Our daughter is turning one at the end of August. We've already bought her a "toy" gift, but I want to get something meaningful that she can keep. Then I started thinking it would be fun to have something where we add to it each year so she has a collection. It needs to be something where there is a great variety so that we can vary it based on her interests over the years and it needs to be something that isn't a fad that will disappear in a few years. Any ideas out there?
I agree with the charm bracelet idea, the other thing that I did for my daughter on her first birthday was to buy her a "baby ring" it is gold but was not too expensive because it is so small. That way she will see first hand how teeny her hands were on that birthday and when she is a little older she can wear it on a necklace. Good luck!
Although we incorporate this into our Christmans traditions, tree ornaments are cool too. I am sure you can find all kinds of ways to personalize them online. They don't have to be Christmas themed.... my daughter has a Cinderella ornament on her shelf from last year...makes a cute display in her room. Maybe from room to tree and then back. They have cute ornament "trees" (simple metal branches) that make for a great display year-round in her room.
I love the letter idea too. Maybe buy a "fancy" journal book just for the letters. What a precious gift to hand over to a daughter on her 18th or graduation or wedding or whenever it is time to give it up.
One idea is to start a collection for her (my mom started a bank collection for me). My other ideas are more of keepsakes than a gift. Each year I write a letter on our little girl's birthday. I also make a 11x17 poster containing a photo from each month of the past year (her 1st year photos were of her actual month birthday - the 9th, the 2nd year were all photos of her reading because of her book-worm b-day party theme, etc.) that we hang up for her party and give a copy to each set of grandparents. And the last thing we do each year is take a photo of the three of us on the exact minute she was born (to go with the first family portrait we have from her birth). Oh, another thing would be a nice handmade gift depending on where your talents lie. :-) Happy birthday to your little girl!!!
Diamonds are a girl's best friend :)
Seriously though...my aunt did that for my cousin...started her off on her own jewelry collection. When she was young it was simple things: a gold cross, a pearl pendant, etc. When they could afford more they bought better & vice versa (one year it was a $10 coral necklace, another it was verrrry nice opal earrings). As she got older she got to help pick/pay for the piece. They did this until she turned 18 except that when she graduated from HS & from College she got 2 more really nice pieces. My cousin's "jewelry collection", 15 years later is now worth over 20k, although her parents only put about 5k into it. Yay inflation! She hasn't added to it too much, and she sold some of it to help pay for graduate school. But the collection is not only sentimental, not only does she still get to wear them, but when push comes to shove (like when she nearly had to quit graduate school), it's valuable.
I love the charm bracelet idea...I had one when I was little and it represents all chapters of my life. I don't wear it much as an adult so took the charms off to wear as pendants..I change the necklace charm as my mood changes. I wish I hadn't done it though, the posts below remind me how much I loved it.
Since I forgot all about the charm bracelet, when it came to a "collection" for my daughter, we started a snow globe collection. It's nice, they represent a chapter in her life for each one...her first was a beautiful Winnie the Pooh, we have a couple Disney princesses and as she got older, they phased into some beautiful ones as well as some whimsical ones. It's a pain to store but lovely to look at...we take it out each year in her birthday month. Some of the favorites claim shelf space year round.
As for the charm idea, I did incorporate it for the "Tooth Fairy"...Every time she loses a tooth (we're not quite done yet) she gets a bead/charm to put on her necklace that the TF left for her the first time.
I do write a letter to my son for his birthdays.I do tell him what he did, how I felt, things I'm proud with and things I'm not proud with. How about that?
How about a charm bracelet?
we started a collection of snow globes. not all are holiday related so you could start a birthday collection for her. good luck!
I love love love my charm bracelet and wished that my parents had started one for me when I was a baby. My great aunt had one that was filled with all these lovely charms - it was awesome (stolen, unfortunately, in a grand theft at her house) but I have memories of her showing it to me with all the charms and describing what each one means. You can get lovely ones at Tiffany for around $200, but I know Overstock.com and Macys.com has lovely ones for less. Good luck!
My mother bought me a real pearl every year - one that had a whole in it so it could be strung onto a necklace or a chain. Of course, I wasn't allowed to wear it until I was old enough to be responsible with it. I don't know where she got them but can't imagine that they are terribly expensive. Another option would be to start adding to a charm bracelete for her. I think it's great that you're starting traditions like this with her!
