I’ve written before in these blogs about the joys of making and giving homemade gifts. Last week, the tables were turned when my birthday rolled around and I received a homemade gift from my fifteen-year-old daughter. She had been hinting around that she had a really special birthday gift for me this year. I knew she was short on cash, so I wasn’t sure what she had up her sleeve.
Boy, was I surprised. I knew she was creative, but she came up with this little guy to hang from my car rearview window all by herself without a pattern. It makes me smile to see him bobbing there as I drive the millionth carpool of the day.
So again, if you can, encourage your children to make homemade gifts for their family members because you just can’t beat them.
If your kids aren’t up for anything artistic, there are many other things they can do for gifts that don’t require money. Here are a few ideas:
1. A coupon book for cleaning, doing dishes, a back rub etc…My son made some coupons and stuffed them inside an old Band-aid tin, which he decorated with metallic Sharpies.
2. Give your child a plain T-shirt that fits the recipient. Have them dip their hands in nontoxic fabric paint and press them onto the T-shirt. Then they can write a personal message with a fabric marker. This is also fun to do on a plain apron.
3. Let your child make a scrapbook for the recipient. Provide them with extra photos, glue sticks, stickers and markers and let them make a page. Don’t hover or direct. Just let them go for it.
4. Have your child dictate a story about a special memory he or she has with the recipient. Write it down or type it up for your child and then let your child decorate the page.
5. Take the birthday person out for ice cream or a birthday lunch and let your child clean and vacuum his or her car or do another favor like doing the dishes or mopping the floors or some other chore that the birthday person normally does.