I can only post this post after Christmas, and it will be obvious why as you read on!!! In the spirit of utmost secrecy I could not possibly reveal these gifts before the day!!! We have a gifting tradition in our home. Our kids pick a name from the hat and then they each have a sibling to create a Christmas gift for. It all began because I just just couldn’t handle the thought of 56 gifts being exchanged on Christmas morning!!! Now the gift can’t be bought and the gift can’t just be something from around the house wrapped up – no chunks of bark or ancient stones from an ancient outing. The gift has to be something cool that the other person will love and it has to be made from things we have lying around our house… it is a tall order for them but they always rise to the occasion and I think I should be putting my name into the hat next year because some of these gifts are totally cool!!!
Here you go se7en + 1 gifts:
- Hood #1: A Castle complete with a dragon: And a couple of blank pencils for him to decorate himself. This is a pencil can for keeping his special Lyra pencils that have been scattered around the house for ever.
- Hood #2: An Inventor’s Notebook: Packed with different types of graph paper and added in pages for notes. Not to mention lots of sticking and gluing and a chance to use the sewing machine to stitch it all together…
- Hood #3: Clothes for her bear: She has had her bear for a couple of months and and it has been living in it’s World Cup outfit since we bought it. We really needed some easy easy sewing ideas. If I had known how easy these were then I would have helped her make these long ago, needless to say I think we will be making heaps more clothes in the very near future!!! A new skirt, a dress, a shirt and a bandanna hat.
- Hood #4: Letter Writing Kit: This is really a large folder with the postman drawn on the front. This guy has just settled into the age of letter writing and this is so up his street, with a tiny notebook for all his addresses and paper and envelopes and his own stamps and a couple of stickers – the man is set, not to mention ready to post about five letters already!!!
- Hood #5: A Herb Station: Our Celebrity Chef really likes nothing better than to pop some herbs onto the chopping board or into the pestle and mortar and concoct new and interesting flavors. Now he has a supply of herbs jars ready for some freshly picked supplies from the garden that he can keep supplied with fresh herbs.
- Hood #6: Hair Bands: I was surprised at this gift, it required some thought from her younger sister. But it was just right because this young lady loves fancy hair things and this was something that a two year old could easily achieve… given plenty of time and plenty of fabric scraps. Simply knotting the scraps onto an existing hair band and you are done!!!
- Hood #7: A Pocket Pal: This little person is desperate for a dog. Not just any dog, because my kids are actually quite fearful of dogs… But she saw these huge sheep dogs when we were on holiday and she can’t let go of the idea of having a dog. So her slightly older sister drew a dog, and the very important sun, onto a scrap of fabric and we turned it into a pocket pal!!! She is thrilled with it – thank-goodness!!! And we won’t be getting a gigantic sheep dog anytime soon!!!
- Hood #8: A Music Center: How often my oldest and youngest are connected… This time the older made a music center for the youngest!!! I love it, complete with old metal plate and a paintbrush for bashing it. Also a can filled with interesting things for shaking…and some old bells and strips of fabric to add to the touchy feely fun!!! I think a lot of things will be added to this gift over the next couple of days. My little guy discovered this before Christmas and loved it so much there was no parting with it!!!
For the skirt and dress we made a casing along the top of the fabric and threaded ribbon through the casing. For the dress we snipped some armholes and that was it. For the shirt we cut armhole and just folded them over and used a safety pin to keep it shut. Finally for the bandanna hat we made a casing and snipped holes in the casing to let the ribbon out to tie it under the chin. We had to snip holes for the ears to peep through as well!!! 
And the se7en + 1th gift:
That’s it!!! Some Secret Christmas Crafty Fun!!!
I just LOVE your family’s creativity and how much thought your kids are able to put into each gift. That makes it all the more special! Looks like you had a blessed Christmas!
Every single gift is SIMPLY SENSATIONAL. Your kiddos put such thought, creativity and love into each present. HOW WONDERFUL!!! I think we might implement some of this beautiful tradition next year!
Hay KM, I will tell the kiddo’s you enjoyed their gifts!!! I have to say I have so enjoyed your Christmas collages – you are a masterful artist!!! Happy holidays to you!!!
I just love the thoughtful and creative gifts! And when siblings care for each other across age brackets.
Hay Jacki… Everyone wanted to make a gift for Hood #8 there were so many wild and wooly ideas!!! But Hood #1 “drew” his name… who knew there were so many ideas for gifting a one year old!!!
Wow. They all did so well.
This year was the first year my girls made presents for each other, so I can appreciate the thought put into these gifts. I held my breathe when they opened the gifts, in case there was a bad reaction. No need to worry as they were all received with huge smiles. Phew!
Hi Cheryl… So good to have you back!!! I have held my breathe once or twice and thought hmmm what about a cool reception… But somehow they seem to know that these gifts are totally from the heart and that’s where they must go!!! One year my son gave his sister a “hairbrush” it was a pice of wood that he had sanded (as carefully as a eight year old would) and then he hammered as many nails into it as he could!!!! Let’s just say she has never used it as a hairbrush… but it is right up there with her most treasured possessions!!! Hope you have a fun week!!!
Kimberly Thankyou for the lovely comment – I am just catching up on all our comments that dashed through the cracks during Christma and New Year and I just wanted to stop and say hi and thanks for being such a loyal reader. Hope you have a great day and a fabulous 2011.
Wow, that is so wonderful and inspiring and downright impressive! You’re amazing! Thanks so much for sharing on Craft Schooling Sunday!
Hay Creative Jewish Mom!!! So glad you liked our gifts!!! I love that you are back… and love your linking Sunday’s!!! Have a lovely day!!!
Discovered this post via your today’s post and gasp – I can’t stop admiring the thought, love and creativity that each kiddo put into his gift-making. God bless them – they are such darlings. You all are a beautiful family. I’m so inspired!
Thank-you Rashmie…Honestly this little tradition is our favorite Christmas tradition. My kids savor the moment they find out who they are gifting… they plot and plan and create…. and then they just love seeing their recipients receive. The whole thing is just lovely!!! Thanks for another beautiful comment and hope you have a wonderful day!!!