So he and I came up with an idea to decorate a recipe box for her. I thought we'd be able to find just a plain wooden box for him to paint but we had no luck in our craft stores. Jewelry boxes, yes, but no recipe boxes. So we opted for this photo storage box on sale at Hobby Lobby. He drew a picture for her to decorate the front and chose some recipe cards with puppies on them. I printed off the pumpkin bread and cookie recipes for her and made some dividers from some cardstock we already had. I added a bag of chocolate chips from the pantry to let her know that he would appreciate if she would put her new gift to good use... soon!
I won't be able to post the girls' gifts to their brothers because they are already wrapped and hidden away. Sunshine chose this map of middle earth poster
(it was less than $5 when we ordered it but it looks like it's gone up a little) for The Professor along with a pair of fingerless gloves that she knit for him. Shortcake found a Family Circus comic book for BigBoy. He loves The Family Circus and was sad when we told him that Bil Keane passed away last month. It's a used copy, since most are out of print, but my kids don't mind. A new book is a new book even if it's been owned before.
I love the creativity of your Kris Kringle gifts. We just started doing this with the kids, and we are keeping it really simple this year by making coupon books ... But I look forward to when they are a bit older and come up with some creative ideas on their own! I just keep telling them that thoughtful gifts do not have to cost a lot (or even at all!) ... I think at this point, they also can only think of ideas for gifts that THEY would want, not necessarily what their KK would want ~ LOL! We'll get there =) This post (and the one with the yarn ornament) gives me hope!
ReplyDeleteYou are smart to be so realistic about what your girls can handle. My oldest is almost 14 and we've only done this for the past 3 or 4 years.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned that. I've just been wondering about when I should try to organize the kids into giving each other gifts. Right now I think Bella is interested but would need a lo of help. Sophie could be persuaded to be interested but the boys are too young. I'd love to encourage them in generosity; but I can only do so much to midwife the process along. I was thinking maybe in a couple of years. I'm glad to know you didn't start this until your oldest was much older.
ReplyDeleteMelanie,
ReplyDeleteThis post documented the first time we did a present exchange amongst the kids. The Professor was 10, almost 11. I think the year after that we did an actual name draw. I would try to star it until the majority of them really understand what's going on.