When I was a little girl, my mother faithfully included my brother and me in the holiday giving by having us make something for our grandparents. Often, these gifts were handmade Christmas ornaments. Some years, they were lovely. Some years, they were hideous. Every year, they seemed to involve glitter (was my mother a glutton for punishment?) But it demonstrated an important lesson to me–kids are part of the family, too. And, more importantly, Christmas giving is more important that just Christmas getting . It’s easy for kids to lose sight of that.
p>
When I was a little girl, my mother faithfully included my brother and me in the holiday giving by having us make something for our grandparents. Often, these gifts were handmade Christmas ornaments. Some years, they were lovely. Some years, they were hideous. Every year, they seemed to involve glitter (was my mother a glutton for punishment?) But it demonstrated an important lesson to me–kids are part of the family, too. And, more importantly, Christmas giving is more important that just Christmas getting. It’s easy for kids to lose sight of that.
Especially with shopping budgets tightening this year, helping your kids make gifts is an affordable way to involve them in the giving. And if glitter’s not your thing, don’t fear. There are plenty of ideas from crafty bloggers for generating meaningful gifts while preserving your sanity (and your carpet).
Karen Plumley of Suite 101 starts off the holiday season with ideas for Thanksgiving gifts kids can make, including decorative jars, handprint centerpieces, and table place cards:
To make place cards for the holiday table, cut standard size cardstock sheets in half. Then fold the smaller rectangles in half like a tent. Have kids write names of guests on the front of each and glue small craft leaves or fall-colored construction paper cut to look like leaves around the edges of the card. Leave the inside blank.
When company arrives, encourage the children to ask each guest what he or she is thankful for. Put the answers inside the cards. Arrange them at the table before dinner, or stack them up at a serving table and let guests find theirs before they sit down.
Mar of Associated Content helps her kids sponge-paint handprint tote bags for relatives:
We would make the grandmas, great-grandmas, aunts and god-mothers a tote bag with each child’s hand print on it. Initially, I sewed the tote bags and printed their hands and feet( when the oldest two were toddlers). Later, I taught the kids to sew and it became an Advent project. It also makes an excellent math, measurement and fraction/decimal lesson. We printed the hands and labeled with names and age.
Scribbit, always a source of clever craft ideas for kids, shares her best ideas for fun and easy gifts. She recommends letting older kids make an audio recording of their favorite picture book for younger siblings, or using salt dough to hand form a personalized chess set. My favorite of her suggestions is to help kids sew simple cases:
Almost everyone has collections, toys or gadgets that they use regularly that can benefit from a case or cover. The kids have sewn felt squares together to make a cases for digital cameras, laptops, Lillian’s Fashion Pollys, or the boys’ laser tags equipment. I think Martha copied her idea here from me. It’s a good thing for them to make because 1. it gets them thinking about the other person’s likes/hobbies and 2. sewing is a good skill to practice.
For still more ideas, Christmas With Kids recommends painting small wooden figures as a nativity scene. Lifehacker suggests allowing kids to draw their own holiday wrapping paper. Amazing Moms shares several recipes for easy layered jar mixes kids can help assemble.
My own best idea–and really, it doesn’t get any simpler than this–is to give the kids magic markers and cardstock and have them make bookmarks. Laminate the finished product, punch a hole in the top, string a ribbon through, and you have an easy (and usable!) gift for family.
And happily? It’s glitter-free!
Shannon Lowe is a BlogHer contributing editor (Mommy/Family). She also blogs at Rocks In My Dryer and The Parenting Post.
Read more:
Simple Holiday Gifts Kids Can Make (and Give!)
Here’s -related post from
BlogHer:
When I was a little girl, my mother faithfully included my brother and me in the holiday giving by having us make something for our grandparents. Often, these gifts were handmade Christmas ornaments. Some years, they were lovely. Some years, they were hideous. Every year, they seemed to involve glitter (was my mother a glutton for punishment?) But it demonstrated an important lesson to me–kids are part of the family, too. And, more importantly, Christmas giving is more important that just Christmas getting . It’s easy for kids to lose sight of that.
Continue here:
Simple Holiday Gifts Kids Can Make (and Give!)
Here’s a good article from
More here: Simple Holiday Gifts Kids Can Make (and Give!)
