Are you finding it hard to find the right gift? Giving a gift that invites friends and family to share their memories is especially thoughtful. Make gift giving an opportunity to show how much you care about them. Of all the gifts you can give, an old memory may be the greatest one of all. Sharing old memories during the Holiday's shows incredible kindness and appreciation. It can help old friends to feel loved, understood, and validated. Maybe it’s a high school story or pictures of time spent at the beach.
So what’s the meaningful gift, ‘It’s the thought that counts’? Here are five ideas, all $100 or less:
1. Hold Onto Old Photos
If your cleaning out your closet you might find a lost stash of old cameras with unprocessed film rolls. Get them processed at a specialty shop which are getting harder and harder to find. Find a photo your friend would value. Get it framed. Better yet, transfer the image and put it on a mug. They’ll adore it!
You will certainly have a laugh at seeing how different everyone looked in an old photo. Looking at photos with old friends will bring back precious memories. Preserving a photo is a nod to an enduring memory. The added upside of offering a mug with a photo is that it becomes an instant conversation starter. Whenever friends visit they’ll notice the image and talk about it.
2. Give a Call to Say “Hello”
Let’s say you remember special occasions, like birthdays or anniversaries. Perhaps you had a road trip a couple of years ago. Maybe it’s time to share the memory with an old friend. If a friend or family member lives far away give them a long distance call. Skype or exchange emails if the phone number isn’t available. Sometimes the best gift to give a long distant friendship is to have a conversation.
3. Take Them Out
The best gift is the time you dedicate by spending your time one-on-one. Think of a place or activity to meet that you would both enjoy. Perhaps it’s a long hike through a walking trail, camping at an old camp ground, or simply meeting at a café. A light, casual, one-on-one meeting at a café is a great gift. Never underestimate the power of spending time with someone as an amazing gift. Of course, this also means you should schedule time to meet again.
4. Preserve Video Tape Memories
Do you have any old VHS tapes, slides and film reels lying around? Families and friends began recording videos with video cassettes not too long ago. There’s something magical about seeing old videos that tell stories of their own. You may have a box of video tapes sitting around somewhere collecting dust. Be aware that poorly stored videos have a way of decaying over time, so if you are not careful they could be lost forever. Overseas Video Lab has specialty professional equipment that can help you reclaim the quality of those precious videos.
Helping your friends and family to preserve memories might hold an even more special feeling, especially when there’s been a loss of someone. Old videos of a high school graduation could bring great pleasure to a family after a loss. Or videos of clowning around or happier memories can bring good feelings back again.
5. Throw a Reunion Party
This might not technically be a gift, but having a reunion is a gift for people who haven’t met each other for long time. Everyone loves an excuse to get together. Maybe you've reconnected with them on Facebook. Take the time to write a nice message to an old friend and tell them you would love to catch up sometime. It’s natural that friendships can grow apart as people make different choices and take new directions in life. By reconnecting at a reunion, it is interesting to see how everyone’s careers, parenthood or relationships have molded us.
Create a custom gift with video transfers by visiting Overseas Video Lab on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OverseasVideoLab. Preserve your precious memories forever! Transfer your old films and video tapes to DVD or another digital media source of your liking. We can handle just about any format. Call us at 416-244-1822 or visit overseasvideolab.com for more info.
