Handmade Gifts!

Whether you are keeping in touch with birth parents through a fully open adoption arrangement, are remembering previous foster parents who remain invested in your child’s life ~ or spoiling Dad, Grandma’s or Pa’s ~ nothing beats a handmade gift from you and your child. Activities of this nature can simultaneously blow the recipients mind – while naturally encouraging your own family bonding and togetherness. It can also be the beginning of a meaningful holiday tradition with you and your child(ren). Kids love to participate in gift giving and the act of creating is very appealing to them.

Mementos made as gifts can incorporate cute little hand or footprints like this adorable Santa Claus Salt Dough creation.

Perhaps make a new one each year, which reflects how much your child has grown. Add the child’s signature on the back and note the date.

Another possibility could be a nice little album of select artistic goodies brought home from school (you know… the ones that come in such high numbers that you’re not totally sure how many you should really keep?) After removing the ones you can’t personally live without, invite your child to sit down and create a scrapbook from the others. Be as generous as you like, keep it simple – or decorate it to the hilt with other scrapbooking embellishments. If you can’t part with the original art pieces – try using photos or scans of each piece instead. Photos or scans could also be easily loaded to Shutterfly and used to create a yearly calendar!

Other ideas:
Photo Magnets
Personalized Journal – you could use photos printed on paper or child art instead!
Art Magnets

What special ideas does your family turn into memorable treasures?