Give of yourself this Christmas
After reading this recently, I got inspired to share some local ideas on how to make Christmas less commercial and more about giving this year.
If you are looking for ideas on how to gift children in your life in a less commercial way this year, have a look through this list to see if anything strikes your fancy. The best gift we can give children is ourselves, our time and our love. Some of these gifts are still a tad bit commercial but aim to provide more of an experience than simply opening a gift on December 25th.
Gift your children or grandies with vouchers to go on a date with you/mom/dad
uShaka Marine World tickets (waterpark and/or aquarium)
Manicures together are such a treat for little girls who see their mums with painted nails
Stumped Wooden Toys makes a Bird Feeder Kit that is an activity to do together and then reap the rewards of all year
Movie tickets at the Cinema (with smarties and popcorn treats)
A day trip to the beach with a beach picnic lunch or a treat at a restaurant
A train ride (e.g. at Piggly Wiggly or at the Model Engineering Society Events)
An overnight stay at a hotel/Air BnB/guesthouse for the experience of it
A specialized class (e.g. cupcake decorating / cooking class)
Bella & Beau Baking Kits (Find them on Facebook)
Annie’s Baking Club Kits (Find them on Facebook)
A picnic in Benvie Garden (Karkloof)
Make them something to play with for the rest of the year (e.g. an outdoor mini Wendy house out of pallets and upcycled goodies)
An upgrade to an existing item (e.g. a slide on the jungle gym)
Cover the cost of signup for a special class at school for the next term (e.g. Rugby Tots/Ballet/Music/Swimming)
An overnight stay at a farm where they get to experience all things farmy
Activity box sets from LampLighters
A veggie garden starter kit with kiddie-sized tools to be used throughout the year
Subscription for an educational app (e.g. Homer)
Subscriptions to magazines of interest
Disney on Ice tickets to go with you
Bank deposit into their saving’s account
If you’re a camper, offer to take them camping for a night
A trip to a game reserve or wildlife area
A day trip to go climbing in the Umgeni Valley and have a picnic
Activities such as candle/chocolate dipping in the Midlands
If you have some other ideas please get in touch. I would love to hear them!