For many of us the holidays arent simply a time of joy and peace. They are also a time of "Do I pay the water bill or buy a present? Or a turkey?" Last year we struggled really hard and this year is pretty much the same. Thanks to many of you Mommas I was able to compile this list of free (or really dang close to free) gifts that have sentimental meaning. I can vouch firsthand that some of these ideas knocked the socks off my kiddos :
- My daughter always wants to buy those overpriced craft kits, things like “bedazzle your own headband” for $16 or whatever, for parts and pieces that collectively cost less than $5.She recently had her eye on a kit that allowed the kid to sew two pieces of white fabric together to make a unicorn stuffed animal, and included washable markers and a spray bottle to create a tie dye effect on the thing.Instead, I cut up an old white sheet, drew an outline of a simple unicorn with black sharpie. Got out our own washable markers and showed her how to sew the pieces together and stuffed it with the innards of a pillow we haven’t used in a while. She loved coloring it and watching the colors melt together with water we put into a spray bottle we already had.She came up with the plan to put together some of these “kits”ourselves for her to gift to her friends and cousins for Christmas. Cost for us will be just the markers, empty spray bottles, embroidery floss and sewing needle ($5 per kit total when we buy these items in bulk)
- Last year, I decorated a box for my daughter to keep her knickknacks in. I painted in a Minecraft theme, but it would also be fun to do a collage from old magazines, comics, or even fabric scraps. I bought the box at Michael's or Walmart in their wooden crafts section but any study box would've been fine.
- Fill a clear plastic bottle with tiny things (bouncy ball, plastic ring, Lego block, army man, etc), adding dry rice in between each item. Attach a paper with what is inside, and the kids tip and turn the bottle to see the treasures inside
- You could do a treasure hunt around the house with cryptic clues and puzzles to be solved. You could base the clues on their interests. Each solution to a clue could have a sweet as a reward. I did this for my nephews once, (made fake rocks out of flour water and used coffee granules to hide some of the clues/rewards in.)
- For a toddler bday party last week I found some small sticks, painted them pretty colors and coated with glitter while still wet. I put together a "fairy wand kit" I have tons of ribbons from old gift wrap and rickrack from sewing so the girls can tie ribbon to the ends and then I added some beads they could tie to the ribbon.All in all it was totally free for me to make bc I had everything on hand. I also score some fairy coloring books on a local freecycle group and got some fairy accessories from goodwills after halloween sale lol.
- We did not do it for Christmas, but it would work for Christmas: we got HUGE heavy duty matted artwork from the Habitat for Humanity restore for $2 (they were easily $200 frames) and bought $4.77 posters from Wal-Mart relevant to my son’s interests. He LOVED them. This year I found a $6 older model digital camera at Goodwill that works perfectly and will be a big ticket Christmas item. I’d rather reuse quality items from secondhand store over cheap junk from dollar stores.
- One Christmas for secret Santa my SIL gifted us some little trinkets made with photos. She had purchased an old clock from a second and store and glued our family photo as the background. She also made 4 blocks with the letters LOVE on one side and then photos on the other sides of the cube.
- Not totally free, but if you can find discount cuts of polar fleece it will be cheaper. Cut into large squares and ribbon the sides to “tie” together a blanket. There’s also cheap “finger knitting” yarn to be found at Michaels (do you have a Michaels?) and you can finger knit a blanket, scarf etc out of that too. I love being crafty, so have previously found large letters at Michaels to hang on my kids bedroom doors and painted using puffy paint, which is shaving cream, PVA glue and food dye all mixed together.
- We went on amazon and ordered 100 of those plastic bookmark protectors for $12. We then cut paper and used markers and stickers and made the kids in my daughters classes homemade bookmarks for christmas. We also put them in random books at the library.
- What about "Christmas collages" with paper, glue and pictures of Christmas trees, snowmen, reindeer, etc., cut out from junk mail, ads, magazines, etc.?
- If they are old enough maybe they can help you cook some Christmas goodies? Some of my favorite memories as a child are of me baking cookies and pies with my grandmother around family parties.
- Maybe you could make her a “life guide/cookbook” with all of your favorite recipes and tips and tricks that you’ve learned along the way. Like how to add vinegar to the load of towels to get out mildew, and to clean the vacuum bristles every so often, or how to reset breakers and find the panel box—what to do if the power goes out, you could add cheesy mom stuff too, like what to do for a broken heart. And you could write some letters to her at the time, and leave them for her to find within the pages.
- Do you have or can you get a sharpie? Go out one day and find some unique rocks. Write a special word on each one about unique attributes each child has. Or just a note with your hopes for them for the future and something unique written on each rock that only they would understand (nickname, phrase, song lyric etc) Do you have broken crayons? Melt them into large multi color crayons. If you're artistic, carve out potatoes and make potato print cards.Is there a piece of jewelry you have that your oldest has always wanted? Use old t-shirts to make art projects, look them up online! A tote bag, a braid rug, a quilt, an infinity scarf, etc
- Do any of them have interest in cooking? You could put together a collection of their favorite family recipes. Also, maybe like a “story of you” where you tell them about their firsts, chronicle important milestones, habits, things you love about them, funny stories, etc... if you have any artistic talent you could illustrate it (I don’t, but you may).
- Have each one write a letter to all the members of the family and exchange them. Something you like about them and their wishes for them in the new year.
- Christmas cards that are handmade. That is very specific to them, with “coupons”. Five coupons that they can use at any time (“no dishes for one week. “ “unlimited screen time”. Whatever
- Decorated “talisman”. If you live near water, shells. Near a park, rocks. Etc. With their name, the date, and a special message from mom.
- Plant something. Together.
- Time capsule.
- You have used clothes? Pillows.
- Make an ornament for each of them.
- Acts of service. Either for others or for them. Make an elaborate hairstyle or do full on make up. Rub your kids feet. Tell a story like they were little. Something only mom can do.
- Repurpose their clothing or fix what is broken.
- Make a meal. Their favorite.
- A mom “date”.
- If you are in a hotel, get as many brochures etc you can find. If you have nail polish and one of the sewing kits, you can make beads, and bracelets.
- Do you have access to a library? Maybe print out pics of them starting from birth and make "stories of them" in little books?
- Papercraft? Usually a free printable where you cut/bend/tape and make a little paper sculpture. They are super cool and range from fairly easy to OMG HOW?!
- Penpal
This Years post, and last years post in case youd like to read through the comments for some more ideas.
Remember, this season is supposed to be about joy and love and spending time with those we care about it. Last year we had nothing. Not even a crayon. I used three to five of these ideas for all of the kiddos as well as three gifts from Secret Santas and everyone of these children attested to the fact that it was the best Christmas they've ever had.
Happy Holidays BroMos
Love you!
Submitted November 11, 2019 at 03:32PM by jessj44 https://ift.tt/2X1ZIfa
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