Christmas

**ravenmoonmother** · 05-30-2006, 04:57 AM

Hi not sure where to put this one.
We have 3 kids, Arthur 5, Meli 4 and Stephie 1, we are going to try to make most of their christmas presents this year. We always try to buy them one main present and some stocking fillers but it NEVER works, we always end up getting loads of stuff ( plus presents form nanan and the aunts and uncles) and they never play with half of it. Now after moving to my mothers front room we are drowning in toys. We keep trying to thin them out and the kids are really good about getting rid of the toys they have out grown but Santa just keeps bringing more.
What i was wondering is have any of you got ideas of things we can make? We are not very crafty but are willing to try anything.
Thanks
BB

**MirandaK** · 05-30-2006, 07:40 AM

What about a scrapbook for each child? That's a gift that they will have forever, long after they stopped playing with the latest gadget!

I did a basketball scrapbook for my 17 year old cousin for christmas and he told me later that it was one of the best gifts he has ever received. (this is a kid who has everything!)

Just a thought...

**miss_thrifty** · 05-30-2006, 09:24 AM

*give them made up coupons, with what they like to do-one free nite of watchinh t.v and snack; one fee nite of playing any game u like , etc. I did this for youngest birthday, he loved it.
http://familycrafts.about.com/librar...intcoupons.htm

http://www.makingfriends.com/index.htm
(there are many simple games, crafts you can do with the kids here, I love this site, get the stuff up ahead, let them look at the site so u get an idea of 3what they would like to do, and make akit of it, then u get quality time to make somethinh with them) some are very easy projects!! Its the time we spend with our kids and what we do with them that makes the memories!!

*if u have a cd burner on your puter , u could borrow from libary or friends and burn their fav. songs on a cd to give to them or make on a cassette.

*food coupons form their favourite palce: McDonalds, Wendys, etc. my sister would give these as gifts or thetare as a special treat to them, it was their gift.
*

**QuilterMom** · 05-30-2006, 09:36 AM

You might find some ideas in these forums.....

Printables - http://frugalvillage.com/forums/foru...c&daysprune=-1

Make It Yourself forum - http://frugalvillage.com/forums/foru...c&daysprune=-1

Christmas Year Round - http://frugalvillage.com/forums/foru...c&daysprune=-1

Holidays - http://frugalvillage.com/forums/foru...c&daysprune=-1

All of those links will pull up every thread ever posted in those forums. There have been some really great ideas/crafts posted in the past.

**ravenmoonmother** · 05-30-2006, 10:09 AM

Thanks for moving the post and for all the links, you've given me tons of ideas.
BB

**sunshine** · 05-30-2006, 04:44 PM

My signature gift for the little ones in our family is PUPPETS. . . I sew them mostly, but you can crochet, knit, make from paper, etc. . . .

And you can make a simple theater for the puppets by cutting a sheet, sewing a casing and using a spring loaded shower rod in a door way.

I make Memory games with family pictures-- I print them in pairs on card stock, laminate them (or at least cover with clear contact paper).

**sunshine** · 05-30-2006, 05:33 PM

Get scrap lumbar from construction sites, wood working friends, etc. Cut into large squares, rectanges, triangles-- sand well. Paint or oil as you wish. Great builiding blocks.

I also cut large dowel rods into various lengths so the kids can build with towers and pillars.

**sunshine** · 05-30-2006, 05:36 PM

Save your empty food containers, boxes, etc. Wrap in clear contact paper for a grocery store toy.

Also save various empty boxes-- wrap in contact paper (with a print preferably) and use as lightweight building blocks.

**sunshine** · 05-30-2006, 07:57 PM

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf476114.tip.html

Make Your Own Spaceship or Submarine

Got a garage full of broken electronics? Turn them into your child's dream toy! Broken remotes, radios, telephones, smoke detectors, and the like may seem like so much junk to you, but to a child they're the makings of a spaceship, a time machine, or a submarine! Just mount the stuff on some plywood and let their imaginations soar.

**ravenmoonmother** · 05-31-2006, 09:34 AM

Posted this once don't know where its gone.
Thank you for all the great ideas, its going to be a fun christmas.
I found this site and thought it was cute.
http://www.thetoymaker.com/2Toys.html