Most of us have struggled when we want to give a very special gift, particularly when it is for a very special occasion. We might think of a special gift as one that has a high price tag. The cost has nothing to do with the best gifts, or what I think of as the extraordinary gifts.
I have become convinced that a special, even extraordinary, gift is often one that is homemade specifically for the intended recipient. The homemade aspect is the key when created for one individual.
Homemade gifts are always meaningful, and sometimes actually mean homemade food. Yes, we can picture a batch of cookies made for a party being well received. But consider a batch of chocolate chip cookies specially made for just one great sweet tooth, and delivered with gusto! The former is very nice, but the latter a true compliment.
I have become convinced that a special, even extraordinary, gift is often one that is homemade specifically for the intended recipient. The homemade aspect is the key when created for one individual.
Homemade gifts are always meaningful, and sometimes actually mean homemade food. Yes, we can picture a batch of cookies made for a party being well received. But consider a batch of chocolate chip cookies specially made for just one great sweet tooth, and delivered with gusto! The former is very nice, but the latter a true compliment.
Then there are cards that are handmade for one person. A favorite card I received for Christmas two years ago was a dancing snowman with such a happy countenance that I cannot discard it. And then there was the giant snowflake with happy words just for me that has been on my home office wall for five years! A recent card from my son-in-law said, "From your son." I feel he is my son, and I teared up with joy to read those simple words confirming our relationship, at the top of the card.
Then there are gifts that can only be described as journeys of love. I received one a few years ago from my sister. It was a long scroll that had messages written in it from family members. My description doesn't do it justice as it was just overwhelming. If I ever feel lonely, all I need to do is read it and feel the love of so many of my favorite people and the amount of thought, work and love that brought my sister to create it.
This same sister is a sister-in-law to my husband, and just gave him a book she made with the input of the 12 members that make up three generations of her wonderful family, including two four-year-olds. It was all about Terry for a milestone birthday he will never forget. The time it took to think about what should be in a handmade book, followed by the time involved to collect creative, loving input from all ages in it was so touching.
My favorite gift to give was one I just gave to my husband. It was an analysis of his late father's handwriting by our graphologist columnist Betsy Patterson. She used a letter written by his father to his mother when Terry was born. His father died when Terry was five, and the information about his father was my extraordinary gift to him.
I've had gifts from jewelry to cars that could never mean more than the loving cards and the scroll of love, crafted just for me. Even watching my husband receive his personalized book of tribute was thrilling. When we are in the presence of a gift that truly represents love, we feel what extraordinary means.
My favorite gift to give
was one I just gave to my husband.
It was an analysis of his late father's handwriting
by our graphologist columnist Betsy Patterson.
She used a letter written by his father to his mother
when Terry was born.
His father died when Terry was five
and the information about his father
was my extraordinary gift to him.
was one I just gave to my husband.
It was an analysis of his late father's handwriting
by our graphologist columnist Betsy Patterson.
She used a letter written by his father to his mother
when Terry was born.
His father died when Terry was five
and the information about his father
was my extraordinary gift to him.
Then there are gifts that can only be described as journeys of love. I received one a few years ago from my sister. It was a long scroll that had messages written in it from family members. My description doesn't do it justice as it was just overwhelming. If I ever feel lonely, all I need to do is read it and feel the love of so many of my favorite people and the amount of thought, work and love that brought my sister to create it.
This same sister is a sister-in-law to my husband, and just gave him a book she made with the input of the 12 members that make up three generations of her wonderful family, including two four-year-olds. It was all about Terry for a milestone birthday he will never forget. The time it took to think about what should be in a handmade book, followed by the time involved to collect creative, loving input from all ages in it was so touching.
My favorite gift to give was one I just gave to my husband. It was an analysis of his late father's handwriting by our graphologist columnist Betsy Patterson. She used a letter written by his father to his mother when Terry was born. His father died when Terry was five, and the information about his father was my extraordinary gift to him.
I've had gifts from jewelry to cars that could never mean more than the loving cards and the scroll of love, crafted just for me. Even watching my husband receive his personalized book of tribute was thrilling. When we are in the presence of a gift that truly represents love, we feel what extraordinary means.
Jean Loxley-Barnard has been a writer all her life and studied both sociology and psychology at George Washington University where she earned a B.A. Her company, The Shopper, Inc., encompasses all the Loxley-Barnard family publications - The Shopper Magazines and Doctor to Doctor Magazine. She has been in the advertising, consulting and publishing business for 39 years.