Kids usually get so much at Christmas, but how often do they actually give? Here’s an opportunity for you to educate the kids on the gift of giving by having your kids create some of the following, innovative and mostly low cost gift ideas.

Not only can you save some loot, but you would have been responsible for creating a customer made masterpiece that will touch the bearer of your gift well beyond Boxing Day.

The good news is that most of this can be done within one day, sometimes within an hour, so what are you waiting for…

1. Make a movie

Time required: half a day

Help the kids write a short movie script them grab the camera and start shooting. Make a short film about a loved one, their favourite holiday, pet or plant.  Burn it on a disc to make an innovative and highly memorable Christmas Gift.

2. Get baking

Time required within an  hour

Purchase some coloured boxes or bags from a Go-Lo “one dollar shop” and fill it with some home made goodies. Buy some cookie cutter festive shapes (Santa, tree, reindeers etc..) to add the festive cheer.

Recipes for:

• Short bread
• Anzac biscuits
• Brownies

3. Create a masterpiece

Time required one to two hours

Purchase a low cost canvas from Go-Lo or another “one dollar shop” and have the kids paint their a scene with their favourite person as the subject. This is perfect for grandparents: Paint them in the garden, on the beach, playing games with the grandkids or flying through the galaxy. This is a memorable gift that can be a talking piece throughout the year.

4. Customised coaster, pencil holders, picture frames and small boxes.

Time required one to two hours

Craft shops and Go-lo sell wooden products designed to be painted. These are low cost and easy to customise with paint. Buy a few and give one to the whole family.

Remember to varnish them at the end, purchase paints and varnish from any craft store.

5. Create a story

Time required a few hours (mostly to be thinking about it)

Have the kids write a story or a poem about a loved one. Guide the kids to write about their favourite activities with aunt, uncle, grandpa or grandma, and what it is that makes them so special.

Hand written or typed all work well.  Mount it on cardboard and you’re sure to bring a tear to the recipients eye this Christmas.

6. Framed photograph, story or poem

Time required 15 minutes

Frame your favourite picture, story or poem in one of your customised frames

7. Gift cards using digital photography

Time required one to two hours.

Get creative with no mess! Arm the kids with the camera and send them, into the garden or around the neighborhood. Get them to take loads of shots of virtually anything, but encourage them to do close ups e.g. of flowers, use some props such as teddy bears or toys in the garden

Review your pics online, print them out and mount them on some cardboard to make small gift cards. Make a set of 6 per person – these make a sensational and very practical gift.

Purchase cardboard from any newsagent.

8. Paint a pot

Time required, within an hour.

Access any terracotta pot (buy or dig one up from under the house) and paint it to your child’s liking. This is great for babies and infants to have their hand and potentially foot prints scattered across the pot in different colours. Be sure to autograph and date it with a special message.

You can get away with water paints for indoor pots, oil paint  for outdoor pots.

9. Grow some seeds

Time required 10 minutes plus…
Plant some herbs in  your customised  pot. Buy established herbs or plat  seeds. This is a great gift for anyone who loves their food!

10. Give an experience

Time required 10 minutes plus…

There comes a time when material gifts seem more like land fill than an everlasting token of love. If you can’t think of anything to give that special person this year who seems to have absolutely everything give them a big fat cuddle, if this doesn’t cut the mustard contact Red Balloon Day for loads of experiential gift ideas.

Donate an animal to a family in need

If you’d like to donate an animal to a family in need, check out the charity World Vision. You can give the gift of an alpaca to a family in Peru or Ecuador for $200. Other gift options include a goat, chickens or sheep for between $25 and $100.

Whatever gift you are giving, it is always best to invest some time and give a gift that says “I know you.” Receiving blank shopping vouchers and land-fill type gifts can send a message that we don’t know you that well.

Have a great gift giving time.

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