Some of the most cherished gifts our family has received over the years have been made by the hands of the people we love. In fact, we look forward to those gifts every year as they’ve kind of become a tradition. Sometimes those gifts made with love were born out of necessity due to limited resources available to go out and purchase store bought gifts, but many times they were made and given out of love for the recipient(s) of the gift.  For example, many years ago, very close friends of ours began making us a delicious candy-like treat that can only be described as “Christmas Crack” because once you start eating it, you can’t stop!  We love the candy and our friends, and look forward to that gift every year!  After all, how can you look at, use or consume that wonderful gift without thinking fond thoughts of the talented person/people who took the time to make it for YOU!   Why not teach your students how they can use their talents, time and resources to make gifts of love to give to those in their lives that they cherish most during this Christmas and Holiday season?

Set

• Have students brainstorm and complete the category grid of gifts that could be homemade around a variety of themes and then share with the class, creating a master list of ideas.
• Our list included the following ideas:
  • Edible Gifts:  Candy, cookies, pies, cakes, whoopee pies, bread
  • Jar Gifts:  Jams, jellies, chutney, herbed butter, soup mixes, cookie mixes, candles, hot cocoa
  • Consumable Gifts:  homemade soap, potpourri, dog treats, above food ideas
  • Gifts for the Kitchen/Cook:  pot holders, aprons, dish clothes, dish towels, trivets, cutting boards, plastic bag containers/dispensers
  • Wearable Gifts:  scarves, mittens, boot cuffs, leg warmers, hats, clothing, jewelry
  • Holiday/Seasonal Gifts:  handmade ornaments, wreathes, cards, hand warmers
  • Home Décor Gifts:  Pillows, quilts, picture frames, flower arrangements, pillowcases
  • Personalized Gifts:  collages, monogrammed gifts, tote bags, t-shirt quilts or pillows from sports/activities, coupon books, ANIMOTOS made with family photos,short stories or poems

Activity

•  Let students try their hand at making a homemade gift for someone they love (like they did in  elementary school).  You can either let them decide on the project or you can decide for the class.  Either way, students will enjoy the process and gain confidence and maybe even learn something  along the way!  Some easy projects to choose from might be:
  • Fish change purse found here
  • Boot cuffs, hats and mittens from the recycled sweaters found here
  • Candy with Saltine Toffee Bark, Bon-Bons and Peppermint Popcorn 
  • Gifts in a jar…lots of ideas here
  • Mini-loaves of quick breads or cakes in jars found here
  • Fabric Flowers for headbands, pins, bags or pillows found here

Attachments

• Gift Giving Categories Brainstorming Grid (PDF)

Resources

• Animoto