Are your kids buying or making presents for anyone?

MrsAmers

Last year I took them to a pottery place and they painted presents for DH and the three grandparents. We are out of time to do that and the only time we will have is next Saturday. (The 21st)

Am I a horrible mom if the kids don't make or pick out anything for anyone this year?

#exhausted

egpitt22

I haven't yet this year, but I might venture out with Jake tomorrow afternoon.  This is going to sound lame, but last year he and I were at the dollar tree getting wrapping paper and he started to pick some stuff out for other people while we were there...and he actually did quite well for what he was working wtih!  He got the grandmas some dish towels, the grandfathers little nutcracker statues, and a toy for Liam.  Cute stuff and he loved doing it. 

Otherwise, the grandparents get a photo calendar every year that is "from" the kids

lala5507

I had the girls make this snowman for my mom because she collects snowmen.  http://www.goodshomedesign.com/cute-sock-snowmen/  I used an old pair of dd's cable knit tights and it turned out really cute. 

DD is picking out presents for her Godparents at her school santa shop and I took her to toys r us to pick out a cabbage patch for her sister.  I just did the rest of the shopping on my own and will let them help me wrap.  I just didn't have time to take them to pick out presents.  They are still little though.  Wrapping the gift and then giving it is enough for them.  They don't seem to mind that they didn't actually go to a store and buy it. 

lala5507

Oh and we do photo calendars too. 

Meghan&Rich

We also do photo calendars every year!  Last year I took Mason to the Dollar Store to pick out gifts for everyone, and it was so much fun.  Everyone loved their gift even though he picked out some pretty funny things.  (Like a princess nightlight for my MIL, lol!)  I am looking forward to doing it again this year!

AmandaJLewis

EJ shopped at her schools holiday store this year. So a little piece of junk for each of us. But she had fun picking stuff out for us all and wrapping it herself too. Years prior we had not done anything separate or specifically from her.

amyjoy18

We always give my grandparents pictures of the kids.  That's really all they want.  But this year we also made cinnamon ornaments (apple sauce, cinnamon made into a dough and then cut out with cookie cutters and dried) and bird seed things (tp rolls covered in peanut butter and then rolled in bird seed) to put on a branch outside for the birds. 

So they're not the main gift, but in addition to what I was already getting them.

waltsgirl102503

Noah also does the Santa's Workshop gift shop at school.   It's all total crap, but what do you expect for 50 cents and a dollar?   He LOVES doing it though, he was so proud to show me what he picked out for everyone on Wednesday.   

Luckystar2

I was going to have dd do the shopping at school thing but the hours are in the evening. Really?! I thought the point was doing it at school on her own. If I'm going to take her somewhere on my own time we might as well get decent stuff and a real shop!

Last year dd painted a mug at pottery place for dh. This year I took her shopping with me for dh and we picked out pjs for him. I have always gotten him pjs for Christmas so it works. Dh sometimes does something similar with her for me. For anybody else we didnt do anything from her specifically.

MrsAmers

I hadn't thought about taking them to the dollar store. We'll see if there is time next Saturday.

Everyone in the family gets pictures of the kids for Christmas, so we have that covered. Maybe I can find a way for the kids to help me wrap, too.

Thanks for sharing!

lala5507

MrsAmers said:

I hadn't thought about taking them to the dollar store. We'll see if there is time next Saturday. Everyone in the family gets pictures of the kids for Christmas, so we have that covered. Maybe I can find a way for the kids to help me wrap, too. Thanks for sharing!

As far as the wrapping goes...I let them help put the tape on and then they get to put their finger on the knot when I make the bows.  after a couple presents they get tired of it and move on to something else and then I can go a lot faster. 

Meghan&Rich

You could also get plain wrapping paper and have them color it, put stickers on it, decorate, etc.