This holiday season, find unique ways to let the people in your life know that you care.
Tired of endless mall walking in search of that perfect present that is nowhere to be found? Hate giving gift certificates and cash just because it seems impossible to come up with anything better? Can't figure out what to get your kids, or how to involve them in gift-giving to others? Don’t get stuck in the same old rut. Get creative, get personal and get fun; get a gift that will bring joy to those you love this Christmas.
Get Creative
Instead of going to the same mall or store where you do your normal shopping, try something unexpected. Stopping by a flea market, antiques store, used bookstore, map store, kitchen store, art gallery – anything that is out of your ordinary routine. You’ll see things differently this way, and many people find creative gifts in unexpected places.
It can also be fun to make your gifts. Put your skills to use; if you’re good with clay, make somebody a new bowl set. If you’re good with a hammer and saw, put together a birdhouse. If you are already knowledgeable about your creative project, you will know what parts you should do because they are important or dangerous to kids and what parts of the project are kid-friendly. For example, you should do all the hammering if you make a bird house, but let your child decide how to paint it.
Get Personal
Everybody likes to be told that they’re special to somebody. Give the people you care about a present that will remind them how much you care every time they look at it. What about making a photo album of the time your family has spent together? Apple will print a professional-looking hardcover of the original photo album you made using iLife ’08. What about a piece of jewelry or a watch with special engraving?
Perhaps you don’t even need to go shopping. What about giving something you already have that is personally significant? Family heirlooms, favorite books, childhood toys, photo albums and beloved art pieces all make meaningful gifts. Chose something that has significance to both you and the person you’re giving to. Be sure to write a note explaining what the object means to you and why the receiver is the person you want to pass it on to.
If the heirloom is for your child, make sure they are old enough to appreciate the meaning of your gift. Hunting through old treasures for somebody else can be a fun project to do with your child. As you sift through old jewelry boxes or family albums, you can tell stories about the objects you come across.
Get Fun
Sometimes the best present is something that everyone can enjoy. This will make both you and the receiver popular, and it also gives the receiver a chance to be the center of attention as he shares his new present.
If you are at a Christmas party, why not get the host a game that everyone at the party will play? A karaoke machine with holiday jingles to sing along with would be a lot of fun. Or how about a book of jokes that can be passed around and read aloud, a kid-friendly magic trick, the recipe and supplies for a fun new cocktail (one that is also delicious alcohol-free for the kids, of course), or homemade Christmas cookies and icing so that everyone can decorate their own cookie? Remember the type of party you are attending and get something age-appropriate.
Similar ideas are good for a family Christmas. Why not give a Santa suit to the best actor in the family on Christmas Eve, so that everyone can get a surprise visit from Santa on Christmas morning? How about a bread machine, so that the family can make something together Christmas morning? Board games are best for family Christmases rather than parties since only a few people can play, so now might be the time to buy your favorite. How about picking up a copy of Love Actually or Miracle on 34th Street to watch together Christmas day? Such gifts may even become part of your family’s annual holiday tradition.
Another good trick is to turn something that the family really needs into a Christmas present. The new TV, the keys to a used car for the 16 year-old (you can all go for the first ride), a family computer or a fresh living room set can all make unforgettable Christmas experiences – even if you were going to get them anyway.
For more Christmas fun with your children, check out related articles on Suite like How to Make a Gingerbread House, Christmas and Hanukkah Cookies, and Christmas Carol Ball Ornaments.
