Six Ideas for History-laced Gifts of the Heart

We know sisters who have an unspoken Christmas contest every year: She whose gift makes
everyone cry happy tears wins.

This Christmas, with so many wallets pinched, is the season to dig deep, think hard and hand
out gifts filled with memories. (Lovely recession bonus: These presents almost never come
from the store.)

Your goal here is heirloom status: a meaningful, return-proof piece of your family tree.
Sentimental tears are likely, and you'll be the star of Christmas.

Here are six ideas for history-laced gifts of the heart:

Fashion a silhouette

Hand-cut silhouettes from eras past are stylish collectibles, and the savvy and crafty among
us are now making our own. They're easier than you might think. Have your subject stand
about 2 feet in front of a plain wall or door, turning to the side so you see his or her
profile, and snap a digital photo. (Tip: Have girls pull long hair off the face and neck.)
Try to fill the frame with your subject.
Print the photo on regular printer paper, filling the page with the photo. Photo-printing
shops can help you do this, if necessary.
Trace the outside of your subject with a Sharpie, taking care to capture little details like
small wisps of hair. Cut this out with small sewing or cuticle scissors. Take your cutout
outside, turn it over and spray the back of the cutout with flat black spray paint. Two or
three thin coats do the trick. Allow the silhouette to dry between coats, and frame it.

Raid the photo album

Every family has an old photo that makes everyone sigh - Mom in high school wearing a fur
stole, or Grandpa's days as a firefighter. Borrow a picture from the family album, and have
it reproduced and framed for everyone in your family. Scan it in yourself, or take it to a
printing shop. We recommend Ikea in Tempe for inexpensive and stylish frames that come with
precut mats.

Bust out Grandma's button jar

Did your mom or grandmother save extra buttons? Ours, too - hundreds of them. Sneak into her
stash and turn those vintage buttons into something fun. Etsy.com seller PoorRobin turns old
buttons and pieces of felt into barrettes for little girls. You can also turn them into
button bracelets. For bracelet instructions, go to blog.creativekismet.com and search for
"button bracelet."

Fill a shadowbox

Fill a deep glass-front frame with all those bits your family has been collecting: wedding
ephemera, tiny childhood toys, old military pins, even vintage wedding rings. Imagine that
box of memories deep in your mom's closet. Go get it. Treasures lie within, and recipients
will love having them on display. Mix in a few photos, which you can scan and reduce to the
size you wish. Shadow boxes often come backed in fabric, with pins to secure your memories.
Frames are available at Michaels Arts and Crafts and Target stores.
Other fun things to look for in your memory boxes and frame: Grandma's needlepoint work,
quilt blocks, even knitted doilies.

Hand it down

The wedding china, an old clock, even jewelry: Many families have treasures meant to be
passed from one generation to the next. Why wait? Pass on things to their intended
recipients now, and be there to experience their joy.

Cook up a family recipe book

It's a good idea that has bounced around Christmas to-do lists for ages. This year, do it.
Collect all the recipes that mean something to your family into a small album and hand it
out. Give the recipes funny familial names, type them into your computer, print them and
compile a small book.

Try kolo-usa.com for inexpensive and pretty paper albums sized perfectly for recipes. Small
Kolo albums are also available at some Barnes and Noble bookstores and Aaron Brothers Art
and Framing shops.

SOURCE: www.azcentral.com