With mother’s day approaching fast, we’re thinking about gifts to give our parents.

Every year a plethora of occasions – birthdays, Christmases, anniversaries – call for a new and different gift.

Just buying something expensive isn’t enough to show you care – it’s the thought behind the present that counts. So here is a unique idea – what gift could be more loving than capturing your parents’ life stories in a memoir or biography?

At Story Terrace, we bring together family stories to create beautiful books. Our specialist writers can tease out your parents’ memories, and carefully craft a coherent and lasting record of their experiences.

Read how we do this here.

Here are three great reasons to gift your parents a book about their lives.

1. Give your parents the opportunity to reminisce and reflect

The older we get, the more we have to be nostalgic about. Cries of “I remember when”, “back in my day” and the ever-familiar “the good old days” reverberate through conversations with Grandma and Grandpa.

A Story Terrace biography is as much an experience for your parents as it is a beautiful product. Many of our customers tell us their favourite part was the process of making the book.

“Making this book has given me the time to reflect on what I chose to do with my life and the people who have helped me along the way” Teresa Samuels, Story Terrace customer.

They get the opportunity to regale a keenly interested ghostwriter with their experiences, and document their stories. Here, they get to reflect on the adventures they have had and the decisions they made. They are able to propel themselves backwards and delve into their past, in what can be an equally therapeutic and entertaining experience.

“I found the whole process to be relaxed and enjoyable” David Taylor, Story Terrace customer.

After the book is finished, it can be shared with beloved family members and friends – to be taken out at family gatherings time and time again. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving!

2. Recognise your parents’ achievements and accomplishments

As young children, we tend to think of ourselves as the prime accomplishment of our parents lives. Often, we take for granted the hard work and struggle that supported us in our early years.

By helping your parents to write their memoirs, you are showing them that their story matters to you, and that (finally) you recognise the value of everything they’ve done for you.

They can open their book and think “Yes, I did that”. More than that, they can say their daughter or son sees what they have done. Giving your parents the gift of their life story is like giving them a trophy at the end of a marathon.

The Damianos children had this in mind. As a tribute to their father for his 70th Birthday, they collected stories and photographs from those that knew him. Together with Story Terrace, they created Damian’s 70 year Odyssey, a book that celebrated his many accomplishments as a businessman and a father.

3. Discover a deeper connection with your parents

For most of us, our parents lived their lives for 20+ years before we entered the scene. We only see them as the figure they represent: they are simply ‘Mum’, ‘Dad’, ‘Grandma’ and ‘Grandpa’.

How Well Do You Know Your Parents?

Your parents are individuals in their own right – but it’s likely you don’t know much about their formative years. Even after you were born, there will be much you weren’t aware of, or didn’t fully understand.

From time to time, you may hear the odd story – but these little snippets don’t give you the full picture. Taking the time to record your parents’ life story can be a unique bonding experience. They can share a part of themselves with you, and you may be surprised by what you learn.

The Damianos children saw their book as reviving the ancient role of ‘the storyteller’:

“The role of the storyteller was to connect the past and the future and carry lessons across generational lines, and it formed the ties and held families together through time’.

Giving your parents the gift of a Story Terrace biography can make them ‘the storyteller’ for your family. Their stories can be passed down through generations and become their legacy. What present could better?