Perfume and azaleas are nice, but this gift is the kind of thing a mother might keep for, oh, 50 years or so. FAMILYFUN reader Vonie Davis of Gorman, Texas, sent us this idea (her son, Drue, made an ABC book for her), and all a child needs to make it is a blank notebook (available at a craft or drugstore) plus crayons or markers.

•Add things like magazine clippings, glitter or photos if you want to get fancy.

•For each letter of the alphabet, the child draws or writes something about his or her mother. If 26 letters seem like too much, the child can start with a couple of letters and add more throughout the year or group several letters together at a time.

•Not only is it a sweet keepsake, but since it's loaded with compliments and happy memories, this book will also come in handy any time of the year as a pick-me-up after a hard day.