The holiday season is an ideal time to teach kids about the importance of giving. This year, though, consider doing one better by giving your children the opportunity to take a hands-on approach to gift-giving.
There’s no need to break the bank purchasing expensive holiday presents for loved ones when you can use your creativity and other talents to craft a slew of special treats. Show kids that by putting their heart into making a personal present for a loved one they will be giving a giving a gift you can’t put a price tag on.
Some simple ideas include:
No-Sew Blanket: This gift requires zero sewing skills. All you need is cozy fabric, a pair of scissors and the ability to tie knots. The end result is a practical gift that can be further personalized by adding stick-on fabric letters to spell out the recipient’s name. Or, you could select special fabric featuring the recipient’s favorite color, animal or cartoon character.
Scrapbook: Memory albums are treasured gifts that can be customized to delight the recipient. This homemade present is easy for kids to make, and they can even help you choose the photos and embellishments.
Volunteer Coupons: Select a gift recipient and have your kids come up with a list of ways they can help that person on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. For example, if grandpa’s knees don’t work as well as they used to, have your son decorate a handmade coupon offering free yard services or assisting with small chores around the house. Likewise, your daughter can create a coupon for a neighbor volunteering to walk her dog, sweep her porch, wash dishes or fold laundry.
Sweet Treats: When all else fails, go for the chocolate. Spend some holiday bonding time with your kids in the kitchen whipping up sweet treats to give as gifts to your loved ones. One of my favorite kid-friendly recipes is Double Chocolate Truffles. All you need is a package of Oreo cookies (finely crushed), a block of cream cheese, and a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. You need to use a mixer to blend together the cookie crumbs and cream cheese, and then refrigerate the mixture for about 30 minutes. Next, take a small scoop of the mixture and use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place the finished balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for about an hour. While that’s chilling, melt the chocolate chips, and then dip the truffles into the melted chocolate. Place the chocolate covered truffles on the tray and put back in the fridge to harden for about two hours. The recipe makes about 48 truffles which you can present as gift to friends and family… or Santa.