Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids

Hi R.,

I found this posted on the internet when I did a search for free toys:

Lifelines at Hazelwood Baptist Church is giving away free gently used clothing of all sizes, baby items and lots and lots of toys on Dec 13th at 10a-3p. at 6161 Howdershell Road, Hazelwood, MO 63042.

If you can't make it to Hazelwood, how about making the kids gifts this year? Here is a recipe to make Christmas ornaments, but you can also make them into little dolls or animals for the older children. My husband cherishes the ornament his sister made him when he was little-- she made him Tigger from Winne the Pooh. Or you could make them together on Christmas day.

Salt Dough Ornaments
2 C. flour
1 C. salt
1 C. water

Mix salt and flour. Add in half the water, then gradually add the remaining water. Knead until the dough is smooth, this can take up to 10 minutes. For flat dough ornaments roll out the dough on baking paper. You can also be creative and make odd shapes and wreaths (takes longer to bake.) Use cookie cutters, cut-out templates, or just use your hands. Dust dough with flour and begin to add details to the ornaments with a toothpick, popsicle stick, and knife. Don't forget to use a straw to make a hole so you can hang the ornament. Baking: Time varies based on thickness of ornament. Temperature: 325°F._Time: 1 1/2 hours - or until dry. Let cool before you begin. Paint with acrylic paints. Glue on beads, buttons, or any fun accessory. Coat with acrylic varnish when everything is dry.

Other ideas- make a doll house or a castle out of a cardboard box and paint it ( if you don't have a box, you can get them for free from your local grocery store or electronics store, and the paint from the dollar store.) If you can sew a little, Take a small pillow apart and use the fabric and stuffing to make a rough doll or two. Be creative. What do you have around your house that can be turned into something else.. you'd be surprised at what you can find.

Also, if your Mom is going to give them gifts, ask her if you can save them to put under the tree for Christmas. If not, check out your parish, I am sure they will help you find something to put under the tree for your little girls.

Good luck and God bless.

A few ideas that may work for you to do:
1. Make your own crayons. Take all those ends that they don't want to use, put a few in each cup of a muffin tin that has been well oiled, and bake until they melt together. They can either cool to stay in that shape or you can take them out when they are warm (cooled down a bit, though) and mold them into cool shapes.
2. Measure the dry ingredients for cake and wrap each one as a gift under the tree. The kids can open the ingredients and pour them into a bowl. When all the ingredients are in there, you can add the wet ingredients and bake cookies.
3. Make each child a puzzle using old cardboard boxes. Either draw a picture or very securely attach a picture to the cardboard. (Use white glue to get it VERY securely attached.) Cut the picture into random shapes, a different number for each one of your kids. (50 for your oldest, 30 for the middle, 10 for the youngest.)
4. Make each child a child-safe sewing card. Using cardboard you find around the house, draw a picture or paste a picture that has relatively simple shapes. Punch out holes at strategic points around the shape. Use shoelaces or pieces of yarn with the ends sealed as the thread so the kids can sew.

There are so many great ideas already, but I thought these might help, too. Have a very merry Christmas with your family!

you can check your local craigslist.org and freecycle.org for free items in your area. i often see childrens clothing and stuffed animals.

if you have some unneeded items around the house, you might be able to sell them on craigslist to make a little money for gifts. it's free to list items. or have a yard/garage sale.

you've had great suggestions below. i think any kid would love to stay home all day in their cozy pjs, eating yummy food, watching movies (rent from the library?), and playing board games with their family. I would really like to do that one of these years instead of rushing around to every family member tearing open gifts that lose their luster in a month.

best of luck to you.

I like all the other ideas so far, but thought I'd add my two cents as well. You asked about a tradition: Since you're not having to go anywhere on Christmas day, you could have a totally PJ day, cook a bigger breakfast than usual, and really play up that you all get to stay home in your pjs and spend time together. Maybe watch some Christmas movies, let them roll the snickerdoodles in cinnamon sugar. They are still young enough that Christmas will not be ruined by what they did or didn't get. They will remember the time spent together and efforts you made for it to be special.

Call the local Catholic Church and ask about the St. Vincent dePaul Society-it is to help families in need-with utilities, rent, food, clothing, toys, etc. I am sure there is a catholic church with a society within your area. Call, give them your situation and see what they can offer. PLEASE,, also, call all your local churches, and you don't have to be a member to ask for help!!

Here is an idea. I think the best part of Christmas is making a little magic. If you have a Christmas tree, then put a little something under it on Christmas eve for Santa, maybe a peice of bread or cracker and a little carrot for the reigndeer. Give them a little Christmas story at bedtime and put them to sleep. Now, once they are asleep, and you can afford to bake a little, find a recipe for gingerbread. Bake some ginger bread boys(and girls if you like). With a little food die and frosting you can decorate them and make them very festive. Wrap them up in colorfull foil and put them under the tree. When the kids wake in the morning and find the sweet treats then tell them you just happened to have been to the library and brought home a book. What a coincedence! And it is the story of the Gingerbread boy! With some milk at the table, you can tell the story while they devour their Christmas cookies from Santa. Or think of another story that may be new to them and you can bake something to go with it. Anything sweet is usually a delight on Christmas morning.

Never underestimate family love and simpicity at Christmas time.

Gosh,that is the saddest thing...NO GIFT, at all??
How about baking suger cookies, and letting them put on the sprinkles, and having hot chocolate.You could go to a church, and enjoy the reason for the season.
bundle them up and walk around your neighborhood, wishing everyone you see a merry Christmas.
Seems to me you may qualify as a recipient for 'Toys For Tots'.Dont know if you are a member of a church, but ours just yesterday collected toys for familys who are struggling to buy this year.There has GOT to be a organization in your area who can help...and would be glad to. I know times are so tough right now...and Christmas isnt about the gifts, sure...but just somthing for the children. A candy cane, coloring book, new crayons, deck of go fish or old maid cards.
I'm hoping I helped, just a bit.
Chin up! and have a beautiful holiday.

Maybe you could go to goodwill or a resale shop for 1 toy a piece? I am so sad to think of your kids not having anything. Try toys for tots like the previous poster recommended. Maybe you would qualify for something. It sounds like you would. Or how about a garage sale? I know it is cold but you maybe could find something cheap. Or a dollar store. Even if it is a dollar at least they will have something. Good luck!

Hi, R., I completely understand your situation. I am a single mother (my son is now 20) and have been through the years with no money for Christmas gifts for my son. You can contact the local Salvation Army, church or other organization that assists families in need at Christmas time. I don't know what city you live in, or I'd look some up for you and give you more information! If you want, you can e-mail me at ____@____.com and let me know where you live so I can see if I can give you more help.

Why not make gifts of experience? Pick one free or low cost experience for each child that she likes to do, and then make them something that represents it. They can "cash in" the experience when they want to. For example, paper mache an elephant (or picked up a cheap stuffed one at a thrift store-- they're usually about 99c), then tie a note to its neck saying you will take the child to the zoo. Or put a spatula under the tree with a note tied to it that says you will make cookies with the child. A basket of leaves for a child to signify going to the park and running through leaf piles. Those kinds of gifts always meant more to me than the years my parents would go into debt to buy us junk we didn't need, especially when the extended family always gave us gifts, too.
Those are the gifts kids remember, and it gives them a chance to use the gift on a day in the future when they may feeling like doing something them-centered. I hope you have a lovely Christmas-- we're choosing to only celebrate Chanukkah this year for similar reasons. :)

Yes, there is more to Christmas than presents but every child wants to wake up to something under the tree. Could you maybe go to the dollar store and get a couple of gifts for your little ones? You could get them 3 gifts each for under $10. You could do it in increments, there's still a couple of weeks left before the big day and you could use loose change that may be around the house. It would at least be something, they have cute dolls and books and puzzles there. Do what the other moms suggested and look into local charities. Also, do something fun on Christmas Day, tell them about it beforehand so that they can be excited about it. Maybe making projects together with construction paper or baking cookies together. Even watching the Christmas Parade on TV would be something fun for the girls, it's taped at Disney so it's fun for the little ones! I hope that you end up having a magical Christmas. Best of Luck!

I know that when my sisters and I were young my mom was struggling and years later she told me that she found something like a Toys for Tots and she was able to get a small basket of toys for each of us (there were 3 of us) so that we could have some kind of Christmas. You should look around your community I'm sure there is something. I would hate for your kids to wake up to nothing Christmas morning. Good luck to you.