Rhonda Ellis, Loi Palmer, Kellie Renfroe
* Create a family address book. Include: addresses, home and cell phone numbers, email addresses, children’s names, birthdays, college addresses, anniversaries.
* Turn your child’s artwork into a keepsake present: note cards, calendars, coffee cups, refrigerator magnets. Or frame the artwork.
* Burn a CD of your family’s favorite Christmas music so that your college-aged or adult children can continue the tradition in their home.
* If you have more than one child, let them draw names. Take the children to the store, make a note of what each would like as a gift. Be sure to tell the kids ahead of time not to say, “I want that and that.” Instead they are to only point out things they really would like. Divide into different groups and shop for that person. This gift, given by their siblings is the one gift they look forward to opening the most, so it is saved until last.
* Children love making designer crayons. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Using a muffin pan, fill each one with all your broken crayons you have. Crayons with glitter in them are great. Bake until the crayons melt (about 10 minutes). Allow to cool and then remove from muffin pan. Put several in a cello bag and tie with ribbon for stocking stuffers.
* Let the kids hand paint garden stones for grandparent gifts. Paint on a scripture or the phrase, “Welcome to my Garden.”
* Create a family cookbook.