Today’s theme is nostalgia. When I was a little girl, my family would visit Cape Cod every summer for two magical weeks of long days on the beach, rainy afternoons spent curled up with a Nancy Drew book from the little town library, and plenty of ice cream from a place we nicknamed “Billy’s.” For several years, my sister and I had a tradition of writing ourselves letters, which we hid in the house on the last day of our vacation and then recovered upon our return the next summer. It was always amazing what a difference a year had made. The things we were worried about the last summer we’d since forgotten, we had new favorite songs, new crushes, and maybe, if we were lucky, a little more wisdom. Nowadays, I continue this tradition with my husband. Every year, on our anniversary, I write a journal entry. We list our successes and challenges, as well as our adventures and our hopes for the coming year. Just like the letters my sister and I wrote when we were little girls, I continue to be amazed at what a difference a year makes. Now they seem to go by so much more quickly. Below are some of my favorite nostalgic gifts. These may be just the thing for capturing a moment or the memories to precious to lose.
Time Capsule from Anthropologie ($$) (This is a great idea and if you’re feeling particularly crafty, you can easily create one of your own to make it even more personal)
Anniversary Journal from Uncommon Goods ($$) (This one has a nice format but you can easily use any blank journal you like)
Personalized Journal: Letters to My Baby from Uncommon Goods ($) (This is a cute twist on the traditional baby book; you personalize it with the baby’s name and then the baby’s parents write letters to the baby on different subjects, like family history, love and friendship, hopes for the future, etc.)