<p>I’ve already given H his Christmas gift because it went with a purchase he made over the weekend, but I’d still like for him to have something to open on Christmas Day. Does anyone have suggestions of “gifts of the heart” that I might give? </p>
<p>To broaden the topic, did YOU ever give such a gift that was well-received? The year my mother lost my dad, I gave her a photo collage of my dad with all of the children and grandchildren. It cost almost nothing but she loved it. Nowadays I guess it would be photo book from one of those websites. My ex once went to an old-fashioned news stand and bought up every paper they carried on my birthday. “Epic”, as my teenager would say.</p>
<p>Specially prepared food/treats comes to mind - either made by you or purchased. </p>
<p>Or something you make - a poem, story about the two of you, deck of cards book (see here for an example: ( [Little</a> Gray Fox: 52 Reasons | Redux](<a href=“http://littlegrayfox.blogspot.com/2012/02/52-reasons-redux.html]Little”>Little Gray Fox: 52 Reasons | Redux) ) (I made this for my husband), frame a photo that represents a special memory, or if you can sew - a fleece scarf (super easy to sew as it’s all straight seams).</p>
<p>Thanks, bookreader. That deck of cards is very cute. I guess small gestures and homemade things aren’t so popular anymore-over 100 views and only 1 reply! But you certainly helped-thanks!</p>
<p>If you are a knitter, scarves and simple hats are easy to make and are usually well received. When we were dating, I even knit gloves for Mr B - that was a project that required a lot of patience. Of course, he quickly lost them and was heartbroken!</p>
<p>Immediately after college, my friends and I were strapped for cash. One of us made chocolate dipped pretzels that were so yummy. Twenty eight years later, she still makes them for us because we request them!
I appreciate home baked goodies over store bought.</p>
<p>What about the old “coupon booklet” idea? Backrub, favorite dinner, breakfast in bed, taking over one of his household chores. I may do this for my DH, who has really been my rock these last few months.</p>
<p>ETA Just looked at the 52 Reasons. Adorable.</p>
<p>This is probably way too specific but my husband had a favorite pie from the restaurant Marie Callendars. They stopped making it but you could special order it so I used to do that on occasion – just about $10. Good reminder for the next special occasion for dh!</p>
<p>Love that deck of cards. If dh really would use a deck of cards, you can order a deck of cards customized with a favorite photo for just a few dollars.</p>
<p>If you’re sticking with truly no cost, you’ve gotten some great suggestions above.</p>
<p>I’ve been sewing pillowcases for special events this year, with some fabric that I think may resonate with the recipient. It’s fun and pretty easy–all straight seams and the fabric store had a free pattern that worked nicely.</p>
<p>Calendars with selected photos that you know H would love is a nice treat as well–some of the two of you, some of kids, pets, loved ones, favorite places. Print shops will make them with the photos you provide and it’s pretty reasonable.</p>
<p>D made pillows for all her friends one year. She badgered the moms until they found an old t-shirt from the college the kids attended. She cut this t-shirt up and sewed it to form an oblong pillow. Her friends’ loved them! She made another pillow this year for her BFF - but this time she used pictures and shutterfly to make a picture pillow.</p>
<p>I have a group of mothers with kids the age of my daughter whom were my daughter’s playgroup from the time she was born. For the kid’s fifth birthday I made a photo collage of pictures from over the years (had to go to a photo shop because this was before scanners and digital cameras) put the photos in a cheap acrylic frame and gave to the mothers. They were all in tears - I still have the collage up in my daughter’s room (she is almost 20 now). It was the best gift I ever gave anybody.</p>
<p>The second best was when my mother had broken her favorite bowl which had sat on the kitchen table for over 30 years. I found her a replacement one on line and gave it to her for Christmas (she was in tears of joy).</p>
<p>I’m big on homemade gifts. I give a lot of food gifts, sometimes with a thematic addition, in a basket. For example, a nice basket containing a selection of jellies and jams I made with a special muffin tin, or a pretty tea towel from Jaquard Francaise, or a little Biscuit and Scone cookbook. I make special spice mixtures, like chili powder or Indian masalas, and give those. </p>
<p>It is more difficult to think of such things for a husband, though. Maybe a special batch of cookies or candy that he likes that is all for him and not to be shared with anyone? If you sew, you could make him one of those grain bags that can be microwaved and put on a sore muscle, or around the neck.</p>
<p>My S added a modern dance major to his mathematical economics major in college. The night before graduation (May 2011) I gave him a photo that I had had made. </p>
<p>I took an image of him in a dancing pose that was one he really liked and had it professionally sized and added to a 1933 photo of my mother when she was an 18 yo professional dancer and dance teacher and was in a Spanish Dancer Costume in the identical body pose of that of my son only his image was face to the right and hers was face to the left. The photo reproduction company was able to get the images to be the same size and sepia tinted so that he had a photo of him and his grandmother (who died when he was 16 months old) dancing together.</p>
<p>After the graduation ceremony, I met his dance adviser. She took me aside and told me that she was really glad to met me and wanted me to know that my son spoke often about how much my unconditional support for dance meant to him.</p>
<p>Last night my wife gave me a box with a pair of metal collar stays in it. On one was engraved “I Love You” and on the other was “12-07-1983.” That was the day I stopped drinking.</p>
<p>When my oldest son went away to school I bought him an old school type plexi-glass photo cube. I couldn’t find one last summer when my youngest went away, so I ended up making him one with a wooden block from Michaels, some photos and Modge Podge. It turned out cute so I have since made them for my other two kids, a couple of friends, my aunt, MIL, sister, etc… [Handmade</a> Photo Cube | Alpha Mom](<a href=“http://alphamom.com/family-fun/holidays/handmade-photo-cube/]Handmade”>Handmade Photo Cube for Mother's Day | Alpha Mom)</p>
Of course, he quickly lost them and was heartbroken!</p>