The Gift Of Love That Keeps On Giving

I like to think I give the most unique and thoughtful gifts ever. You know, gifts that are so unique and special that the only word I imagine hearing uttered through the crunch of crumpled wrapping paper is, ‘Ohhh!’ … So I like to think.

What’s so unrealistic about finding a gift that awes someone senseless?

We peruse a billion websites, cruise all the local shopping centers, stroll the malls, and hold our purses like the prized pigskin on Super Bowl Sunday as we carefully inch our way through cramped aisles overflowing with breakable giftware at specialty shops. We do all this with the hope of finding the pe rfect gift … without breaking a gazillion dollar bobble along the way!

I wonder, if the recipient is close enough to us that we are willing to spend this time, effort and money on them, why is it so difficult? We should be able to quickly, pleasurably and successfully shop for the perfect gift every time.

You know books are always nice, but which ones haven’t they already read? Before buying more bath salts, you might want to make certain the intended recipient isn’t selling some from last year on Ebay because they couldn‘t possibly take that many baths in one year! The thought of buying another sweater isn’t even a possibility at this point! And one more gift card just seems like a cop-out!

Things are different today than they used to be. I remember when we were excited to receive gifts that we really needed. Now, when we need something, we buy it for ourselves. This doesn’t leave much room for the gift-givers in our lives.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a way to make the perfect gift and enlist the help of your kids? I just saw the picture in the bubble over your head … the not-so pretty, unidentifiable homemade object isn’t what you were hoping for, I know. But bear with me here.

What if you could ‘Wow!’ them to tears with something sentimental, beautiful, and easy to make? I’m talking about taking a special moment from your child’s life and making that moment eternal in more than just a memory. You know those little moments when your child accomplishes something that makes your heart sing? Those times when you secretly stand in the corner doing the ‘Happy Mommy Dance’ don’t last very long, and yet, they live forever in your heart.

What if you turned the tiniest nuances from those moments into a gift to share with someone special? You could make m ultiple gifts from one moment … for Gramma, Grampa, Aunt Linda, even one for yourself!

I’ll get you started with a few examples that can be easily adapted to fit any child, occasion, or special accomplishment. You once you get the hang of it, I just know you‘ll come up with some of your own creative ideas. And remember to enlist the help of your kids. Not only will the gift be more special because they helped, the extra bonus is that you will be creating special bonding time, too.

Think of some moments that happen everyday, but perhaps Gramma lives in another city and can’t be a part of those moments. With a little thought and preparation, you can create a way for her to celebrate the moment, too.

For instance:

* Did your daughter have a bow in her hair the day she competed in a special gymnastic competition, soccer game, cheerleading competition, etc?
If so, glue that ribbon to a pretty piece of paper, have your daughter sign and date it, then frame it with a photo of her in action that day, and add some special adornments such as glitter, studs, lace, feathers, etc.

* Did your son’s rock ‘n roll band play a concert somewhere recently?
If so, take one of his guitar picks, a drumstick, or a sheet of his music (even a photocopy of one of his songs) and frame it, along with a photo and perhaps a ticket stub from the show. Again, add some special adornments and have your son sign and date it.

* Did your son or daughter just ‘graduate’ to a new belt-level in Karate or Kung Foo?
If so, perhaps your child would be willing to part with the ‘old’ belt. S/he can cut it into pieces and frame one for Gramma, Grampa, aunts, uncles, etc. with photos of the presentation of the ‘new’ belt. Perhaps your child can write something special before signing and dating it.

What parent or grandparent would not LOVE to receive one of these special freeze-framed moments for their birthday, and what child would not be honored to see it hanging on their wall when visiting?

If you want to capture even more moments, take some photos of the two of you making these special gifts together. Your next project can be putting together a photo album of these magic moments.

There’s nothing better than enjoying time with your child, building bonding memories of a lifetime, and being productive in the most creative ways. Well, perhaps there is one thing better … sharing it with l oved ones for their birthday!

By Debbie Mancini-Wilson
Child/Family Creativity Expert and
Best-Selling Author

Debbie Mancini-Wilson is a busy wife and Mom and an internationally acclaimed author and award-winning poet. Debbie hosts creativity workshops for children and adults using materials from her recent book Color My World and currently has a tv show in production which focuses on lifestyle and family issues. Debbie strongly believes that life is enriched by making the most of what you have, by living in gratitude, by paying it forward ... and of course, by nurturing your inner child's creativity!

Check out more fun ideas on Debbie's website: http://colormyworld.info/