.99 Steiff in the traditional mould, and the sort of object that gets handed down with a story attached.
Above NZ$120 you are buying something that will be inherited. That is a different kind of purchase, and it is worth checking whether the person already has the model, because collectors usually do.
If they live far away
Most grandparents in New Zealand do not live in the same city as their grandchildren, which makes postage part of the gift. A bear is light enough to post, survives a courier bag, and does not need to be wrapped twice.
Ordering in the first half of December is the practical move. NZ Post delivers in one to three working days, with rural addresses taking up to two days longer, and the pre-Christmas backlog starts around the second week. Shipping is free over NZ$100, which most of the keepsake items clear on their own.
If they genuinely do not want anything
Believe them, then buy something consumable. A box of good tea, a plant, a photo printed and framed, or a voucher for a meal out. The gift that fails is the object bought to satisfy the giver, because it becomes clutter in a house that has spent forty years clearing out.
The exception is anything connected to a grandchild. A photo, a drawing, something the child chose. That category is exempt from the "don't buy me anything" rule and always has been.
What to skip
Anything that needs assembling, anything with an app, anything that requires a new routine. And anything fragile that has to survive a courier, which rules out ceramics and glass for most of the country.
Scented products are the other risk. A candle or a diffuser is a scent choice made by someone else, and in a house that has been using the same soap for thirty years it will sit unopened.
How collectors actually buy
Collectors buy by release, not by occasion. Charlie Bears releases collections annually, Steiff runs limited editions, and both have a secondary market where older pieces trade above retail. If the grandparent has been collecting for years, they know the catalogue better than any shop assistant, and the safest gift is the one that fits this year's release rather than an older piece they already have.
If you do not know what they have, buy from the current range and keep the receipt. A collector will not be offended by a return; they will be offended by a counterfeit or a damaged box.
Looking after a mohair bear
If the gift is a mohair collectable, it needs to stay out of direct sun and away from damp. New Zealand houses are cold and humid in winter, and a bear stored in a garage will spot within a season. The practical advice is the same as for any textile: keep it dry, keep it out of the light, and do not wrap it in plastic for long periods.
Plush versions are easier, which is one reason the Bear & Me and Jellycat ranges are the safer gift when you are not sure how the person stores things.
Buying for a grandparent you do not know well
This happens with in-laws and with the parent of a partner. In that situation, buy the smallest version of something recognisable rather than the largest version of something obscure. A NZ$57 Steiff key ring says more than a NZ$90 bear from a brand they have never heard of, because the tag does the explaining.
Ask the person's child what they already collect. That single question removes most of the risk, and it costs nothing.
Cards and wrapping
A bear is easier to wrap than it looks. Tissue paper and a box work better than wrapping paper, because the shape does not need to be disguised. If the gift is being posted, wrap it inside the courier box rather than wrapping the outside.
Gift wrapping is available at checkout, which is worth using if the parcel is going straight to the recipient rather than to you.
Charlie Bears or Steiff
The two brands are not interchangeable, and the choice usually comes down to what the person already owns. Charlie Bears is the younger brand, sold in annual collections with names and numbers, and it has a large adult collector base in New Zealand. Steiff is the older one, established in 1880, with the button in the ear and a much longer history of licensed characters.
For a gift, the difference that matters is handling. Charlie Bears are designed to be picked up, and many are jointed. Steiff collectables are more often displayed than handled. If the person has grandchildren visiting, Charlie Bears and Jellycat survive better. If the person has a cabinet, Steiff fits it.
Steiff Soft Cuddly Snoopy Love
NZ$109.99
The soft Steiff range, at NZ$109.99, is the version that gets handled rather than displayed, which makes it the safer gift when you are not sure.
Bear & Me Riley Raccoon By Charlie Bears
NZ$37.99
A NZ$37.99 entry point into Charlie Bears, with the tag and the branding that a collector recognises.
If the collection is already large
Buy the accessory rather than another bear. A key ring, a bag charm or a smaller piece in the same brand adds to a collection without competing for shelf space, and it is the category collectors buy for themselves least often.
| Free NZ shipping over NZ$100 |
NZ Post 1 to 3 working days |
Gift wrapping available |
Afterpay and Click & Collect |
Grandparent gift questions
What do you buy a grandparent who has everything?
Something consumable or something connected to the grandchildren. A photo, a meal voucher, good tea, a plant. If they collect, buy into the collection, because a collector always has room for one more.
Is a teddy bear an appropriate gift for an adult?
Yes, in this market. Charlie Bears and Steiff both sell primarily to adult collectors, and the numbered editions are bought as collectables rather than as toys. The same object given to a child and to a collector are two different purchases.
How much should I spend?
NZ$40 to NZ$80 is the normal range from an adult child. Above NZ$150 is a keepsake purchase and usually a joint gift from siblings rather than one person.
Do Steiff bears hold their value?
Some limited editions trade above retail on the secondary market, and most do not. Buy it as a keepsake rather than an investment, because the pieces that appreciate are the ones collectors already know about.
Updated 29 October 2026 | All prices in NZD, checked on ocare.co.nz | Free NZ shipping on orders over NZ$100
