Make a Memory in Your Gift-Giving

What are some of your fondest Christmas memories? More than likely, they involved a Christmas tradition over a gift received. To remember a gift would mean a strong emotion was attached. It seems strange we spend so much time fretting and going in debt over what presents we buy.

Since Jesus was God’s gift to us and it is His birthday, why not make memories with our gift giving? Not only is it more fun and less stressful, but it helps our kids focus on the true meaning of Christmas over what they’re getting.

Here’s 3 ways to make a memory with your gift-giving:

1. Buy for others
2. Decorate presents
3. Play games in opening presents

Buy for Others

• Draw names. Children love participating in buying gifts for their relatives. Each parent can take them shopping to buy for the other parent also. Have them buy for teachers, coaches, or church leaders.
• Let your child buy a toy for a local toy drive, a coat or mittens for a local charity helping the homeless, or food for Christmas food boxes. Any food or hygiene items are needed at recovery houses, too.
• Most kids enjoy giving to Samaritan’s Purse shoebox for a child their age. This requires planning ahead though.
• Older children might prefer ringing a bell for the Salvation Army or choosing a Christmas Angel on a Tree.
• If a grandparent has everything or is deceased, give a monetary donation to their favorite charity in their honor.
• Lastly, create cards, sing carols, or buy a gift for nursing home residents.

Gift Wrapping

• Have a special family party and wrap gifts, separating as needed. Might even race if children are older.
• Wrapping in newspapers and paper sacks with children making designs with crayons, stamps, or glitter is one option. Butcher paper works decorating with tempera paints.
• Create special bows, using wonderful Pinterest ideas.
• Trick someone by using their favorite discarded snack box, or electronic box, making them think that is what they’re getting. Also, hide smaller boxes inside of bigger ones

Games for Opening Gifts

• Give a clue to get to hidden presents. Our kids like it when we buy one present that is alike and hide them, then they race as a group to be the first to figure out where to find their treasure.
• Give a child a scripture reference for each gift to locate the package displaying that verse.
• Hand your child a Bible fact to match with the person or place on their package
• Younger children can match colors (crayon or balloon to a construction paper square) or numbers with pictures of that many objects (or number words). They can be given a shape or a letter and find the identical one as well.
• If educated-minded, you can create individualized math problems they will match to the correct answer on a gift that is theirs. The same could be done with scrambled words and words on the packages.
• Play “Name that Tune.” Put titles of favorite movies or old TV shows on gifts, then play a clip for a particular child whose turn it is, and they have to find the right gift.
• Buy a small puzzle everyone would like. Match two pieces for every gift. Tape one on the gift and put the other in an envelope for each family member to give to on their turn. By the end, the family has put a puzzle together. This is my sister-in-law’s favorite game my brother came up with.

If you have larger gifts that can’t be wrapped, the clue game works well. Making a list of instructions to follow including singing certain songs, exercises, and the like will allow you to get the gift and bring in for them to find when completing the list.

Game ideas have been a combination of my household and my brother’s – more his than mine. He ensures his family has a new game each year. No repeats, and all original (no Pinterest for him). LOL. I appreciate him sharing the ones he can remember with me.

I pray some of these ideas can be utilized, if you’re not already,  so your family can enjoy time together celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas.

Let’s Talk. What idea did you like best, or what idea could you add? Share in the comments below.

Thanks for sharing these ideas with your friends and reading-related blogs.

© 2020, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.