Kids are Gift-Givers Too

Children need to learn about the art of graciously giving and receiving gifts while they are still young enough to pay attention to their parents. This phase does not last long, so it's important for us to act quickly.

Young children and teenagers alike can take part in creating meaningful, affordable gifts to give to family and close friends this holiday season. Children generally do not have a lot of cash, so homemade gifts are most appropriate (and, of course, most appreciated). It's so fun to see kids get excited about giving a gift they have created...

Here are some easy (and fun) ideas for gifts kids can create and give:

• Christmas tree ornaments
  - Craft stores sell inexpensive clear glass ornaments, which can be painted with glass paint or filled with  beads, tinsel, feathers, glitter or other holiday goodies
  - Regular matte glass ornaments can be decorated with metallic Sharpie pens or glue and glitter
  - The old flour-and-salt dough recipe is an easy (and inexpensive) classic for creating cute ornaments
  
  
• Bookmarks
  - Cut a 2 x 8-inch slice of kid's art, a cute photo, computer art or a plain piece of paper inscribed (by your young one) with the recipient's name and stamped or doodled decorations... laminate at Kinko's (FedEx Office, whatever), punch a hole and add a tassel or ribbon. Ta-dah!
  
  
• Refrigerator magnets
  - Fimo clay (sold at craft stores and art stores) is like perma-Play-Doh... comes in brilliant colors, and can be baked to permanent hardness. Kids can create little sculptures, bake them, and glue them to magnets for lovely refrigerator decor to be coveted by grandmas everywhere.
  
  
• School art
  - Art projects from school that are destined for the back of your closet might just merit a place of honor in someone else's home.
  
  
• Gift certificates - the gift of time: Older kids (and adults, for that matter) can create certificates for time and services -- always appreciated!
  - Wash the dog, the car or the dishes
  - Babysitting or dog-walking
  - Yard work, house work, laundry or help with errands
  - Breakfast in bed
  - What else? Drop hints!