Creative Gift Giving
Creative Gift Giving
Our family LOVES to celebrate! Holidays, birthdays, every chance we get to gather and rejoice together. Gift giving is one of my passions. I love to make homemade presents and I like to bless my children and grand children with gifts that are special and personal to each of them. But I am committed to being a good steward of our family’s resources and I must remember that I need to honor my adult children by NOT continually smothering their children (my grand children) with gifts. As our family grows I am also realizing that it is impractical to jump on the consumerism band wagon and BUY, BUY, BUY every new toy or gadget or fashion item that hits the racks or shelves. Plus, kids actually DO spell LOVE…..T..I..M..E.. So, I have been thinking about CREATIVE gift giving ideas.
Gifts that create memories and keep on giving….
Classes or lessons-music, dance, gymnastics, cooking, sewing, knitting, science, sports of any kind.
Tickets (to attend an event with the gift giver)- a sports game, a musical, a play, an art exhibit, a science exhibition
Memberships-to local zoo, Children’s museum, kid specific places like Pretend City, Aquarium
Books-the love of reading is the greatest gift you can give a child. You can start at local used book store or garage sales, investing in time tested treasures like Richard Scary books and fill in with other classics from your local bookstore
Personalized Items like sleeping bag, backpacks, purses for little girls, gym bags
Dress up clothes-go to thrift store or party stores after Halloween and stock up on great costumes
Cookbook and real cooking utensils, an apron and hat plus a coupon to cook with the gift giver
Pretend Play items– store, groceries, receipt book and cash register. Play money, gardening tools, tools and other pretend helping items like vacuum.
Puzzles
Sporting equipment
Piggy Bank with incentive ideas how to make money by helping around the house or outside the house or other money making ideas.
Bug collecting Materials and equipment-with a coupon to go on a bug collecting adventure.
Gardening tools, seed packets, and vegetables to plant and watch grow
Leap frog type learning toys
Games
Rain gear-boots, raincoat and umbrellas
This list is just the beginning of some creative ideas….I will continue to update this list as I brainstorm with my daughters.
What creative gift ideas have you used in your family?
