Your mom’s turning 70 and you STILL don’t know what to get her?

Even if you can’t be together on her birthday (due to Covid or any other reason), family members can contribute from all over to create a tribute book honoring your mom on her milestone birthday.

I created tribute books to celebrate milestone birthdays of three well-loved, incredible women last month. One was the wife of my client, who was turning 80, and the couple lives in North Carolina. The other two were moms of separate clients, both celebrating their 60th birthdays and closer to my home in New Jersey.

While they were singular books with different design styles and wildly different approaches to the tributes within, the books had a few integral things in common:

• They oozed with love for the recipients.

• They told stories and shared remembrances that made me, a stranger, feel like I wanted to meet these folks!

• They elicited happy tears—each one, from the gifter and the gifted.

I can’t convey how thrilled I feel when I get feedback like I did from these clients. Tribute books for happy occasions—milestone birthdays and anniversaries, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings—are such a joy to create, and the joy they engender in those who receive them is beyond compare.

What to get for the person who has everything? A beautiful bespoke tribute book, of course! This is a page from a recent book gifted to a woman on her 80th birthday.

The nitty gritty of creating a tribute gift book

I am always honored and privileged to help my clients gather, organize, and express their tributes for their honoree. And my clients are always a little shocked at how much can go into the process (you think Uncle Ernie will be the last to reply, but he sends his narrative in on day one…but then 10 others are missing, late, or incomplete, two others are missing photos, three others are illegible, and 24 others have photos way too small to reproduce in print!!).

Leaving the logistics to a professional ensures that

• you don’t have to be bothered with nagging follow-ups

• you don’t have to check and recheck photo resolution

• you don’t have to give guidance on what to write and how to optimize images

• you don’t have to sit in front of a computer screen for hours designing your book

• you don’t have to worry that the book won’t print just-right.

All you have to do is take credit when you wrap and give the book to your loved one!

“Ann was ecstatic and we all had to fight back tears…

…watching her flip through the book.

We all hope we can pass something of value on to family and friends. The tribute book did just that for her. She shows the book off to whoever comes in the house.

You went far above and beyond anything that I could have ever imagined.” —Terry C.

Why tribute books are so popular right now

We’ve all been in that situation: We need a special gift for that someone who seems to have everything; but nothing seems special—or unique—enough.

A tribute book telling your loved one just how much they mean to you—and to your tribe—could not be more unique. The messages within are one-of-a-kind. And when crafted in an heirloom book, they become a welcome addition to your family history archive.

When most of our doorstep deliveries are for essential items and we continue to get excited about in-stock toilet paper; when we have spent more time physically separated from family members due to Covid-19 than we ever could have imagined; and when so many of us are getting back in touch with those things that matter most to us—family, connection, a sense of home and security—a gift from the heart resonates more than ever.

I always recommend (and ask for) experiential gifts—traveling together, an outing to the theater or a local garden, a family hike. Those are gifts that mean something, that spark memories and affection. But when a physical gift is in order—when you want to cap off the big birthday party with a memorable unveiling, and when you want to show—really show—your loved one HOW and WHY they are loved—then why not consider a tribute book?

Reach out to see how we can work together to bring your project to life. All it takes is a half-hour phone chat—no pressure, just some questions to help me understand what type of book you envision—and you could be on your way to giving the best gift you’ve ever given. Really!

“The process of sorting through 27 years of pictures…

…and mementos was joyfully reflective, but what brought it all together was Dawn’s vision. Her warm and engaging personality and ability to capture my feelings—and transform them into such a beautiful book—well, let’s just say that our Modern Heirloom exceeded every expectation!” —Susan M.