10 Reasons Personalized Storybooks Are the Perfect Christmas Gift
Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time for bereaved parents. For so many reasons the grief we carry all year long often feels heavier during this time. Our babies should be here with us enjoying precious family moments and surrounded by festive cheer. This time also marks the end of another year, which can painfully remind us of the time we’ve spent without our baby and the many years still to come without them.
For some of us, the pain is worsened when our babies are not remembered or included in holiday traditions.
Choosing a thoughtful gift to honour a much-loved and missed baby is one way to bring them closer during the festive season.
If you’re looking for a meaningful way to remember your baby, or want to show your support in memory of a friend or relative's baby - a personalized storybook can be the perfect Christmas gift.
Here are 10 reasons why personalized storybooks stand out as a thoughtful and comforting choice:
1. They Validate a Baby’s Existence
Every baby deserves to be remembered. A personalized storybook with their name and a character that reflects their appearance is a way of acknowledging that the baby was here. As the years pass, parents often struggle with intrusive thoughts like, “Did this really happen?” A storybook is a tangible way to say, “Yes, your baby was here, and their life mattered.”
2. They Acknowledge the Parent’s Grief
It can be really challenging trying to figure out ways of including a baby during Christmas. By having a book in their name, it keeps them present in real time. It also shows that there is no expiration period to the grief and longing a parent has.
3. They Are a Timeless Keepsake
Personalized storybooks are timeless. They can be passed down through generations, ensuring the baby’s legacy endures. In years to come, if someone were to look at this book, they could confidently say this baby was here, even if they never got to meet them.
4. They Allow Us to Feel Connected to Our Baby
For centuries, books have allowed us to travel far and wide. They allow us to transcend between space and time. What better way than to find our babies in pages of books, that allow us to take pause and feel just that little bit closer to them as we read?
In Ancient Egypt, it is said that to write a person's name—especially after they have passed—allows them to live on in the afterlife. A beautiful thought.
5. They Are Representative
A lot of storybooks that speak of baby loss only show one demographic of people and one family dynamic. This can feel isolating for families who have experienced baby loss and want a book to connect with. Our books include babies and parents of every skin tone, hair type, and colour. They also showcase varying relationship types.
6. They Honour All Types of Baby Loss
Personalized storybooks from Maila’s Present are inclusive of all types of baby loss—from miscarriage and stillbirth, TFMR to neonatal loss and beyond. This ensures that every parent feels seen and supported, no matter their unique journey. Our books specifically acknowledge a baby's passing while allowing them to live on in imaginary worlds. It isn’t enough to have their name in a book that doesn’t recognise that they are no longer here.
7. They Encourage Parents to Express Their Love
Often, bereaved parents are encouraged to “move on” and “let go.” In truth, there is nothing wrong with continuing to find ways to express their love for their children. These babies have shaped who we are as people. It is okay to live life moving with your baby in mind and doing things that feel good, expressing the love you have for them.
8. They Are Genuine
These books have been written from the perspective of someone who has also experienced baby loss—someone who understands the profound effect of this grief. They are written from a place of care and love. They were thoughtfully put together, from the Sun as the cover of the first book “When I Was in Your Tummy”—because we revolve around our children —to the babies in the illustrations having their eyes closed while in the tummy, but opening them when they are outside the tummy and in this new world. Everything is done with intentionality and care.
9. They Bring a Glimmer of Light
The holidays can feel especially dark for bereaved parents, but a personalized storybook offers a glimmer of light. It acknowledges the pain of loss while celebrating the love and joy their baby brought into their lives. Our books are specifically bright and colourful because our baby is supposed to be a brightness in our lives.
10. They Show You Care
If you are buying this book for a friend or relative, it shows you care and recognise that their baby still matters. It is a thoughtful way to be involved in the love and care for this precious baby even when they are gone. When you don't know what to say, this book is the warm gift you need when words fall short.
Why Personalized Storybooks Are the Perfect Gift
When choosing a Christmas gift for someone who has experienced baby loss, it’s important to select something that is both meaningful and comforting. Personalized storybooks from Maila’s Present are designed to honour each baby’s life with compassion and care.
These books give bereaved parents a way to remember their baby, reflect on their love, and keep their memory alive.
Christmas Offer - WISHINGSTAR20
This Christmas, we’ve created a special new cover for the festive season. If you would like to purchase this, we are also offering a 20% discount. Simply use the code WISHINGSTAR20 at the checkout to receive your special Christmas cover book.
*Role of thumb, if you are buying a gift for a friend or relative, and not sure if they'd like it always ask "would you mind if I were to get you something in honour of your baby". Otherwise you may know people who are vocal about their babies, more often than not they would appreciate a gift.