Big Gifts, Little Budget

If you’re feeling strapped for cash this holiday season, you’re not alone. But there’s no better time to teach kids that presents don’t have to cost a lot of money – it’s truly the thought that counts.

COUPON BOOK: Friends, loved ones and kiddos want nothing more than a little bit of your time. Craft a sweet coupon book filled with redeemable IOUs for anything from a trip to the $1 movie theater to a family board game night. Littles especially will love having you on the hook for special moments that you’ll both cherish for years to come.

PHOTO ALBUM: Remember good, old fash­ioned photo albums? The kind that contains actual prints? Take some time this season to pull togeth­er a memory book for a relative or even a child filled with both pictures and hand-written notes about times you’ve shared together. Many photo sites run sales for penny prints, so look out for those to get a slew of pics printed out on a budget.

FAMILY COOKBOOK: Everyone has their favor­ite traditional meal that a relative has made for years. Compile loved recipes from your family and add them to one single book along with a photo of the person who came up with the dish. This is the sort of gift that will be passed down from generation to generation.

LIFE LESSONS: Whether it is teaching a child to ride a bike, fly a kite, drive a car or ice skate, time strapped parents and kids will be thankful that you are taking the time to teach a child a life skill.

Teach a Child to Ice Skate