Special Holiday Gifts in an Especially Tough Economy

One of the positive by-products of this difficultmore fun than paining feet and walking across a
economy is that many people are rediscoveringgiant greeting card?!
basic family values. As the holidays approach,I am not a crafty person, but anyone can create
remember that homemade gifts truly are special,a collage. Choose an old shoe box, and help your
most notably when they come from yourchildren cut pictures and sayings from magazines
toddlers.or used wrapping paper that symbolize the
Now that my kids are grown, I relish their tinyperson the gift will be for. Glue the pictures all
handprint works of art that they gave me whenover the shoe box, the more the better. This is a
their fingers were so small. I still use the penciltime consuming project and your loved one will
holder my daughter made out of an old can whennot only enjoy reading the words and seeing the
she was in the fourth grade. I even continue topictures meant solely for her, but she can have
put out holiday decorations that were my kids'fun reading the box over and over throughout
original creations, and there is no price that can bethe years.
put on their value.As your children get older, they can help you
While abstract art is fabulous, be creative if youcreate CD's with special songs intended for
want to find something useful for the recipient ofsomeone they love, and there are lots of
the gift. Christmas ornaments and Chanukahwebsites that help you create personalized
menorahs can be displayed and enjoyed yearcalendars very inexpensively.
after year. Signing a work of art with handprintsSo this year, take some of the pressure off and
and dating it, will allow you to compare the child'senjoy spending time making something meaningful
growth along with his artistic development. What'swith your children. Happy Holidays!