The holidays are an amazing time of the year full of magic and wonder. It’s also one of the most stressful times of the year. It’s easy to get caught up in the gift-giving frenzy and there are times where what people want may break the budget.
After our daughter was born we knew things would be different. That we wouldn’t be able to afford the generous gift-giving we had done in the past with our family and friends. Through the eyes of a little child, we realized that it’s not the expensive gifts that help make the holidays. It’s the thought behind the gifts. So every year since our child has been born we’ve decided to give our family and friends gifts that we have made as a family.
Here are some easy gift ideas that you can work on together as a family:
Tissue Paper Wreath
This was my favorite craft when I was a kid! And it’s super easy!
What you’ll need
- Sturdy paper for your wreath – This could be a paper plate, cereal box or poster board.
- Green tissue paper – Enough paper to cut up into small squares.
- Pencil with an eraser – For folding the tissue paper
- White or clear glue – To adhere the tissue paper and any other embellishments to the paper wreath.
- Embellishments – Red pom poms that can be used as holly.
- Ribbon – For hanging your wreath.
Step One
Use an outline to create your wreath shape and cut it out.
Step Two
Use a Q-Tip, cotton ball or small paintbrush to spread the glue. Work on a small section of the wreath at a time.
Steph Three
Use the eraser end of your pencil to shape the squared section of your green tissue paper. Once you have the greenery shaped use the end of your pencil to press it down into the section you’ve prepped with glue. Continue this process until you’ve filled up the entire wreath with greenery.
Step Four
Add embellishments like red holly balls and ribbon.
Step Five – Optional
We opted to create a small box the can be used not only to wrap the gift but also as storage for years to come. We purchased a set of five boxes and wrapped the boxes.
The total investment for 6 wreaths was under $20.
Here are some other options for meaningful gifts
Creating Imprint Ornaments
This is the type of gift that could be an annual tradition. The imprint ornaments come in a multipack kit. Keep one for yourself and give multiples (grandparents/aunts/uncles) away. Some sets can cost $14.99 for four ornaments!
Calendars
What a great way to remember your year full of wonderful memories! We used Walgreens for our calendar. We were able to pick it up at our local location. You can also have them shipped. Depending on the type of calendar you choose, prices start at $9.99.
Jewelry
This isn’t your typical jewelry advertisement for the special someone in your life. If you or your loved one are breastfeeding there is a special way to capture this time with jewelry kits using breast milk. If you breastfed then creating a necklace is a great way to celebrate your accomplishments and create a keepsake for this memory. It is a beautiful way to remember your breastfeeding journey.
This do-it-yourself kit was easy and cost-effective coming in under $30.
Have fun this season
Other than saving money and focusing on the reason for the season, your family will have fun building these traditions for coming together to make something special that will be cherished for years to come.
