

I’m German and switched from Mama/Papa (mom/dad) to their first names sometime in my early teens as did my sister. I couldn’t say how exactly it happened—just felt too old to use the former. But that’s not universal here; I know people who still use the nicknames in their forties.

Something self-made is probably the way to go. Another option could be books, especially if you can come up with something that both meant a lot to you and you think would be enjoyed by the recipients. This can be quite cheap if you have secondhand bookstores nearby, and you can personalize them with a handwritten inscription.