I have said it then, and I will say it again now - I LOVE and adore customized (read: self-made, DIY or handwritten) gifts and cards.

Why do I love 'em so much, I hear you ask? Because, it shows thought and sincerity. It tells me that the giver has put in his/her effort in making my gift only mine, that it cannot be found anywhere else because it is not a duplicate.

Which is why, come birthdays, Christmas or any celebration, I'd wrap the gifts on my own. I have done it for as long as I can remember, particularly for birthdays and Christmas.

I especially love handwritten notes; words written from the heart and thanks recorded on paper.

Even more so when the customized note is part of a gift, as a wrapper in this instance.