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Chicago Tribune Custom Birthday Book
Treat them like front page news with this collection of front pages from each year since their birth.
If your gift will arrive late, let them know it's on the way – and worth the wait.
Made in USA
Shipping & Returns
This is a made-to-order item that ships directly from the maker. If you order today your item will ship no later than 8/11/2026.
Items that are made to order or oversized can't be sent in a Gift Bag. Instead, you can include your Gift Message on the shipment's packing slip.
At this time, this item cannot be shipped to APO/FPO addresses, P.O. Boxes, or to U.S. Territories including Minor Outlyling Islands. Contact custom@uncommongoods.com with any questions.
Shipping outside of the U.S.? You will be quoted a specific delivery timeframe at checkout, based on your destination country and the available shipping methods. See International FAQ for more info.
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join uncommon perksMade-to-order and customized items are not returnable unless damaged or defective. See our return policy for more details.
Made from
paper, ink, foil, leatherette
Measurements
12" L x 15" W x 0.5" H
Notes
Chicago Tribune Custom Birthday Book has a page minimum, so only dates in 1999 or before can be ordered at this time. The book includes front pages from the year of the recipient's birth onward. Please note that additional pages featuring noteworthy events from other dates may be added at then end of the book to meet the required 80 page count.
Please note: These pages are not standard newspaper dimensions, therefore, the type is shrunk slightly to fit a more convenient, book-sized trim. Certain years/pages are reprinted from microfilm and font size may be reduced. Missing pages may be the result of a newspaper strike or a lack of relevant information on the front page for that date.
Once your order is submitted it is entered into production and changes and cancellations cannot be accommodated- we are sorry, no exceptions. We do our best to turn orders around as quickly as possible and as a result, orders begin production immediately. - All Orders Final
Item ID
49306
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People love this product for its unique and personalized experience, making it a thoughtful gift that sparks conversation and reflects on historical significance.
AI generated summary
- 5 stars out of 5
This was a gift for my 94 year old father in law - he LOVED it and imm…
- 5 stars out of 5
This was such a fun, unique gift to give my father in law for his 60th…
- 5 stars out of 5
Ordering and shipping were easy and quick, book cover is substantial a…
4.91
4.91 stars out of 5
based on 33 reviews
100%
of respondents would
recommend this to a friend
recommend this to a friend
30 users rating this 5 stars
3 users rating this 4 stars
0 users rating this 3 stars
0 users rating this 2 stars
0 users rating this 1 star
- 5 stars out of 5
- Hero Daughter in Law
- verified buyer
- verified reviewer
- Florida
- Submitted as an incentivized review
Perfect Gift for Senior Family Members
This was a gift for my 94 year old father in law - he LOVED it and immediately started paging through to scan the headlines over the years. It is so interesting to see the historic highlights of years past. Because whole newspaper pages are condensed to a large format book page, the fonts are quite small and difficult to read, especially the pages from many years ago. We included a large lighted, free-standing magnifying glass that allows easy adjustment in distance from the page and does not require the glass to be hand-held over the page (which becomes tiring)
- 5 stars out of 5
- Amanda
- verified buyer
- verified reviewer
- Colorado
- Submitted as an incentivized review
Best 60th Birthday Present!
This was such a fun, unique gift to give my father in law for his 60th birthday. It was a great reflection on how much he has lived through and seen over his many years. Great spin on a milestone birthday like that, when there are definitely some mixed emotions about aging. Very happy with the gift! Great quality, too.
- 5 stars out of 5
- tired shopper
- verified reviewer
- Chicago, IL
Fun and interesting gift #sweepstakes
Ordering and shipping were easy and quick, book cover is substantial and classy looking, not like buying just a single newspaper headline for their birthday, #sweepstakes
- 5 stars out of 5
- Jack
- verified reviewer
- Long Island, NY
The Perfect Gift
This was without a doubt, the perfect gift for my son-in-law's birthday. When he opened the book, I could see the expression on his face that we hit a home run for someone who has very little need for the usual birthday or Christmas gifts. He kept going back to the book the entire evening and I have no doubt he read it cover to cover once his company left.
- 5 stars out of 5
- Winning Idea!
- verified reviewer
- Illinois
A Hole In One!!
We purchased this as a sign in book for our son's 30th birthday surprise golf outing party! Since there were only 30 pages so far to his birthday years, Uncommon Goods added history highlights which was perfect as he loves history. We used the two blank pages in front to create a Happy 30th Birthday header and left at the front table for all the guests to sign...creating a treasured keepsake of the day . Thank you Uncommon Goods!
- 5 stars out of 5
- Xav
- verified reviewer
- Bloomington, IL
A beautiful and well done gift
This was even better than I expected. While it had the headlines from my friend's birthdays throughout his life up until now (though the ones from the future would have been nice to have too…) I didn't expect the rest of the headlines from important days throughout history! A very cool add and a great gift.
- 5 stars out of 5
- Zev
- verified reviewer
- Scottsdale
Breaking News!!!
My wife just recently surprised me with your Chicago Tribune Birthday Book. In a word (and that is very hard to do I might add) I was surprised and astonished …OK 2 words. In my wildest dreams I never thought something so original could exist. My first reaction was to cry because I was overwhelmed by such an original gift. Also, one cannot read this book once and put in on the bookshelf. Every read is a new experience in one's life over 71 years in my case. Thank you very much for helping to create such a beautiful memory. I would not hesitate a moment recommending to my friends and family. Wayne Lewin
- 5 stars out of 5
- Jenny
- Chicago, IL
Gift for my Dad
Born and raised in Chicago, my Dad grew up reading the Trib. He moved out of state and I thought this would be a perfect Birthday gift for him to remember his home town. He absolutely loved it and said it was one of the coolest gifts he's ever received! I would definitely recommend buying this custom book- it's special and unique.
- 5 stars out of 5
- Jenny
- Chicago, IL
Gift for my Dad
Born and raised in Chicago, my Dad grew up reading the Trib. He moved out of state and I thought this would be a perfect Birthday gift for him to remember his home town. He absolutely loved it and said it was one of the coolest gifts he's ever received! I would definitely recommend buying this custom book- it's special and unique.
- 5 stars out of 5
- Anonymous in CT
- verified reviewer
- Connecticut
Unique birthday gift!
This is a great birthday gift, especially for someone who is a news or history buff. The quality of the book overall is very good, and the extra pages of "significant events" (including sports moments) made it even better. Also, the book was delivered earlier than expected - in plenty of time for my friend's birthday.
customer photos
photos from reviews
FAQs
1. What is included in the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book besides headlines from the recipient's birth year?
The Chicago Tribune Birthday Book includes much more than just headlines from the recipient's birth year — it features front page headlines from every birthday throughout the recipient's entire life, plus additional pages highlighting the most significant historical events in news and sports over the years. This makes it especially engaging for history buffs, as it goes well beyond a single memorable date to tell the full story of a lifetime.
2. Is the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book a good gift for milestone birthdays like 60th, 70th, or 80th?
The Chicago Tribune Birthday Book is an exceptional gift for milestone birthdays like 60th, 70th, and 80th. It's designed to reflect on a lifetime of lived history, making it especially meaningful for big occasions when the recipient has truly seen the world change over decades. Buyers have gifted it for 30th, 60th, 70th, 80th, and even 90th birthdays with great success — it resonates deeply with anyone who appreciates looking back on how much history they've lived through.
3. Can the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book be used as a guest sign-in book at a birthday party?
Yes, the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book can absolutely be used as a guest sign-in book at a birthday party. The book includes blank pages in the front that can be customized — for example, with a 'Happy 30th Birthday' header — and left at a table for guests to sign, turning it into both a meaningful keepsake of the celebration and a personalized piece of history the recipient will treasure for years.
4. Is the text in the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book easy to read?
The text in the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book is legible, though some pages feature actual reproductions of old newspaper covers where the print can be small or slightly blurry due to the age of the originals. The book is generally easy to read, but for older recipients or those sensitive to fine print, it's worth considering adding a magnifying glass to the gift — several buyers recommend this as an optional but helpful accessory.
5. Is the Chicago Tribune Birthday Book a good gift for someone who is hard to shop for?
The Chicago Tribune Birthday Book is one of the best gifts for someone who is hard to shop for, especially for those who seem to have everything or don't need typical presents. Its combination of personalization, history, and high-quality presentation makes it feel genuinely unique rather than generic. It's been a hit as a gift for fathers, fathers-in-law, grandmothers, and friends who are history lovers, news enthusiasts, or anyone with a connection to Chicago — the kind of gift that gets read cover to cover and kept on the coffee table for years.
Customer questions
- Sally
- undisclosed
Do I need to wait a specific amount of time after the specified date to order to include the front page from 2025?
Verified reply from Iriscelis
The front page for "today" is added in the early morning (or on Mondays for weekend pages). To ensure a specific date is included in the book we recommend ordering on that day or later.
- Anna
- undisclosed
The description states that additional historic dates may be included in order to get to the 80 page count. Is there any way to request specific dates for those extra pages (to account for historic life events like marriage or children's births)?
Verified reply from Allison
We're sorry. The added historical events are chosen by the maker.