100+ Reasons Why I Love You - List Inspiration & Gift Ideas - Natalie Menke (2024)

Are you looking for a meaningful and heartfelt gift for a loved one? A truly unique gift for a special person in your life is as easy as grabbing a pen and making a list of all the reasons why you love him or her.

Today’s post includes an exhaustive list of sample reasons to give you some inspiration and numerous examples of how to package your list to make a memorable keepsake gift.

This Reasons Why I Love You gift is perfect for an anniversary gift, birthday gift, Valentine’s Day gift or even a teacher appreciation gift!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

– Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Sonnet 43)

Reasons Why I Love You: The Perfect Gift

Maybe you’re surprising your sister for her 40th birthday, celebrating your 15th anniversary with your husband, looking for a unique Valentine’s Day gift or even sharing your sincerest feelings with your child as they graduate from high school…and you need a heartfelt gift.

No matter the occasion, this Reasons Why I Love You gift is extremely personal and without-a-doubt thoughtful.

But get this – it’s so easy to make! Simply compile a list of all the reasons why you love someone and fill a decorative mason jar, keepsake box or notebook with your heartfelt words. Keep reading for all the details!

To Get You Started & Make Gift-giving a Breeze:

Since I’m not just talking about romantic love here, I’ve broken down an exhaustive list of examples of reasons why you might love someone into sections based on who your recipient is (ie: grandma, your best friend or even a teacher).

This list is quite lengthy, so feel free to skip around using this Table of Contents above. Also, scroll to the bottom of the post for ways to assemble your Reasons I Love You gift!

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through them, I may receive a commission from a third party at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own, and I only share links to products I personally use, love and trust.

Reasons Why I Love You List: Inspiration & Reference

Here are some ideas to get your inspiration flowing…

Reasons why I love you, friend

#1 | I love you because I can call you after weeks (even months) of not talking and we pick-up right where we left off.

#2 | I love that we can fight like sisters and then let it go just as quickly.

#3 | I love that we share everything – from our good days and bad days to our favorite bottle of wine.

#4 | I love your crazy infectious laugh.

#5 | I love that we communicate 50% of the time by trading hilarious parenting memes on Instagram.

#6 | I love you because you treat my kids as though they are your own.

#7 | I love that you know my drink order and have it waiting for me when we meet for drinks.

#8 | I love that you know exactly when I need a hug even though I’m not a hugger.

#9 | I love that you never let me karaoke alone.

#10 | I love that you have no filter and say exactly what you mean.

Reasons why I love you, husband/boyfriend

#11 | I love you because you always remember to put the toilet seat down.

#12 | I love you because you are an amazing dad.

#13 | I love you because you never say a word when I (insert annoying habit).

#14 | I love you because of your generous heart.

#15 | I love you because you grow with me and push me to be a better person, mother, friend, daughter and wife.

#16 | I love you because you are so driven and work so hard.

#17 | I love you when you pour me the last of the wine without asking because you just know I’ve had a hard day.

#18 | I love you because you wake up early with the kids and let me get a few more minutes of sleep on the weekends.

#19 | I love that you support my dreams and ambitions.

#20 | I love that you always rave about what I cook and ask for seconds, even when it’s utterly terrible.

Reasons why I love you, daughter/son

#21 | I love that you are head-strong like your father.

#22 | I love the sound of your belly laugh.

#23 | I love how you snort when you laugh.

#24 | I love that you never let anything get you down. You always look on the bright side.

#25 | I love that you don’t take “no” for an answer (believe it or not).

#26 | I love that you stick up for your friends.

#27 | I love that you give it your all out on the soccer field and are such a good sport.

#28 | I love that you can talk to anyone.

#29 | I love that you always say ‘I love you’ before going to bed.

#30 | I love you for the strong, independent person you are growing into with every passing day.

Reasons why I love you, mom/dad

#31 | I love you because you never say ‘I told you so’ – even when I deserve to hear it.

#32| I love you because you are such a good example of what marriage can and should be.

#33 | I love you because you sacrificed so much for me/us growing up (insert specific ways here).

#34 | I love you because you text me every morning to tell me to have a good day.

#35 | I love that you always keep a package of Thin Mints in the freezer for when I come over.

#36 | I love that you are such amazing grandparents.

#37 | I love that you taught us the value of a dollar, of honesty and integrity.

#38 | I love that you keep your judgements about my life and the way I parent to yourself (mostly).

#39 | I love how you welcomed (insert name of spouse) into our family.

#40 | I love how you never missed a game/concert/performance when we were little – even while you worked crazy hours.

Reasons why I love you, grandma/grandpa

#41 | I love you because share all of the family secrets with me.

#42 | I love that you never let me leave the dinner table without dessert.

#43 | I love that you never miss my call on Sunday.

#44 | I love that you watch CNN and PBS religiously and know more about the state of our nation than anyone else I know.

#45 | I love your ability to nap – any time, any where. Actually, I’m quite jealous.

#46 | I love that you took the time to share all of the family recipes with me.

#47 | I love that you’d play endless games of hide-and-seek with us when we were kids.

#48 | I love that you share stories of mom (or dad) when they were little.

#49 | I love that you say whatever you want, whenever you want. I know I’ll never get a sugar-coated answer from you!

#50 | I love that you taught mom (or dad) to be tough – just like you – and that they turned around to teach me.

Reasons why I love you, brother/sister

#51 | I love you because you never told mom and dad about … (insert a secret only you two share).

#52 | I love you because I was cool by association in high school because you were my brother or sister. I seriously love you. High school was HARD.

#53 | I love that you always take my side when I argue with mom and dad.

#54 | I love you because you want to be so involved in my kids’ lives.

#55 | I love how you know what I’m thinking even before I say it.

#56 | I love how I can show up at your door unannounced any time of day and you always welcome me in.

#57 | I love that you still refer to me by my childhood nicknames.

#58 | I love that you never apologize for who you are.

#59 | I love that you always ask for my opinion even though you’ll end up doing exactly what you want to do anyway.

#60 | I love that your idea of a perfect meal is (insert something weird they eat).

Reasons why I love you, cousin

#61 | I love your sense of humor and ability to laugh at yourself.

#62 | I love how close we’ve always been – how you are like a brother (or sister) to me.

#63 | I love our matching holiday pajamas at family Christmas gatherings.

#64 | I love sitting at the kids’ table with you, especially now that we’re grown.

#65 | I love your kind and thoughtful heart.

#66 | I love that even though we live on opposite sides of the country, our relationship is so strong.

#67 | I love our inside jokes (reference one).

#68 | I love that I can always count on you to never let me drink alone at family events (even when they start at 9am).

#69 | I love that I can always count on you to bring some levity to any serious family situation.

#70 | I love that you always remember my birthday.

Reasons why I love you, aunt/uncle

#71 | I love your voice of reason when I come to you with problems.

#72 | I love that you always let me vent about mom and dad.

#73 | I love that you are like a second mom (or dad).

#75 | I love and appreciate how you have worked so hard to stay connected and have a strong relationship with me.

#76 | I love all the stories you share of growing up with my mom (or dad).

#77 | I love that you never forget a birthday or important moment in my life.

#78 | I love and admire your…. (patience, resilience, etc.)

#79 | I love that you tracked our family’s genealogy and shared it with us.

#80 | I love your funny, random thinking-of-you texts.

Reasons why I love you, mother-in-law/father-in-law

#81 | I love you because you treat me like the daughter you never had.

#82 | I love you because you raised such an amazing son.

#83 | I love you because you never fail to make me feel like part of the family.

#84 | I love you because you never make me sit next to crazy Aunt Linda at Thanksgiving.

#85 | I love you because you take the kids at a moment’s notice.

#86 | I love you because the kids ADORE you.

#87 | I love how you are always willing to help out, like when… (insert specific way)

#88 | I love that you have passed down your family’s traditions to me to continue as our kids grow.

#89 | I love how involved you are as a grandparent.

#90 | I love how well you get along with my parents.

Reasons why I love you, teacher

#91 | I love/appreciate that you hold my child accountable.

#92 | I love that you go the extra mile for every student in your class.

#93 | I love how transparent you are about what goes on in your classroom.

#94 | I love how you make my child feel special, seen and heard.

#95 | I love that you spend extra time doing ___ with my kid.

#96 | I love that you respond so quickly to my questions and concerns.

#97 | I love how you pour your whole heart into teaching.

#98 | I love that you encourage debate in your classroom when someone else has a different point-of-view or idea.

#99 | I love that you encourage my child to ____.

#100 | I love how your classroom runs like a well-oiled machine.

Still Struggling?

If you’ve read through the above list and you’re still struggling to come up with an adequate list of your own, here are a couple more tips to inspire you as you write:

Pro Tip 1: Include famous love-related quotes or song lyrics that remind you of the recipient

For example, for a husband, you could include lines from the readings from your wedding or the lyrics from the first dance and how those words still make you feel today.

This also works great for siblings and close friends. Let me tell a quick story to illustrate:

When my sister and I were young, we constantly screwed up the lyrics to popular songs. I still have to laugh when I hear Paul Young’s “Every Time You Go Away” and remember how my sister would sing “take a piece of MEAT with you” instead of “take a piece of ME with you.”

If I were writing all the reasons why I love my sister, I’d include:

#101 | I love your ability to butcher song lyrics, but hey, I’ll never forget to take a piece of meat with me whenever I go…

Pro Tip 2: Incorporate your favorite memories of the recipient

If you still need to come up with a few more reasons to add to your list, try including favorite memories of the recipient. For example:

#102 | I love that you cried for your mama while riding Space Mountain (this friend shall remain nameless).

Pro Tip 3: Browse the greeting card aisle

Have you ever picked up a card and thought: “Wow! This is exactly what I wanted to say.”

If you’re having a hard time coming up with a certain number of “I love you because” statements (say for the 365 Reasons Mason Jar below), head to the greeting card aisle at the grocery store and browse some of the messages.

You just may stumble upon some really great wording you can borrow!

Reasons Why I Love You Gift Ideas

Now that you have all of your “I love you because” statements ready, it’s time to package them to make a cute gift. Here are my favorite ways:

Gift Idea #1: A Birthday Box

What a meaningful birthday gift! I love writing each “I love you because” statement on a separate piece of paper and filling a decorative box. All you need (besides the box) is a gift tag explaining the contents.

I especially love this gift for milestone birthdays.

For example, I recently made a “40 reasons we love you” gift for my sister’s 40th birthday and have also made a “70 reasons” version for my mom’s 70th birthday. Just match the number of I love you statements with the milestone year.

Gift Idea #2: Reasons I Love You from A-Z Cards

How cute is this idea from LoveMessagesXO on Etsy? This would be such a great gift idea to make with your kids for Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day or grandparent birthdays.

Gift Idea #3: 365 Reasons Mason Jar

365 love notes – one for each day of the year. Sounds like a gift that keeps on giving! That’s why I absolutely love the idea of a 365 reasons mason jar gift like this one from WisdomeInAJar on Etsy.

Gift Idea #4: 52 Reasons Why I Love You Cards

If the idea of writing 365 reasons why you love someone seems daunting, you can opt for 52 reasons instead by making this version with a deck of cards as seen in the TangibleKisses Shop on Etsy.

Gift Idea #5: Keepsake Journals

Instead of writing each statement on a separate piece of paper, you can also include your list in a personalized journal like this one from JournalJunky on Etsy.

Gift Idea #6: Personalized Sign

If you are looking for a more polished gift, I love this personalized sign you can order from JustDesignBg on Etsy.

HAVE INSPIRATION TO ADD?

I’d love to hear about any other Reasons I Love You gifts you have!Tell me all about it!

Or if you make any of these gifts, leave me a comment below or tag me onInstagram!

AS ALWAYS – IF YOU NEED HELP BRAINSTORMING OR CREATING A CUSTOM GIFT, PLEASEREACH OUT TO ME! I’D LOVE TO HELP!

Morelater! Thecraftroomiscalling,andImustgo…

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