Creative Gift ideas that won’t break the bank or add to landfill but will create fabulous memories.
Christmas is fast approaching again and black Friday is upon us. its the time of year when lour inboxes go into meltdown with advertising the latest must-have gifts of the year. The TV is full of adverts of children playing with plastic things that will all need batteries and will be long forgotten by the end of January.
For years I have found the whole overindulgence and mass panic toy buying at Christmas really depressing and unimaginative, hundreds of pounds are spent by most households on things that won’t get used. Black Friday seems to be gathering momentum every year and persuading us to buy things we don’t need with the promise of discounts. I am sure they inflate the price in advance of Black Friday so you think your getting a deal - be warned. For years in my house, we have had the Christmas Voucher System, instead of hundreds of toys and things my girls don’t really need I made gift certificates of experiences I know they will love, that can be used throughout the year.
These need not be massively expensive, they are just things that can be done together or with friends that will be fun. I think the biggest gift we can give our children is time ( oops that sounded like a line from a Whitney Houston track but you get the gist). My kids love it; they can cash the voucher in when they choose and the joy lasts through the year. It’s also really fun to get creative with your ideas, often the ones that cost very little money are the most fun. Hide the voucher in a jar of sweets or wrap it in a fun way- to keep that special feeling for Christmas.
Ideals for great Christmas Voucher Gifts.
A Free Jump in the puddles pass- wait for a rainy day pop on the wellies go for a walk and let them go mad. Children love to jump in puddles and get messy and wet and we are always saying NO. Let them have a giggle, we all have washing machines!
A treasure hunt in the garden or local park with friends, children love to find clues and work out the answers all leading up to a prize at the end. Some sweets to share as a prize does the trick nothing major needed. Pinterest has hundreds of scavenger hunt ideas for you,
Movie and sleepover night with ice cream and popcorn and two friends. Maybe even a pizza thrown in too.
Camping night in the garden- you can buy self-heating food and hot chocolate that they love to make for themselves.
A trip to a theme park.- bit more of a treat but a lovely gift idea and something that many of us plan to do anyway so why not make it a gift to look forward to.
A day out exploring in London- let the day take you, kids just love sitting top deck of a London bus and looking out, no need for expensive tour buses just see where you end up and what you see along the way.
Girls love- a trip to the hairdresser or nail bar for a mini cut or manicure.Boys love a trip to watch your local footy or rugby team.
Everyone loves a build a base day. Collect cardboard boxes, pallets sheets, pegs- whatever you can find and let them go mad and build a base with their friends. Maybe even a prize for the best base.
A bake off voucher- invite a few of their friends over and make cakes, they all love making a mess, licking the bowl and then icing their creations. Offer a prize to the best cake and make it a giggle.
A Picnic Pass, let the children go to the supermarket and pick all their favourite picnic foods and think of somewhere super fun to go and have a picnic for the day. It might involve a mini adventure to get to the spot, ie climbing up a hill, walking along the river, cycling somewhere, get creative. Leave your iPhone's at home and make the most of the day together.
I’m, not a total scrooge obviously on Christmas Day, there are always a few lovely things from Father Christmas to open, and I don’t just mean a tangerine! But this way the joy of giving and spending time with those you love lasts all year. After all is that not what Christmas really should be about, not mass-produced plastic things that eat batteries and hurt your feet when you tread on them! Most of these toys get used very little and are cheaply made and just end up in landfill.
So folks stay strong and try to resist those deals. Save the pennies and save landfill.
For more creative interiors and easy makes make sure you check out my website www.lynnelambourne.com
Oh and here is a voucher template that you can print off and use.
Have a great Black Friday everyone you know what to do. x
