Giving Your Parents a Gift That Says 'I Gave it Some
Serious Thought'  When it comes to buying parents a gift, especially if they
have everything they really need, it’s best to go with some-
thing a bit more creative. One that relates to hobbies or to
them personally. Including them both. This can work well
especially if buying for mom and dad, separately, is difficult.

Here’s some of the most popular:

Tickets to an event or function you know they’d enjoy attending.
Such as a gallery opening, artist gathering. Theater, opera, sports
event tickets. Tickets to see their favorite local band. Plus, you
can always give them cash in the gift envelope or a gift card for
dinner.

A bed and breakfast weekend. These make wonderful gifts fo
r busy parents. A weekend away. Where they can sleep late.
Relax with no responsibilities. Someone else makes breakfast
and dinner.

1 night stay at a nice hotel. Who doesn’t love to be pampered
at a beautiful hotel? Everyone loves it. Even 1 night away can
do wonders for most. Add in some cash for dinner and a few
drinks; lunch; spa time, for example.

Restaurant Gift certificate (or card). Whether it’s a gift card
for dinner at their favorite restaurant, or to one they’ve always
wanted to dine at, this is another great parents gift.

A golf/spa weekend. No woman we know will turn down a
weekend at a spa. Especially if she can spend some quiet
time there while hubby is playing golf. Great dual gift.

Golf weekend. If both of your parents enjoy golfing, a weekend
playing at a reciprocal club to the one they play at, makes a great
gift. Or tickets to a highly anticipated general event. Like the
masters.

Movie and Dinner Night.  If your parents like movies, give them
tickets to a favorite theater. Especially if they're tickets to a pop-
ular movie they've wanted to go to. Plus add in cash for dinner. 

These are all great gifts. Which show consideration and thought.
Plus are highly affordable if there are several adult children
kicking in to make the gift purchase.

7 Nostalgic Gifts of Family Photos 

One of the nicest gifts, you can give your parents, is gathering
up old photos of theirs and re-organizing them. This can cost little
or nothing. Depending upon how creative you get.

For example:

1. Gather up old photos from a specific period. Say when your
parents were first married, their first home, first baby. Or photos
of their parents and siblings. Organize a large frame which has
a variety of different sized shapes and sizes for photos. Place
photos in the frames. Create several if you have enough photos.
Each including a different historical time frame.

2. Create a new scrapbook adding photos, mementos, dried
flowers and other unique remembrances of your parents lives.
Which can be pressed, or lie, flat. You can get quite creative
using items you find at a scrap booking store. Not to mention
make unique and colorful pages to frame the photos. Cut out
stars, suns the moon, for example, to colorfully add to the
pages. Trim photos with colorful ribbon and other papers.
Write messages beneath each photo or dates and a note
marking the occasion.

3. Buy a variety of different sized and colored frames. Place
one, or cut up several, photos. Placing them in unique designs
in each frame. Organize each group of photos, in each frame,
to tell a story. Tie a red ribbon on top of each frame so it can
be hung on the wall. The group can be organized and hung on
your parents living room wall or along a hallway wall.

4. Buy a 3’x3’ (or larger depending on space your parents have
available) wood trimmed foam message board. Gather up
family photos into groupings of events. Like weddings, gradu-
ations and other special moments. Cut photos into various
shapes - circles, ovals, stars for example. Use colorful con-
struction paper to make frames for each photo. Glue each
photo to a construction paper frame. Beneath each photo
make a note what the event is. Then set each framed photo
at a different angle. Gather several together. Until the board
is filled. Leaving an oval space in the center for a great photo
of your parents.

5. Gather up baby photos of your sisters and brothers and
frame creatively.

6. Gather up baby photos of the grand kids and frame creatively.

7. Have a vintage photo of your parents enlarged and placed
in a beautiful oval frame.  

Creatively organized family photos give a family history easily
viewed by everyone who visits. Plus give parents the added
pleasure of having their memories available to be seen daily.
And to talk about. Either nostalgically with each other or visiting
family and friends. A perfect gift.



Arrange for Formal Family Photos 

Not only are family photos great gifts, gathering family
together to arrange photographing the family is an added
gift for parents.

If you’re unable to gather immediate family members for a
formal portrait at a studio, gather them together at your
parents home for a photo shoot. Have a friend, or family
member, not scheduled to be in the photos organize and
take them. Or, if you can afford it, hire a professional pho-
tographer.

Here’s some tips for places to shoot the photos:

1. Weather permitting - in a pool.

2. Under an arbor.

3. In a blooming garden.

4. By a stream or other local body of water.

5. With grandkids, too, playing on swings and outdoor
    equipment.

6. By a stately front door.

7. With dogs, or a favorite cat, in a pleasant outdoor spot.

8. In front of a fireplace.

9. In a grove of trees.

10. On agricultural equipment, like a tractor.

11. In, or around, a barn; sitting on straw bales & equipment,
      holding pitchforks or rakes. Wearing jeans, flannel shirts
      and straw hats.

Have the photographer take lots of photos. Then have another
gathering, or figure out a way to determine which photos every-
one likes best - to give mom and dad. Have those framed.
Distribute some to participating family members.