It's hard to buy people in the developed nations like the USA a physical gift that they will vividly remember even one year from now. Even more rarely will anyone remember a gift they receive for ten years, twenty years, or even a lifetime.
Certainly an engagement ring, a wedding ring, -- these will be remembered for a lifetime. Sometimes even an expensive diamond on an anniversary or birthday will be remembered for a lifetime (but not always).
I am going to describe for you a gift idea that will be remembered for a lifetime by your Mother, your Grandmother, or your Wife. (This idea works better with a wife of many years, as will become obvious as I describe it.)
This gift could also work with a Dad, a Grandfather, or a Husband - but each lady will have to decide for herself whether this would be the case in her particular life circumstances.
This gift is absolutely free as far as money is concerned, but it may take a little more effort on your part than any other present you have ever given. If you do this in the right spirit, then the effort should be a labor of love.
This gift will work for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, or anniversaries.
However, strange as it may seem as first - this idea probably works best at a random time of the year --- for no occasion at all.
Once you hear it, you will say: "I could have thought of that." In fact, while we all COULD have thought of it, I don't think one person out of 100,000 do think of it.
I first heard about it at a company motivational gathering. The speaker went off topic and told people about this idea and how to do it. He went on for about 10 minutes. When he was finished, some people in the audience were wiping little tears from the corners of their eyes. I still remember that he asked, "Everyone OK?" - because he knew the emotional impact that this idea can have.
For lack of a better description, let's call it the "LifeTime Thank You Letter."
If you were writing it to your Mother, here's how it might go:
"Dear Mom,
"Thanks for bringing me into the world. Thanks for doing all the things you did for me when I was a helpless little baby. For feeding me; for changing all my diapers; for rocking me when I cried at night. For caring for me when I was ill."
Skipping ahead:
"For driving me to school everyday. For making me do my homework when I didn't want to. For washing all my clothes. For sticking by me when I wrecked the car. For being at my graduation. "
I think you get the idea. You start when you were a baby, and then in your mind go through every part of your life and express sincere thanks for what your Mother, or Father, or Grandmother, or Wife, or Husband - did for you.
Now, be sure to include the things that happened in your own life experience that only you would know about. Be sure to include these especially.
This may take some time and brainstorming on your part. If you are not the wordy type, just write something from each area of your life and close with "and all the other things that you did, or that I never knew you did, or that I have forgotten that you did."
I would say that you should put enough time into it to amount to at least two, three or four written pages, though.
It is important to do this in your own handwriting or in your own printing. I would recommend that you use a blue pen.
Nobody else can do this for you. If you put some effort into it, and you are sincere, and the recipient knows you are sincere - then you will have made a Lifetime Memory for your Mother, Wife, Grandmother, Father, or Grandfather.
Good Luck!
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John McQuade has long looked for outstanding gift ideas. But he has only found a few that are really outstanding in over 20 years of looking. You can see a 2 1/2 minute video at the website listed below.
http://www.GiftsTheyWillRemember.com
