Gifts that Last

As the gift-giving season rolls around, is it possible to get through the holidays without buying the latest “As Seen on TV” item or risk getting trampled by the locals at the nearest department store?

It is. And the truth is that if you focus that same effort into giving sentimental gifts, both you and the receiver will recognize how much more valuable a gift from the heart can be. The process of pulling such a project together often brings as much pleasure to the gift-giver as it does to the one to whom it is given. These gift ideas are great, not only during the holiday season, but for the many gift-giving opportunities you have year round.

Try creating some of these uniquely personal gifts using your digital photos:

• Create a scrapbook, either digitally or by hand. Tell your own story, sharing the first year of a baby’s life, a wedding, from the first date to the exchange of vows, or as a graduation gift.  
• Craft a hardback book made up only of your photos and captions. They range in size from 16 pages to as large as coffee table books. For the photography buff in your life, a book of this magnitude can showcase a lifetime of favorite photos, and serve as great portfolios.   
• Construct a photo collage poster, forming your own souvenir from a favorite event. Take your own photos while attending that event, planning them in advance. For example: the scoreboard at the end of a championship game; of your favorite team holding the trophy; of your family in the stands all decked out in team colors; or a close up shot of the souvenir tickets.
• Design a personalized photo quilt or blanket to commemorate a particular family reunion or special occasion. Have it monogrammed with names and dates.
• Make your child the hero of his own story by writing it yourself, adding photos and locations that will personalize it just for him. There are already assembled craft books that allow you to do this by hand, or you might use one of the photo services that form a hardback book for you.

Other gifts that are truly priceless, as well as timeless, are listed below:

• If you are great with a video camera and know how to edit film, you can share your story through video, including interviews, birthday parties, past holiday celebrations, and other family milestones. Though a project of this magnitude is time-consuming, a gift such as this will be treasured by the entire family forever.
• Transfer old home movies to DVD format. This allows you to separate the events in your lifetime into various “chapters,” or scenes, so you can find them easily and watch them regularly. These treasures become more valuable with time, and portray your family history in a permanent and moving way. For silent movies,  add captions or music to enhance the story.
• Purchase a recordable storybook and record your child reading it for grandparents who may live a long distance away, to capture that young voice forever. Or, a relative in the military, stationed overseas, may wish to record their own voice so your child can hear them read a favorite story night after night. 
• Record your family singing songs together, favorite hymns or doing personal interviews, and burn a CD of it. The gift of a child’s voice explaining their life as a kindergartener or the voice of a grandparent describing, in their own words, favorite childhood memories; these are the gifts that are truly irreplaceable. 

Janet is the author of the book, The Parent's Guide to Uncluttering Your Home, scheduled to be released early in 2011. She currently writes on such topics as faith, family, writing, teen issues, and of course, the process of uncluttering. Janet launched Abbandoned Ministries late in 2010, which leads others to seek God, as Abba, during times of abandonment. For additional information, visit her websites at http://www.abbandoned.com or http://janetmorrisgrimes.com.