By Catherine Franz
All of us know that the greatest gifts in life don't cost money.
They do take time to think and create. Whether you are looking for ideas for a
21st birthday, 16th, 3rd, or 65th, these ideas will help you create some
memorable moments and affect lives. Substitute the X for the birthday number.
You can even be creative and use these same ideas for expectant mothers.
1. A list of X things you most appreciate about him or her.
2. A gift certificate for X things to do together that doesn't
cost money. Give this some forethought and match with what you love to do and
what they love to do. You can create the gift certificates on the computer or
buy preprinted ones at an office supply store.
3. Ask each member of your family and friends to think about
something they hold most dear and cherish most about living. Ask them to create
X number on a list and send it to this person for their birthday. You can give
them an album to place all of them.
4. Gift certificate for X favors and privileges that he or she
may exchange for services later. Such as cooking a special meal, teaching them
to cook a family recipe, cleaning out the garage or car, a picnic in the Spring,
or a foot massage. The more creative the better the gift.
5. A list of the X things you wish someone had told you when you
were that age. They can be the simplest of things like not to change a flat
while close to the road, don't pour bleach directly on clothes, or don't lick a
frozen pole. Go ahead, I know you can do better than this.
6. Write a brief memorable, even funny story for each one of
their years. For expectant fathers or mothers memories, record the funny moments
of pregnancy.
7. Create a special album with one picture from each of their
birthdays.
8. Write about your hopes and dreams for them as you see them on
this particular birthday. This especially well for young children. Accumulate
them over the years and what how they change as you both get older. If they are
too young now, save them for later.
9. Share your wisdom of what to do when life serves lemons
besides making lemonade. For their 18th birthday it can be about the 18 best
coping skills you ever learned.
10. Start a family journal dedicated to them. Pass the journal
around before the birthday or on their birthday and allow each family member to
write an inspirational message or a memorable moment. Use the same journal year
after year to build on these.
If the family member is away at war and can't be home for their
birthday, create a journal with some of these items, make a copy, and mail it to
them. Tell him or her that the original will be waiting for them when they
return. If your son, daughter, is away for any reason you can use any of these
ten things to a creative, memorable birthdays. These work whether you are on a
tight budget or the richest person in the world. Honestly, when you learn to
give from the heart you are the richest person in the world anyway.
Catherine Franz is a writer and author of over 1800 published articles and
several books on various business subjects. Newsletters available at:
http://www.abundancecenter.com