A Gift With A Difference

Finding a gift for a relative or friend can sometimes be challenging, especially if they are in an Aged Care home or Retirement Village  where they have most of the things they need.

Popular presents include flowers, chocolates, socks or lottery scratch it tickets? But what if others in the family give the same?

A few years ago I thought about giving a personal gift and realised the internet has opened up a whole new world of opportunities. First was a birthday present for my dad, Bob. I went onto ebay and typed in his date of birth 23rd December 1923 and found a National Geographic Magazine published on that date. He was rapt with it.

Another friend for her 50th birthday received a Woman’s Day Magazine published the day after she was born with a note that her mum was probably reading this whilst cradling her as a baby. Magazines, post cards of favourite places your relative/friend may have visited or even the sales brochure for a favourite car they may have had or longed for.

Simply go onto ebay or other sales sites and type in a date, be it a birth day, wedding day or other significant time. If you can’t find the exact date try the month and year, ie March 1945. I have sourced magazines and brochures from around Australia and even other countries with the cost including postage often under $20.

The possibilities are endless and the gift means so much more as you can all talk about it as you rekindle specials times from the past.

The happy times you create today are the memories you’ll cherish tomorrow.

WRITTEN BY ROD GRAYDON

Find out more about Christadelphian Aged Care.