The holidays are always such a special time of year, but this year will be extra special for our family due to an incredibly wonderful woman who gave us the best gift in the world – our son. Through the miracle of adoption and the amazing gift of our son, now along with our traditional gifts for grandparents, parents, and siblings we also have the awesome task of shopping for our son’s birthmother. After the incredible gift our birthmother bestowed on us this year, it seems impossible to find a gift that will give justice to the sacrifice she made in order for us to become a family. This guide hopes to accomplish just that.
Your child’s birthmother wants more than anything to know that she made a good decision and that the child she lovingly placed in your life is loved the way she would want him or her to be. Is it possible to ever “repay” her for this gift of life – no – but it is possible to honor this special woman with thoughtful gifts and reminders of the gratitude you feel towards her and the love you have for this special child.
1. Scrapbook of Photos – A scrapbooks of your child’s year – highlighting time with you, your family and friends is the perfect gift to show that your child is in a home filled with love and happiness. If you don’t think you have the time or do not feel you are crafty enough to actually make a scrapbook yourself, there are plenty of photo based websites out there that will actually make the scrapbook for you and ship it to you in the mail. All you have to do is drop in the pictures and text. While you are at it buy a few copies and give them as gifts to other members of your family. It is truly a gift that will be treasured for years to come.
2. Locket – There are a wide range of lockets out there in different price ranges and styles that would be the perfect complement to a sweet picture of your special child. And what better gift for a birthmother to remember her child then something close to her heart.
3. Invitation to Visit – While not all birthmother’s are probably comfortable coming to visit, the invitation to take some time to be with your child and family is an irreplaceable gift. If they live far enough for a plane ticket and that is in your budget include that as well.
4. Webcam – Computer technology makes it so easy to communicate these days and prices have certainly come down. For around $100 a piece you can get a webcam and have video calls between your child and their birthmother. Many instant messaging services offer the ability to host these talks absolutely free!
5. Access to a blog – What better way to keep your child’s birthmother and your family updated on that precious child then to update a blog with pictures, videos, and funny stories about your child’s day to day life as a gift. Plenty of free blog services are available online – it just takes a little time and effort.
6. Christmas Tree Ornament – A great tradition to start is giving an annual Christmas Tree ornament as a gift that highlights some part of your child’s life that year – maybe a special trip, a hobby, or even a handprint.
7. Bath sets – Most women love to relax in a hot bubble bath with lots of good smelling bath salts.
8. Spa Gift Certificate – What better way to pamper this special woman then to let her pamper herself.
9. DVD/Video of Memories – Compile videos taken throughout the year of your child’s special events and every day life and put on a VCR or DVD to let your child’s birthmother look at whenever she wishes.
10. A Letter – This might seem like a simple gift – but a letter from you or your child expressing the gratitude and love you have for their birthmother is a special memory that she will always treasure. To make this gift extra special, put it on special paper or frame it. This could easily become a yearly gift that highlights all that your child has accomplished.
Adoption is such a special way to become a family and our children’s birth families deserve to by honored in a special way if not every day at least at the holidays.
