Just like every holiday season, 2006 tends to be extremely hectic. I just can not go to plan for shopping with my eleven-month-old baby to take with me on every shopping excursion. As many of my nephews and nieces are teenagers, I also find ir really very difficult to know what to get for teens as gifts. For me, my parents are a complete mystery to me and never quite sure what to get for my adult siblings and friends. Definately, I would like to receive as a gift and I chose to present gift cards this year, but with a twist.

I got the idea of buying gift cards from AutismLink.com. I work with autistic children and I am a member of Autism Link. I receive press releases, educational events and general information about autism in emails through the site. One of the emails suggested that people buy their gift cards through AutismLink.com. Some of the proceeds from each gift card purchased through the site is donated to autism research.

 Just about everyone appreciates a gift card from their favorite store or restaurant, but presenting a gift card can be boring. However, gift cards that contribute to a good cause are wonderful to receive. It’s almost like giving two gifts in one. My friends and family were extremely happy to know that their purchases benefit autistic people and my best friend’s son, who is an adult with autism, was particularly proud of his gift.

Buying gift cards does not always seem like a very personal approach to gift-giving, but gift cards that benefit a good cause are. Next year, I am going to see if I can buy gift cards from stores that donate to other charities. Autism is close to my heart, but I know a breast cancer survivor, a woman who has a diabetic son and I have a dear friend who has Parkinson’s disease.

Buying gift cards that donate to each person’s respective charity of interest would be a little more thoughtful. I think that it would behoove many retail shops, restaurants and food stores to consider collaborating with various charities during the Holiday Season and throughout the year. For those of us who want to avoid crowded shopping malls but still want to give a thoughtful gift, this would be ideal. It would be even better if we could choose a charity from a list that the store offers.

Whether they benefit a charity or not, gift cards are still relatively boring gifts to give. There is no real drama in opening a gift card. This year I placed each gift card in Glad Press-n-Seal. Then I poured clear soap that I melted into a mold. After letting it dry for a few minutes, I put the protected gift card in the mold and finished pouring the melted soap into it. Each person got a bar of soap with a gift card from their favorite store floating in it. It was the talk of the evening.

Do you have little ones? If the answer is yes, then you've probably made a few trips to the old toy store in the past. Buying gifts for children is so simple these days. Sure, there are infinite options at hand, but that's what makes it so great. When that birthday rolls around, it's rather convenient to head over to Toys R Us in search of that new and exciting toy or game. An abundance of gifts for children can be found at any local shopping mall or superstore, such as Target or Wal-Mart. When you think about it, kids are the easiest ones to buy for. I mean come on, the little ones only like two things. Well, I should actually say two categories. You have toys and candy. This makes the picking and choosing rather easy since we all know that candy rots their teeth.

Where do you shop in search of gifts for children? How many little ones are scurrying about your home? If you have more than one child, then you're certainly familiar with the whole equality issue. You absolutely must spend the exact same amount on each child. If you don't, they will find out and question your love for them. Ah, to be a child with siblings. Those were the good old days. With my computer close at hand and cable high speed Internet, I must say that I prefer to browse gifts for children online. Cyberspace is infused with gifts for children, or anyone for that matter. We are talking toys galore. One of the great places to shop is Amazon.com. This wonderful website offers a diverse selection of all sorts of toys, regardless of your child's gender and/or preferences. Not to mention, if you can't find that special something in a toy store, I'll bet you can pinpoint the product online. With the numerous web stores constantly vying for our business these days, you are sure to find gifts for children at the lowest prices ever. It feels good to always get those deals.

If you are in search of gifts for children, pop open Google and punch in your desired item. I guarantee that you'll be flooded with results. Many of those gifts that you thought were no longer attainable are simply lingering in cyberspace. No matter what your preference may be, you'll stumble across it on Ebay, or one of the various other websites. Finding gifts for children should be a synch; you just need the right source.

Just about every family has a real nut as a member. Why not make a special nut gift basket for this character? The process of making the arrangement is pretty simple but you can also find pre-made arrangements as well. Sometimes creating your own nut gift basket is cost effective and sometimes it’s not.

We all know that this kind of snack is relatively expensive. If you don’t already own gift basket supplies you might want to leave this project up to the professionals. The cost of making a nut gift basket can be really pricy if you are not careful in the process. You can spend a lot more money in the long run if you try to take on the project yourself.

I usually make various arrangements for friends and family. Since my dad is the nut in our family, I decided to make a nut gift basket just for him. I spent little time looking for the core products like the container and packaging materials but the little nuts themselves were another story. My dad’s nut gift basket was an undertaking that I really underestimated.

Of course, I wanted to include a variety of the favorite treats in the nut gift basket. Dad is particularly found of pistachios. He will eat handfuls of them at a time. He puts the shelled pistachios into his mouth and works each treat out of its shell. Then he discards the empty shells. The practice has been one of amazement as well as embarrassment for me and my siblings.

Pistachios were on the top of my list and I was a little surprised by the price of these little snacks. One little bag of the pistachios quickly shrunk my budget for the nut gift basket project. I still had a few more nuts to collect as well and I was starting to get a little nervous about the undertaking.

Dad must have expensive tastes because the next snack on the list was macadamias. He loves to eat these plain but he really loves them when they are dipped in chocolate. Just one package of the natural variety and one package of the chocolate covered variety cleared out my budget for the whole nut gift basket.

I had to choose a smaller container than I originally selected and I was really aggravated when I saw a complete nut gift basket for less than what I spent on the few items I bought. Dad did love his present and the card that said, “You drive us nuts” but I really think that the professionally made nut gift basket would have been better. There’s always next year.

Do you purchase a lot of presents for friends and loved ones? Are you constantly hitting up the local shopping center for that new piece of jewelry or hockey stick? Well, if this sounds all too familiar, then it's time to search beyond the local retail stores. Check out what cyberspace has to offer. I used to head out to the shopping outlets on a regular basis in search of that new and crazy gift for my wife or kid, but not any more. No matter what products you're browsing for, the World-Wide-Web has it all.

I am one of those individuals who love to locate that crazy gift. You know, the one that sticks out under that Christmas tree. Well, there are a few random places in the mall you can find that crazy gift or something that breaks the preconceived notions of presents in general. There's nothing wrong with going for the goofy factor. It's definitely better than passing on some terrible reindeer sweater or bundle of socks. For example, last year I sent my brother and his wife an adult board game. Okay, I know, it sounds kind of freaky. However, it got a great laugh, and they actually play it when the little ones are in bed, sleeping. These days it's more than easy to find a crazy gift to stir some good humor and fun.

Spencer's Gifts is a store found all over that country and is loaded with crazy gifts for most adults. This quirky present supplier is also located in cyberspace. You can hop online and sort through a decent selection in order to find that prefect crazy gift for your buddy's bachelor party. In addition, there are a number of other stores on the Internet that are packed with goofy present ideas and odd-ball gags. This is probably the best place to begin your search for that ideal crazy gift. When you delve into cyberspace, you open yourself up to a world of selection. The local malls and shops can hardly vie with that. Therefore if you're interested in the largest selection at the best prices, online is the way to go. Let's face it, we all have to purchase gifts throughout the year for certain occasions, so we might as well search for some fun and crazy gifts that won't be tossed aside or easily forgotten.

We just recently celebrated our daughter’s first birthday. We had many friends and relatives in our home to celebrate our daughter’s special day. Many of them brought traditional gifts like stuffed animals and clothes but we did get a couple unique baby gifts that we will cherish for years to come, specifically a baby bracelet.

My sister-in-law had the presence of mind to select the perfect baby bracelet for our daughter. It is a simple baby bracelet that is very sturdy and attractive. The baby bracelet is made of sterling silver beads alternated with an occasional garnet stone. The baby bracelet carries the beautiful garnet stones because it is our daughter’s birthstone.

The birthstone baby bracelet is a wonderful gift and it is very attractive on our daughter’s wrist. I never even thought about jewelry for a toddler, but the baby bracelet is just lovely and it is very safe because of its flawless construction. My only concern is that she may lose it, but I make sure to keep close watch when she is wearing her little piece of jewelry.

The gift of the baby bracelet inspired me to look into buying other jewelry for my one-year-old daughter, but nothing really stands out like the baby bracelet. I am considering buying a necklace for her if I can find one that matches her baby bracelet, but I really think that I would only have her wear the necklace briefly, maybe for a photograph.

I definitely did not want to have my daughter’s ears pierced. I think that she will have plenty of time to decide if she wants pierced ears or not. After all, babies have enough encounters with needles in their first year through all of the vaccines that are administered. A baby bracelet is great charm that requires no needles and has no risk of infection.

I have come across baby bracelets that are personalized and I am very tempted to buy one for our daughter. There are baby bracelets that can be used for identification. The baby’s name is engraved on the face of the baby bracelet and her personal information, including her address and phone number is engraved on the back. It may come in handy if she is ever lost.

I know that among the jewelry available for the very young, I do favor the baby bracelet. The little piece of jewelry is an attractive addition to a child’s outfit without the worry and concern that accompanies more adult jewelry like rings and necklaces. I think that I will include a bracelet in my daughter’s Easter Basket this year. The baby bracelet may make for a great new family tradition.

My husband and I both enjoy working in our gardens. We have several flower gardens as well as a huge vegetable garden. We find that each spring we plant way too much so we end up having more vegetables than the two of us need. None of my sisters have vegetable gardens. We decided that garden gifts would be a great idea for Christmas. My husband’s side of the family all have gardens so they did not need or want additional vegetables, but we thought we could still go with the garden gifts theme for them and get them things for use in their gardens.

We made extra jars of dilled pickles, stewed tomatoes and pickled green beans to give as garden gifts. Our neighbor had an abundance of raspberries this year and told us to pick as many as we wanted. We made jars of raspberry jam and also raspberry syrup. We dehydrated apples off of our apple tree and also made apple pie in a jar. This is a recipe in which you can apples with sugar and cinnamon. All you have to do is dump it in a pie shell and bake it to have homemade apple pie. I found a garden supply shop that sells wooden crates. I bought one for each of my sisters. I then used wood shreds as a liner and placed the canned goods in it. I had taken a course in calligraphy several years ago so I wrote garden gifts on each crate.

For my husband’s siblings we went to one of our favorite stores in the Mall of America that specializes in gifts for people that are difficult to buy for. They have high quality specialty items including gardening tools. We bought each of them a gardening cart. It is made of molded plastic and is on wheels. It is designs so you can sit on it and wheel yourself along a row of vegetables as you are planting, weeding and harvesting. There are slots for tools and a basket to place seeds or harvested vegetables. We thought these were great garden gifts for helping to make gardening easier. It cuts down on stooping as well as crawling on your hands and knees. It also keeps your tools with you so that it is easier to stay organized.

Along with the garden gifts for both sides of the family I also made several pans of my homemade caramels. The homemade caramels have been a tradition for several years. I make them and my husband cuts them. We then spend several evenings wrapping each piece individually. I still think homemade treats make the best gifts.

Good friends of ours just had their first baby - an adorable baby girl named Madison Lee. We have been talking about what to buy them as a gift. We have had so many ideas, but finally settled on a baby gift basket.

Baby gift baskets can be purchases pre-assembled. However, we have decided to collect and assemble our gift basket on our own. We will purchase a large basket with a sturdy handle at a local craft shop along with cellophane (preferably in pink or printed with a baby motif). As well, we will pick up some ribbons, tissue paper, possibly a pre-inflated foil balloon with congratulations message, and of course an appropriate card.

Then we will begin gathering items to put into our baby gift basket. Some items we will look for are good quality baby shoes with decent support, a couple of choices from the Baby Einstein line of products and a fashionable hat, mitts and scarf set. Then we will choose more generic items to fill up our baby gift basket. These choices will likely include liquid baby powder (real baby powder can affect baby's breathing), a baby-safe stuffed toy, something to help mommy relax (bath salts or similar aromatherapy products), an assortment of baby care products and last but not least, a gift certificate for a local restaurant so that both parents can enjoy an evening away from the hectic demands of parenthood.

Baby gift baskets are an especially good choice for people living a great distance away (like us). As long as items are non-breakable, these gift baskets can be safely shipped and are a great way to send best wishes and practical gifts to new parents and babies.

In the past, when we had our children, we were fortunate to receive several baby gift baskets. It's a lot of fun to get and give an assortment of gifts and it's a good way to make sure to include everyone in the family. It's especially good to remember any other little brothers or sisters in the family, who may feel somewhat left out by all the fuss over the new baby. Including a special gift or two for the other children is a wonderful gesture of care and makes things go that much more smoothly while welcoming the new little one to the family. Good choices to include in your baby gift basket, for the other children will likely include toys and games that they are able to operate on their own. So it's very important to be conscious of their ages, since buying a toy or game beyond their age range will require adult assistance and likely result in disappointment for the children, rather than the intended distraction.

Indeed, buying or assembling a baby gift basket is a great way to personalize your gift. The extra time it may take to make your gift just right will definitely be appreciated by the new parents and the practicality of the gift will make their job that much easier.

Though you might not expect it to be at first, finding the right graduation gifts is a relatively easy task.  High-school and college graduates are essentially just starting out on their journeys, and since they generally don’t have nearly as many things in general as do adults, they’re pretty easy to shop for.  When giving graduation gifts, remember that most people look most fondly on the gifts they use the most.  Though an overtly sentimental gift may make a great first impression, graduates are most likely to really appreciate gifts they use on a day-to-day basis.  Every time the graduate uses your gift, he or she will probably think about you and appreciate the gift even more.  So, though you may be tempted to pick up that little teddy bear with the cap and gown, there’s a good chance the cute little teddy bear will gather dust on a shelf somewhere.  

Buy graduation gifts that graduates will actually use.  Sometimes this takes a little bit of investigation as to what the graduates have and want.  Note that high-school graduates are going to have different wants and needs than college graduates.  High school graduates will probably appreciate a number of gifts aimed at settling them into life away from home and in a dorm room.  Small refrigerators or microwaves often go over well, as do durable plates and glasses.  A handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) is another good graduation gift since it will help the graduate keep track of all of his or her appointments, tests, and social engagements when in college or out in the workforce.

College graduation is different in that college graduates aren’t simply preparing for dorm life, they’re also looking to get a job and find an apartment. Since most college graduates won’t want their first apartments to look like their dorm rooms, great gift opportunities for graduates certainly include house wares. The posters of animals and sportstars are going to come down, and they’ll look for something a little fancier than those red plastic cups. If you’re not sure of a graduate’s taste in interior design, consider a gift certificate to a home store, where they can choose what suits them best.

Of course, one of the best graduation gifts is the old stand-by: money.  Graduates rarely have enough of it, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving.  Though a more personal gift can show a little more thought and effort on your part, the gift of cash will rarely go unappreciated.

Shopping for children and buying gifts for them is the most difficult part of the shopping process. This is because you have to take into account the child’s mental and emotional levels when purchasing gifts for them. When buying gifts for children, suggested ages are often an inaccurate gauge. It is often seen that a child who is smarter than other children of their age will get bored quickly with toys meant for his or her age group. However, a child who learns more slowly than his or her peers will be overwhelmed with a toy meant for his or her age group. You have to keep this important thing when shopping for children.

Some toys are suitable to a wide range of ages. These toys can make exceptional gifts for children because their level of difficulty can be adjusted. The Leapfrog reading system masters this concept. Buy purchasing books of differing levels, the Leapfrog reading system easily appeals to ages from four to twelve. My daughter’s Leapfrog is four years old now. She still plays with it regularly. Any list of potential gifts for children should include an item similar to the Leapfrog reading system.

Though board games may seem like a thing of the past, children and adults both love sitting down together and spending family time while playing a thought-provoking board game. While shopping for gifts for children, you should look at favorite games from your childhood. The trip down memory lane will appeal to you, and children get excited about board games. My children love Life, Monopoly, and Payday. They learn money counting while I enjoy sharing games from my own childhood. Board games are necessary when shopping for gifts for children.

Many children love books providing they are given books that appeal to them. Boys seem to love the slightly crude Captain Underpants series, while girls adore Junie B. Jones. Add books to your list of gifts for children and watch a boy or girl’s eyes light up when he or she receives the thoughtful gift. You can even purchase picture books for the youngest recipients on your gift list. They absolutely love flipping through a book it makes them feel as accomplished as their older brother or sister who can read.

Movies make wonderful gifts for children. Harry Potter videos are all the rage for the slightly older crowd. Pixar films appeal to both children and adults. Some of the shows from the 1980s are making a comeback.  Most children love watching Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and I admit seeing Lawrence Fishburne as Cowboy Curtis makes me laugh. Pee-Wee’s Playhouse is the most requested quiet-time video from my collection.

Girls of all ages seem to love American Girl dolls and Build-A-Bear dolls. The girl can choose an age appropriate doll and then choose what the doll or bear will wear. My daughter and her friends all love showing off their own artistically dressed creations. These items can make wonderful gifts for children.

There is no dount in the fact that barbie dolls are the still preferred toys of grown up girls. They're some of the oldest toys in the business. It is unlikely that you have a daughter and have not seen Barbie dolls on the wish list on a birthday or Christmas list. Barbie dolls have stood the test of time. These dolls are still growing strong whether your daughter was born in the 70's or the 90's.

From Barbie dolls to Barbie play sets and cars, young girls can never seem to get enough of the tall, thin blond.  Although they're rather simple compared to a lot of the newer toys these days, Barbie dolls remain all the rage.  

When I had a daughter, a new Barbie was inevitable.  Sure enough, by the time she could recognize the rubber dolls, she had a list of them in mind.  However, I didn't quite realize the extent of the Barbie collection.  These classic little toys go on for miles.  There's endless versions of Barbie, herself.  From Christmas Barbies to diving Barbies to Cinderella Barbies, the list continues.  In addition, there are also the male versions, called Ken, of course, and we can't forget about little sister, Kelly.  

If you search online for Barbie dolls and toys, you will soon understand the blond bombshell craze that's dominated the toy world for some time. One thing I certainly learned to count on at Christmas time was Barbie is a sure win.  If it says Barbie on it and is pink, I can't lose. Stores like Toys R Us and a number of online sites offer a wide variety of Barbie toys to meet any little girl's wants and needs.  

Even if you're all grown up, you still may hold a strong fascination for the classic toys.  Barbie spans beyond our little girls.  Yes, it's true; adults too collect these finely dressed, little dolls. Collector Barbies date back several decades. These collectible toys can even run you into some fat price tags.  Vintage Barbie dolls are no kids matter.  

Numerous Barbie fan sites, chat forums, and collector pages exist throughout the Internet.  It's hard to fathom the appeal of these dolls for some, but others can't get enough.  Having a mother of my own who's had an ongoing love for Barbie dolls, I get the full brunt of the craze.  The only problem is keeping my daughter away from my mother's collection of dolls when we visit for the holidays.  That can be a real challenge.

There is no dount in the fact that barbie dolls are the still preferred toys of grown up girls. They're some of the oldest toys in the business. It is unlikely that you have a daughter and have not seen Barbie dolls on the wish list on a birthday or Christmas list. Barbie dolls have stood the test of time. These dolls are still growing strong whether your daughter was born in the 70's or the 90's.

From Barbie dolls to Barbie play sets and cars, young girls can never seem to get enough of the tall, thin blond.  Although they're rather simple compared to a lot of the newer toys these days, Barbie dolls remain all the rage.  

When I had a daughter, a new Barbie was inevitable.  Sure enough, by the time she could recognize the rubber dolls, she had a list of them in mind.  However, I didn't quite realize the extent of the Barbie collection.  These classic little toys go on for miles.  There's endless versions of Barbie, herself.  From Christmas Barbies to diving Barbies to Cinderella Barbies, the list continues.  In addition, there are also the male versions, called Ken, of course, and we can't forget about little sister, Kelly.  

If you search online for Barbie dolls and toys, you will soon understand the blond bombshell craze that's dominated the toy world for some time. One thing I certainly learned to count on at Christmas time was Barbie is a sure win.  If it says Barbie on it and is pink, I can't lose. Stores like Toys R Us and a number of online sites offer a wide variety of Barbie toys to meet any little girl's wants and needs.  

Even if you're all grown up, you still may hold a strong fascination for the classic toys.  Barbie spans beyond our little girls.  Yes, it's true; adults too collect these finely dressed, little dolls. Collector Barbies date back several decades. These collectible toys can even run you into some fat price tags.  Vintage Barbie dolls are no kids matter.  

Numerous Barbie fan sites, chat forums, and collector pages exist throughout the Internet.  It's hard to fathom the appeal of these dolls for some, but others can't get enough.  Having a mother of my own who's had an ongoing love for Barbie dolls, I get the full brunt of the craze.  The only problem is keeping my daughter away from my mother's collection of dolls when we visit for the holidays.  That can be a real challenge.

Many of my memories are closely linked to music. When I hear some songs that were popular years ago, I can remember events surrounding the music very vividly. At least, it seems that way. One song has been on my mind recently and this tune is one of great meaning to me now. I understand the lyrics to “Crazy Gift of Time” by Kevin Ayers so much better than I did years ago.

When I was younger, the concept of time being a crazy gift made little sense to me. I associated the phrase with a whimsical vision of time. The passing of time did not occur to me. The irony of having too much time did not occur to me either. We do not consider the ironic elements of this crazy gift until we reach a certain age. This age is one in which we reflect on our lives.

Time never goes quickly enough for the young. Children can’t wait for Christmas. Summer vacation seems like an eternity away. There is always something to look forward to and time just gets in the way. Growing up seems to be such a long process that the crazy gift of time slips by during the stage of our lives in which we should be savoring each and every second.

We can’t wait for our eighteenth birthday. Then the milestone of twenty-one is the decadent goal; that moment that marks our independence and establishes us as adults. We never think of the way that we wish the crazy gift away. We never think about how we watched the clock ticking our crazy gift of time into oblivion as we wish for the classroom bell to mark the end of Algebra class. We grow to wish away our lives in hopes that our work day will end.
The Kevin Ayers song meant little to me years ago. Today, I understand how the crazy gift of time is an ironic present. Time begins to pass faster and faster as we begin to realize how very precious it is. It seems like just a moment ago, I was saying goodbye to my high school history teacher. The last thing he said to me was, “The rest is just a flash.”

As I get older I notice that time has little regard for how sorry I am for wanting it to pass faster. I did not realize the crazy gift granted wishes. Although there is no way to recapture the past, maybe we can begin to savor our moments as they pass.

One of the biggest challenges I face each year is finding a birthday present for Dad. Fathers can be difficult when it comes to gifts because most of them have just about everything they want. I asked my dad what he wanted one year and he said that if he wants something, he goes to the store to get it. This statement gave me an idea.

Maybe we shouldn’t try to get gifts for fathers that they actually want. I went on a quest this year to find a birthday present for Dad that he doesn’t know that he wants but he will want it when he sees it. Sound confusing? Bear with me. It will all come together after you discover what I found.

There are a ton of great gift ideas for fathers that are cutting edge innovations that most dads have no idea even exist. Spending a little time on the Internet can help you find some a great birthday present for Dad that will leave him speechless. He may possibly ask what it is, too.

Following are my top picks for my birthday present for Dad. They range in style and price but I do think that I found the perfect gift in this bunch. These are just a few of the many options available for kids and adults who are looking for the perfect token for their dads.

My father is a coffee drinker so the first item that caught my eye was a Plug n’ Heat Coffee Mug. He loves coffee but he is always complaining that it seems to loose heat way too fast even in his favorite thermos. The Plug n’ Heat Coffee Mug plugs into your cigarette lighter in your vehicle and keeps the beverage at a nice, warm temperature no matter how cold it is outside.

This gift for fathers is great but I wanted something a little more unusual. I think that the massage socks are fantastic but the Sudoku toilet paper was really standing out. The socks are great but it wasn’t the perfect birthday gift for Dad. The Sudoku toilet paper would have been good for a laugh but not much more than that.

The winner of the perfect birthday present for Dad is the T-Qualizer. This innovative t-shirt works like an equalizer panel on a stereo. The great thing about the T-Qualizer is that it actually works with the sounds in the room.

I gave this birthday present for Dad with pride and I accompanied the package with a CD of his favorite music. His shirt bounced to the beat and he was delighted with the product. He didn’t even know how much he wanted it.

We all remember the joys of getting presents as a child.  Who could forget the brightly painted wrapping paper flying everywhere, the bows and the cards, and finally under all of that, a gift that has been long waited for.  It is a truly unique pleasure, as a child, to get a new toy or game.  But as we get older, it changes.  It becomes less about the present that you get and more about the connection that you feel to the person who gave it to you.  The idea that it is not the gift but the thought that counts does not really hold for children, but it becomes more and more true as we get into adulthood.  This is why, sitting here and trying to pick out a 50th birthday present for my wife, I am rethinking the approach that I usually take to getting a gift.

A 50th birthday present marks a momentous occasion in the life of a loved one.  It is always hard to get a 50th birthday present for someone, but it is doubly hard when that someone is the person that you have chosen to spend your whole life with.  In most cases, people opt to get some kind of corny 50th birthday gift, something that is safe and humorous.  Most 50th birthday presents that I've seen come with a card that has some joke about being “over the hill”.  In every other way, the 50th birthday present is usually the same as any birthday gift you would get for someone.

But I wanted the 50th birthday present I got for my wife to be something special.  I was not happy just getting her a book, or some jewelry, or some clothing, or a trip to some exotic location.  We do things like that for each other every year.  Sometimes, for a 50th birthday present, people will give a charitable donation to some organization in their honor.  I thought about this, but ultimately I decided against it.  We give, after all, a lot of money to charity.  Finally, I figured out what I wanted to give.  I sat down with all of our old photos and made a scrapbook.  It was not just a normal scrapbook, but one that was made to tell the story of our whole life together.  It took me weeks to finish, but when I was done it was beautiful.  I'm sure it will make a perfect 50th birthday present.