Holiday Tips: Holiday Tip...

» mom24boys - Holiday Tip...

While I was typing up the tip on a White Elephant Exchange, I realized I had another tip.

Over time, as our individual finances have permitted, we have given small ($5 or under)gifts to the nieces and nephews. One year, our gift was a bead kit for each. Of course, the kids all wanted to start them right away. I gathered the kids together and helped them start their projects. The wonderful byproduct of this was free time for the other parents to visit, set up food, whatever, unfettered by the kids. The kids also got to work on their project without waiting for mom or dad to help them understand the directions or set up a work area for them. It was such a hit that I have done a 'craft time' as my gift to the kids every year since. I provide all the materials and directions and I supervise the activity. We all clean up together.

Some ideas I have used:
Lanyard, macrame, beaded key chains.
Mini gingerbread houses
shrink art
ornaments
centerpieces (w/ or w/o candles)
sand art
trinket boxes decorated with sea shells
Design-a-plate or bowl
... the ideas are endless. And the funny thing is that the 15 & 16 year olds like it as much as the 3 & 4 year olds do.

-- posted by mom24boys