With more and more people living far away from their parents, many are taking advantage of special services to express their love for Mom and Dad in particularly memorable ways.

"I'm a bit embarrassed, but this is wonderful," said 87-year-old Kazuo Sagae, when his children gave him his own biography as a gift. Titled "Record of My Memories," the 186-page book describes Sagae's life and his 50-year career as an eye doctor.

Sagae's son-in-law Toru Okamoto came up with the idea two years ago when Sagae retired from running an eye clinic in Niigata. Okamoto, 56, is currently working in Tokyo while his wife lives with Sagae in Niigata.

Remembering Sagae's comments that he was not good at writing, Okamoto consulted with his wife and her brothers, and then asked Tokyo-based publishing company One-Proof, Co. to write Sagae's biography.

Sagae's children paid publishing costs totaling 680,000 yen (S$10,540).

One-Proof staff interviewed Sagae in Niigata for about 12 hours over four days. A staff writer compiled the information and put it in book form with 50 photographs.

"I can give this book to the guests at my 88th birthday party," Sagae said.

Okamoto said, "Thanks to this biography, I have more to talk about with my father-in-law."

According to One-Proof, half their orders are presents from children to their parents.

I do, again

Nahoko Ogawa got a bit emotional in December when she saw her parents walking down the red-carpeted aisle of a chapel arm-in-arm. Ogawa, 46, from Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, arranged it as a surprise present for their golden wedding anniversary.

Her parents' stroll down the aisle took place at Meguro Gajoen--where they had their wedding 50 years before.

On the day, Ogawa's parents, Takeshi Yoshida, 82, and Hiroko, 76, left their house in Yokohama expecting to just have dinner.

"I was so surprised. I may have walked a bit clumsily," Takeshi said.

Ogawa had long regretted not being able to read a letter of thanks to her parents at her own wedding about 20 years ago. In December, she finally read one saying, "Please stay happy and healthy for a long time."

Ogawa took advantage of a so-called congratulation ceremony offered by Meguro Gajoen to celebrate wedding anniversaries. Here, too, half the reservations were made by children for their parents, the company said.

Sparkling clean, just for you

Some gifts for parents are highly practical.

"This will help me enjoy the end of the year," said Yae Kawakami, 66, in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, after her second daughter arranged to have her kitchen fan cleaned as a Respect for the Aged Day gift.

An employee of house cleaning company Kajitaku Inc. spent 90 minutes disassembling the fan and cleaning all the grease and dust built up over a dozen years.

"It's a big help, because I can't reach up there. But I'm a bit worried about my daughter's wallet," she said.

According to a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry survey, there are about 9.6 million households in which people aged 65 or older live alone or as a couple, three times more than 20 years ago.

A proverb says, "By the time you wish to be a good son or daughter, your parents are long gone." The proverb may not necessarily be true in today's long-lived society, where you may have a second chance to be filial, but it may not be easy to see your parents frequently if you live far away.

Such feelings are surely fueling the interest in these special presents.