Our home is often quiet here now, just the quiet sound of stories being shared around our evergreen tree, handmade holiday treats in hand. At least one young one in my lap. At other moments, our home is quietly humming. The swish of scissor snips and falling paper pieces, marker caps clicking open and closed and the sound of pencil scratching paper. A workshop of holiday decorations, of making paper count-down chains, and handmade gift making—all a dear part of our holiday memory making.
On this evening, envelopes were strewn about the floor. And, us down there with them, elfing the envelopes' whiteness into festive wraps for photo gifts we were making. Simple photo gifts. Because mostly it was about creating together. And, it was about letting the children make gifts—so they may share in the warm feeling of joy they receive when they have made them themselves.
Their envelope and gift tag drawings, the hand-tied candy cane striped string, the photos—all a gift of themselves.
children making gifts
Keep it simple with a short recipient list. Our children made a photo gift for their dear Nana and Papa and just a few others. It was a gift both from our children and for our children—for them to feel that gift giving joy. So, we made only a handful of gifts, and the gift making stayed special and joyful through the last one. We will share with special others during this magical time in other simple ways.
Simple gift ideas children may also want to make include handmade ornaments cut out of felt or paper, paintings made on canvas boards, a stack of envelopes decorated and tied up with ribbon as part of a handmade stationery set, and home-baked holiday treats.
It really is the thought that counts, especially with children. Let them do the making and let it be. However they turn out to be.
Keep it even more simple by using what you have on hand. Except for the photographs, our children used what we already had at home to make their photo gifts. A photo of each child was stacked and placed on top of a matching size piece of tag board—for stiffness and protection on their journeys through the post. The photos and board were tied up like a gift, with candy cane striped string. Before the bow was tied, a decorated-by-the-children gift tag was tied on—we share our gift tag making and printable below. Envelopes were decorated and made into just-right gift wrap for the children's photo gifts. A simple gift. A simply memorable evening making them together.
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{our gift tags we made for you—to add to gifts you might be making too}
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©heather cahoon wordplayhouse
