There is no denying that kids of many ages love their toys and video games. They often have closets full of them! But do they really need another doll or action figure? Will they even remember that you got them that “sick” video game or Barbie two years from now?
Is there an alternative to these meaningless toys and games?
A story, if you will. I have an aunt and uncle who always, I mean always, bought me books when I was kid. Not cheap boring books but quality picture books or best-selling novels as a young adult. They bought me my first picture dictionary (now we use the internet to look up information but this was back in the day when we still used a book called a ‘dictionary’ to look up information). I used to hate their Christmas gifts. What made it worse was that my brother always got hockey equipment. He loved hockey; I did not love reading. Funny thing is, I appreciate those books more now that I’m an adult. They are lovely because they were meaningfully chosen books especially for me. My aunt and uncle didn’t ever get me the coolest doll or newest video game and I’d probably not be able to even remember them for those gifts if they had. However, I can name 10 or 12 of the book titles they got me when I was young; many of them I still own (somewhere in storage); the kind of books I can pass onto my children. My point, if you take the time to buy the children in your life, be it nieces, nephews, grand-children, the children of your best friends, there is a good chance they will remember you for it, years down the road. Right off the bat that meaningful and more thoughtful gift might not give the child the “wow factor” but years from now they’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort.
So if you’re looking for something a little more thoughtful this year may we suggest some meaningful gifts for children:
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