beautiful ways to give
Every year in our household we try to make a day of creating the year’s signature Christmas wrapping paper. This year’s theme is red and gold, and involved my toddler using lots of red paint to stamp the newspaper and then I sprinkled with gold glitter as it was drying.
Over the year we have saved all ribbons and bows from other gifts, and we’ve also bought some red and gold curling ribbon as a finishing touch. So here’s the Christmas Wrap for 2009 - the year of the Bok Choy stamp!
After a very brief and informal survey of all the men in my life (my husband, brother, Dad and brother-in-law), here are their Christmas wish lists:
Flip Video Camera, iPod Nano or iPhone
Wallet, Model Aeroplane/Helicopter, Sunnies
Concert Tickets/Footy Tickets, Binoculars
Sound Dock for iPod
Luckily I only need to buy for 1 person on this list…better get shopping…
Here is a collection of Christmas gift ideas if you’re stumped with someone on your list!
Vacu Vin Wine Saver - Every household needs one of these! Even the households where a bottle of wine doesn’t last more than one evening – the cooking wine can do with saving too!
Soda Stream – Another handy item for the house. Perfect for the party season too!
Gorilla Torch – Just cool. So handy and the latest gadget for that 4WDing, camping, home handy person.
Diptyque Burning Essence (for light bulbs) - Something a bit indulgent to keep the house smelling divine – a super luxurious twist on the candle craze. The Kai range of room fragrances also make a delicious fresh smelling gift, conjuring up images of a tropical balmy holiday.
Water Bottle – For the sports fanatic or for a busy Mum on the go. A water bottle always comes in handy, saves you money and the environment.
Picnic Rug/Basket – Perfect for a couple who love their romantic picnics, or also for a young family who always find themselves at the park. Thermos do a great range of waterproof backed blankets and fully stocked picnic backpacks.
More to come…
I am currently facing the difficult task of buying my 10 and 11 year old nieces their Christmas gifts. Just the term “tween” makes me shudder as I think of young girls wearing makeup and reading inappropriate magazines. In previous years these girls have been satisfied with the usual dress ups, toys and books, but this year I’m really feeling the pressure to get it right. They suddenly seem to be at the age where giving them the wrong thing would be the end of the world.
I’d hate to buy them something too “babyish”, or not cool enough, but I also want to avoid the trap of buying expensive (and often useless) licenced merchandise , am trying to avoid the video game thing and also can’t afford to buy one tiny and very expensive bead to add to their charm bracelets. So where does that leave me? Wanting to buy them something that doesn’t need to be the right brand for their particular tastes, something that brings them some joy and trying to avoid things that unecessarily speed up the maturity process. So here are some gift ideas for those children who aren’t quite teenagers but who now have very particular tastes and ideas about what they like.
Kitchen Appliances – Something practical like a kitchen appliance always comes in handy for a young girl or boy seeking to be a bit more independent in the home. Donut makers are all the rage this year. Also cool are slushie makers, ice shavers, milkshake makers and waffle makers.
Other ideas for the kitchen include cookbooks, cupcake pans or you could create a little cooking kit (apron, spatula, measuring spoons and cups).
The Great Outdoors - Sticking with the practical theme a gardening kit including gardening tools, pots, herbs to plant, seeds and gardening gloves also makes a cute boy or girl gift. Beach supplies, beach bags and towels, hats and body boards are also fun ideas for this time of year.
Precious treasures – Girls of this age love their precious little trinkets and personal effects that make them feel that little bit more responsible and in charge of their lives. For example, a special jewellery box, diary, address and birthday books or beautiful photo albums for them to fill with their favourite memories.
Puzzles and board games are a great gift to give to a family if you’re trying to avoid lots of little gifts for each child. Check with the parents so they’re not doubling up on the classic board games.
Craft supplies suit some kids of this age (but not all!). There are some great beading, crocheting, origami and knitting kits available. These Klutz Wishing Stars are a cute little gift for clever and crafty kids, and the little origami stars they produce can be used to make decorations, bracelets or stick them on gifts instead of ribbons and bows!
Boys and their Toys – Boys can be a little easier to buy for at this age, as they usually still enjoy doing what they’ve always done. So if they’ve always been into construction, or science, or sports equipment, you can look for something along the same theme but more appropriate for their age. I’ve just discovered the Meccano Metal Robot models, which don’t require the child to have any other Meccano products, and act as a very cool ‘puzzle’ type toy to keep them occupied while building, and then makes a great ornament in their room. They’re also very reasonably priced ($20-$30 depending on number of pieces).
Personal Space – Kids of this age also like to make a bit of a statement stylewise, so could really enjoy some decorating items for their bedroom, such as wall or window art, a stylish canvas or framed print. Or something comfy like a big slouchy bean bag or funky chair. Beware they may be a bit particular so make sure you get a sense of their style first!
So there you have it, a few gift ideas if you’re stuck buying for this difficult age group! Any more suggestions are welcome!
Here are some gift ideas at a glance if you need a bit of direction! This is a work in progress, more ideas and details to come soon! This page will be a permanent fixture under “Children’s Gifts” (at the top of the Home page).
Newborn - Skwish, Tiny toys, Calm Music, Mobiles, Scrunchy toys, Feeding equipment (bibs, spoons, plates etc), Bumbo, Swing (to hang in tree)
12 months – Dolls! Pull along toys, Finger Puppets, Tea sets, Trucks, Xylophone, Hammer/Peg toys, Drums, Small Photo Albums full of familiar toys and faces
Two – Dolls and anything to do with Dolls, Puzzles, Water troughs/sandpits, Magnadoodle/Etch a Sketch, Chalk, Playdough and playdough toys, Buckets and spades, Sandpit toys, Bath toys, Train sets, Chopping fruit, Threading Toys and Pasta Necklaces
Three – Basic Games (e.g. memory/snap), Dress ups, Construction (Duplo, Mega Blocks etc, wooden blocks), Cooking utensils, Playdough toys, Train sets, Musical instruments, Puppets, Dolls house, Farm animals (e.g. Schleich, Animalz), Puzzles, Playdough
4-5 – Cookbook and cooking supplies, Gardening tools, Jewellery box, Trinkets, Jewellery, more dress ups, Construction (lego, meccano etc), Spirograph, Kite, Puzzles
6-7 - card games (Uno, Skipbo), Stationery, Construction (Lego, Meccano etc), Music
8-9 – Meccano, Lego, Craft supplies, Stationery, Jewellery, Music Players (MP3 docks/CD player)
10-12 – Kitchen appliances, Diaries and journals, Craft supplies, Beading supplies, Board games, Puzzles, Address and Birthday books, Beach supplies (bag, towel, hat), iTunes Gift Card
All Ages – Wall Art, Book ends, Craft/Art supplies, Hats, Books, Puzzles, Photo Albums, Sunglasses, Music, Money Box, Crockery, Quilt Sets, Water bottle (e.g. Sigg)
Here’s a little gift perfect for giving in a card! I came across this on the weekend in a little toy store and thought it was a great way to add a little magic to a kid’s birthday card. A little matchbook with each matchstick holding seeds ready for planting. Just tear off a matchstick and stick it into a little pot, that’s it!
Matchstick Garden come in wildflower or herb varieties.
I often wonder how people with children or other full time jobs have time to just whip something up to bring over for afternoon tea. I, on the other hand, always feel rushed with the basic stuff, like getting dressed, and getting stuff into the car.
I now have a collection of quick recipes, which are super easy to make and don’t need a special trip to the store just to find the right ingredients. The end result is something delicious to take to a friend’s house for morning or afternoon tea, or to give as a little gift. They’re also so quick and don’t mess up the kitchen too much, so perfect for giving as a treat when you’ve got visitors coming.
Cinnamon Teacake – This is my adaptation of a Women’s Weekly recipe that is so easy, yet so perfect for afternoon tea and delicious every time. It’s beautiful with sliced apple placed on top, but you can try other fruit if apple’s not your cup of tea. Apricots work really well too.
This recipe is perfect if you don’t have much time, and if you’re light on ingredients. It doesn’t call for any unusual ingredients, and only needs a little butter and 1 egg, so it’s usually easy to find all the stuff to whip this one together.
Preheat oven to 180C. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until light and creamy. Add flour, milk and cinnamon and stir until smooth. Spread into a greased and lined 20cm round cake tin (it will look very small in the tin), then arrange the apple on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Once cooked, brush the cake with some melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
The Lemonade Scone Recipe – It’s a popular one, but often one we forget to use at crisis times! This is easy to do if you have cans of lemonade and longlife cream on standby in the cupboard! These really are a cheat’s version of the traditional light and flaky scone recipe, but they’re so good, most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. And they’re so easy! You really only need a mixing bowl and a measuring jug, so there’s minimal washing up too. There’s a few tricks to scones, firstly, don’t over work the dough, just combine the dough and then gently pat out. Try to cut as many scones from the dough the first time as possible, as the scones become a bit tougher with each additional handling to re-pat out the dough.
Preheat oven to 200C. Sift the flour into a bowl. In a separate bowl combine cream and lemonade, then add to the flour. Mix until just combined (should be fairly wet and sticky, but if it doesn’t come together as a dough then add another tablespoon of flour), then gently pat out onto a floured surface. Using a floured scone cutter, cut out the scones and place on a baking sheet on baking paper and bake for 16-18 minutes.
Sweet Muffins - My version of sweet muffins are reasonably healthy, with not much sugar, to keep the kids slightly less insane. You can really put anything you like in them. Any type of berries, diced or pureed apple, pear, mashed banana, cinnamon, ginger, dried apricots, sultanas, pureed apple etc. Mashed banana and blueberries are the kids’ favourite and pear and lots of ginger is my pick of the week!
So here’s the basic recipe, and once again, it’s so quick and easy!
Preheat oven to 180C. Mix together the oats, yoghurt, oil and egg, then sift in the flour and baking powder and gently fold the flour and fruit through. Only stir until the mixture is just combined and then spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Makes about 12 cupcake sized muffins.
These ones are even better with half wholemeal flour, half white SR flour, just add an extra half teaspoon of baking powder. Look here for more muffin tips.
Savoury Muffins – Again, put whatever you want in them! Cheese, dried rosemary, corn, bacon, ham, capsicum, parsley, basil etc. This is my family’s favourite version:
Preheat oven to 200C. Grease muffin tin. Put flour into a bowl, then add all the bits you’ve chosen – in this case, oats, cheese, bacon and rosemary. In a separate bowl whisk egg, milk and melted butter together. Add this to the flour mixture until just combined. Put mixture into muffin tins and top each with a little grated cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Passed down clothes come in very handy for kids. Some children make it through their childhood without ever needing any new clothes. This saves a truckload of money, not to mention a massive reduction in their carbon footprint before they can even say global warming.
Recycled clothes are especially handy at times when kids wear clothes for a few months (or even weeks) and then outgrow them. Or when they’re crawling and destroying endless pairs of pants and you need as many as you can get! Or for the toddlers and preschoolers who somehow stain/tear/cut/stretch everything you put them in. There are swap meets, recycled boutiques and numerous online stores (including ebay) if you’re looking for a cheaper way to dress your kids.
There is one time, however, when hand-me-down clothes can be a little frustrating…
When you have a new baby, and you’re learning to cope with very little sleep, and are getting used to doing an extra 3 loads of washing a day, the last thing you need is someone giving you 2 big crates of baby clothes to go through, wash, sort and put away before the baby outgrows them.
Often you receive so many new clothes when you have a baby, that you wonder if you’ll even need the second hand stuff, but after a few months, when all the gift giving is over, you’ll usually find gaps in your baby’s wardrobe where you could easily fit in some recycled stuff!
If you’re thinking of giving your old baby clothes to a friend, here’s a few things to consider:
Sometimes you keep some really precious items of clothing with good friends in mind, hoping they’ll have the right gendered offspring to can pass them on to! I think it’s sweet to wash and bundle up 2 or 3 of your favourite items to give as (or with) a new baby gift. You could add a photograph of your little one in them, and a note to let them know how special the clothes were to you and your baby. You can always let the person know you’ve got loads more where that came from when they’re ready to rummage through it all.
There’s some good tips on storing hand-me-downs here.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ungrateful when it comes to hand-me-down clothes, and I know everyone has a different take on it, but timing really is everything if you’re giving them to a new mum!
Sometimes you receive a gift that is so useful, you wonder how you ever survived without it! These are the kind of gifts that I love stumbling across in shops – small but very practical. They’re perfect for when you need to say thanks for a favour or have to buy a “Secret Santa” style present for work or family.
I think the trick to buying this type of gift is thinking about how you would feel if you received the item in question. Would you really use it or would you end up throwing it out or trying to sell it in a garage sale for 20c? Here we have compiled a list of relatively inexpensive (under $15), but really useful gifts (in our opinion anyway). Most of them can be found in funky gift or homewares stores.
Joseph Joseph Magnetic Measuring Spoon
These measuring spoons are magnetic, so you don’t need to rummage through drawers looking for a measuring spoon mid baking! The spoon has a tablespoon and teaspoon measure, and a line on each for half way. Buy them here.
Cancer Council Sunscreen Keyring
This is a gift that anyone can find handy! It’s great to clip onto a sports bag or nappy bag, so you know you’ve always got sun protection when you need it most. It’s also fine if the person already has one, they’ll get through them eventually!
All Out Of Pad
The All Out Of Notepad is very handy for people who walk into a grocery store with a very vague look on their face and come home without the stuff they really need. It allows you to mark things on the list as you run out of them at home, then just take it shopping with you. Simple!
Hand Cream
Here’s another gift that’s always useful, and that always gets used up regardless of how many the person has – hand cream! This L’Occitane travel size hand cream is perfect for a hand bag or to keep in the car, and is only $16 (before discounts) from Strawberrynet.com.
We’ll be adding to this list as we think of more things, so make sure you check back on our ‘Just Because’ page. Also feel free to comment any more small practical gift ideas.
This may seem an unusual gift, but it really is very handy, and can be a bit indulgent! How often do you buy yourself new tea towels? And how often are they the kind that put a smile on your face when it’s time to do battle with the dishes?
A special tea towel can even make a beautiful wall hanging or piece of framed art. Our favourite idea is to use a teatowel as wrapping if you’re looking for a bit extra to add to a gift. These also make a great “just because” gift - you can buy one of any value and wrap it up with a card for someone special. Or wrap up some warm scones to be delivered for afternoon tea! Every time they use it they will think of you!
There’s plenty of beautiful tea towels out there. These Annabel Trends ones are very reasonably priced, at $9.95. There’s also some exquisite ones here.
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