【推荐1】Gorgeous Mother’s Day Gift

If you’re stuck for a Mother’s Day gift, why not try something that tugs at the heartstrings? A company that specialises in turning life stories into long-lasting books has developed a simple way to show your mother or grandmother how much they mean to you.

The company has created a full-colour book that captures all your family memories. And it’s a gift that can be enjoyed over and over again by future generations. The company sends you a set of questions by email, and these help you make a personalised book that’s unique to your parent or grandparent

This hardbound (精装的) book is a bargain compared to a private autobiography, which can cost thousands of pounds and take ages to finish.

The company was started by two siblings. After their dad died young and they saw their grandma struggle with Alzheimer’s, they wanted to find a way to save life stories before it was too late. When you buy a photo book, the company will give some money to the Alzheimer’s Society charity. They help you make the book and keep your stories safe until it’s printed.

The photo book costs £149, but you can pay £50 more to get an extra copy for your family and friends. If the person who gets the book doesn’t like it, they can get their money back in 30 days.

As a cheaper alternative, you could get an £11. 99 scrapbook from the Internet and put your own pictures in it to save money. The company also sells different kinds of photo books, like the Mini Hardback Photo Book which is now only £20. 80, down from £26.

【推荐2】What’s better than a present?     1     This, in my opinion, is better than something from a shop, even if it is unlikely to cost very much.

A homemade gift is much more personal, and it shows that a lot of effort and thought has gone into making it.     2     The same can’t be said for the millions of iPhones or other things that people own.

I’ve given my friends cakes in the past as a present. Cakes are usually a very good gift because there is a huge variety of cakes to make. You could make lots of small cakes and decorate them. You could make a fruit cake with cream in the middle.     3     Even if you’ve never made a cake before, there are lots of books and websites that could help you — have a look in your library, or simply search “how to make a cake” online.

Homemade doesn’t necessarily mean something you have made in the kitchen.     4    For example, collecting together lots of photos and sticking them together in a collage (拼贴画) is a great gift, and very easy to make. I love looking at photos and being reminded of what I was doing, who I was with, where we were. Making a card is very simple as well. All you need is a pen and paper Even if you’ re not very good at drawing, stick men can be funny and cool!

    5     The next time you give someone a present, give something homemade and make it really special.

【推荐2】From Paris, you can get pretty much anywhere in northern France within a couple of hours. It’s all surprisingly close and easy to get to. Hop on the train, and you’re away.

Loire Valley

120 minutes from Paris

A day trip to this central French region will lead you to not one, not two, but three grand fortresses (堡垒). When you’ re done pretending to be lord and lady of the castle, keep in mind that Loire Valley is famed for Rillettes.

Giverny

60 minutes from Paris

Here Monet lived and painted from 1883 until his death in 1926. It was at his family home that he produced some of his most famous works. Today his magical gardens make for one of the most enjoyable day trips from Paris, drawing around half a million visitors each year.

Champagne region

39 minutes from Paris

Soak up the region’s rich history with visits to a vineyard (葡萄园), the Moet & Chandon cellars (酒窖), and the royal city of Reims, the unofficial capital of Champagne where several French kings were crowned back in the day.

Château de Versailles

37 minutes from Paris

Transformed from a small hunting house to a palace by Louis XIV in 1682, with the help of more than 36, 000 craftsmen and labourers, Chateau de Versailles has a matchless scale. It can easily take up an entire day.