Why Valentine's Day Is The Perfect Day To Celebrate MomIt's easy to give someone a gift on their birthday or a holiday like Christmas, but what about those weird in-between holidays? Or even just a random day throughout the year? Personally, I am absolutely horrible at finding a gift to give when it's an occasion or holiday I'm 'supposed' to give a gift for. I am the worst gift giver when it's someone's birthday, but I am the best gift giver when it comes to a random day in the middle of the year. I love to give gifts that surprise people - I don't want to give someone a gift because I'm 'supposed' to. I want to give someone a gift to make them feel special - to make them feel thought of. Valentine's Day Poem For momThat's why I think Valentine's Day is the perfect time to surprise someone, like your mom, with a thoughtful gift idea. Valentine's Day isn't a typical holiday where you're 'supposed' to give your mom a gift. Valentine's Day is marketed towards romance - husbands, wives, girlfriends and boyfriends.
Why not send your mom a thoughtful gift idea to let her know that she's being thought of on more than just her birthday or Christmas? Head over to JenDowney.com to send your mom a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift idea. xx- jen
0 Comments
The Legend of the CardinalDid you know that there is an old saying that when a cardinal appears an angel is near? It's been said that cardinals are sent from Heaven to let you know that your loved ones are still around. They're always watching, protecting, and guiding you - even when you can't see them. Jen Downey's Cardinal CollectionCardinals are one of my favorite symbols to represent signs from Heaven. I have symbols for different loved ones that have passed on, but a cardinal is special. For me, a cardinal stopping by isn't any one specific person (and let me tell you - there are a lot of loved ones that could be stopping by to let me know that they're around). For me, a cardinal is sort of this Universal sign to let me know that everything is going to be okay.
A lot of people say that a cardinal is a specific person to them - and that's part of the beauty. Isn't it incredible that something like a cardinal can mean so many different things to different people? Think about how much peace and comfort that beautiful red bird brings to so many different people - it's quite an incredible thought to dissect. That was part of the reason that I created my Cardinal Collection. It's an incredible experience to know that one tiny little keepsake can bring so much comfort to so many different people - for so many different reasons. Head over to JenDowney.com to see more of my Cardinal Collection. Every necklace comes in it's own jewelry box tied with ribbon and makes the perfect (and meaningful) gift idea to give or send to someone. xx- jen The blending of families or the addition of a new family member, no matter how the person is coming into the picture, can be a complex situation even with the most welcoming of people. Everyone has a different personality and brings something unique to the table, so when you're adding in a new color into the rainbow it can take some time to adjust. That's why it's so important to make your daughter in law feel like she belongs as a member of your family. Make the transition smoother by letting your bonus daughter know that she is more than just an in-law. Bonus DaughterI personally love the term 'bonus' rather than 'step' or 'in-law'. Maybe it's just the history of the word where 'step' has had a negative context; like you're not truly a member of the family because of DNA differences. Family isn't about your blood relation, and that is part of the reason that I am so on board with using 'bonus' to replace words like 'step' or 'in-law'. Marriage made you part of our family; Love made you my daughter.Celebrate your daughter-in-law (or any other title you refer to that wonderful woman as) to let her know that she is more than just someone your son happened to marry. Let her know that she's part of your family and you view her as if she were in your life since the day she was born.
A bonus daughter is someone special - and she deserves to feel that way. xx- jen Even without the religious significance behind it, a Godparent isn't just a role someone takes on for a day and leaves the responsibilities behind. Yes, of course a Godfather has certain religious 'duties' as we'll call them, but to be a Godfather is to be so much more than just to make sure their Godchild is being brought up with Faith front and center of their choices. The relationship between a Godfather and Godchild is a special, and unique, bond. Sure, many times it's going to be a family member that asks you to step up to the plate and help guide their child throughout life, but a lot of times there isn't a blood relationship between a Godfather and Godchild. Why Is A Godfather So Special?As I mentioned above, a lot of times a Godparent will be someone who isn't related to the family or the child. I think that's the perfect way to highlight why a Godfather is, in fact, so special and significant in a child's life. Godfathers aren't just handed the title like that of an Uncle. If your sister has a baby, you're automatically filling the role of Uncle whether you like it or not. But as a Godfather you aren't just automatically given that title when a baby is born. Godfathers are chosen, and to go along with my poem, they're chosen with love. They're figures that are going to be around, or hopefully be around, throughout your child's entire life - not just those first few years. That's why it's so important to choose a Godfather who you trust. Who you know will be there for your child, even if the relationship between the two of you frays somewhere down the road. Celebrate Your Godfather On Any OccassionThere are a plethora of ways to ask someone to be a Godfather to your child, or even gift ideas to mark the occasion. But a Godfather doesn't stop being important just because a child turns a certain age.
So whether you're celebrating your Godfather's birthday and want to give him a meaningful gift idea or you just want to say thank you to that special man in your life for always being there for you, a Godfather is someone who deserves meaningful gifts, too. xx- jen Love You Today, Tomorrow, and Forever!A grandparent and a granddaughter share a special bond. I'm not a grandparent so I can't speak from experience to say why grandchildren hold such a special place in their grandparents hearts, but I am a granddaughter and I can say that grandkids and grandparents have relationships like no other. I know that I have a little extra love in my heart for my grandparents on my dads side. No one could prepare my family for what life had in store and looking back, my parents did the best they could given the circumstances they were handed. My family moved to Arizona when I was around 4 or 5 years old and my grandma died from breast cancer when I was 6. I don't remember her, at all, which really bothers me. I mean, 6 years old...I should have some sort of memory or recollection, right? I think it's because we had moved away for a little over a year before she passed, which does make me feel a little better about not remembering. My parents decided to move back to Illinois shortly after she had passed, where we lived with my grandpa for a short period of time until my parents found a house. One and a half years. One year and a half years is all that my family had with my grandpa after my grandma's death before he left this world. Seems like a cruel joke, but I know some people have far more heartbreaking stories than mine and I am truly thankful for the short few years I had to bond with my Papa before he passed. I do have a few memories of my grandpa, which I am SO very thankful for. He was a man of few words with one heck of a sense of humor. I didn't realize until I was older that the bond we shared, and that he shared with most of his grandkids, was so special. I vividly remember that every Sunday when we went over to his house (Sunday gravy is still a very real thing within my family, in case you're wondering) that one of the first things that had to happen was to go give Papa a kiss and sit on his lap. He'd press me for information about whether or not I was a good girl that week, which of course I always was, duh. And then he'd give me a crisp $5 bill. FIVE WHOLE FREAKING DOLLARS! My Papa died 8 days before my 8th birthday. A blizzard decided to make an appearance in March (which is technically still winter until the 20th but when I think of March the last thing I think of is snow) and my grandpa had a heart attack while shoveling. Well, that was the coroner's diagnosis but we all know he died from a broken heart. He was never the same after my grandma passed away (who could really blame him). My parents tried their best to make birthdays fun (there are plenty of photos to prove it despite me swearing as the youngest child I always got gypped), but I've never actually enjoyed my birthdays. Now that I'm older I think a lot of it stems from the fact that my grandpa was buried only a few days before my 8th birthday - which also happened to be my mom's actual birthday, talk about a dark way to celebrate another year on earth. I used to go through the thought process of 'what could have been' if they stuck around a little bit longer, but I had an epiphany one day. It wouldn't have been any different, because if it was going to be different...it would have been. I know, the sentence doesn't quite roll off the tongue and one day I'll find a better way to communicate what I'm trying to emphasize. But the point I want to make is that life had plans. There is no changing the past, no matter what the situation is. All that you can do is be better in the future. How does that apply to death? How can you 'be better' when someone so significant leaves your life so unexpectedly? You know that quote along the lines of, "you can cry because they're gone or you can smile because it happened?" - it's the perfect way to view death. You can either be bitter that your loved ones are no longer here or you can be thankful. Thankful that you had them in your life. Thankful that you know what unconditional love truly is. Thankful that you have positive memories to smile about. So be thankful. Be better, not bitter. I hope there is never a day when I become too angry at the world that I can't see how blessed I am. I don't have many photos of my grandparents. Pre-internet days my mom (Hi mom! I know you're going to read this) decided it would be a great idea to take our family photos, cut them out, and glue them onto a table that my dad had made....all without taking any copies. In addition to that photos weren't all that common in the 90s. Obviously they were common, but no one took photos like they do now.
I cherish what little photos I have, especially the photos that are of just me and my grandparents. I set out to write this blog about a new granddaughter product I released and instead I went deep into the rabbit hole of how special my grandpa was to me, even though I only spent a few short years with him. I would normally just save this as a draft and call it a day, but I obviously needed to release the feelings I have inside. I'll sign off with this, a gentle reminder... |
Jen DowneyTravel lover. Tetris Master. Amateur blogger about gift ideas that I create. Archives
August 2023
CategoriesAffiliate DisclaimerI may receive a commission from any products purchased through affiliate links on this blog.
|