Christmas Parent Gifts

[Josiegirl]

I made these last year and the parents loved them! I didn't spend more than $3 each on these!

7 inch glass vase from dollar tree, vellum paper and a battery operated tea light candle. Really cute when lit up at night.

Do you have instructions for those; they're adorable!
I also like the painted jars; I think the dcks would like to do those.
Last year we made dough ornaments, tree shapes painted green then their fingerprints with different colors for tree lights. They also made their hand prints out of dough and then I finished up by painting them to look like Santas. Pretty cute. One that came out so cute was the baby last year; I was able to get a foot print in the dough, and painted it to look like a little snowman.
Another year I had them make foot prints on a canvas, brown for Rudolph, green for a Christmas tree, black for a penguin, white for a snowman. Then I painted the little finishing touches. That was awfully cute too.
Many years ago, we made calendars, using hand or foot prints each month to create a picture meaningful to that month. I'd find a poem to go with it and a picture of their child, wearing a Santa hat for Dec., etc. Took so much time and not one parent mentioned it.

[lovemykidstoo]

I made these last year and the parents loved them! I didn't spend more than $3 each on these!

7 inch glass vase from dollar tree, vellum paper and a battery operated tea light candle. Really cute when lit up at night.

I LOVE these! Can you show a link or tell us how you did them exactly! Super cute!

[lovemykidstoo]

Do you have instructions for those; they're adorable!
I also like the painted jars; I think the dcks would like to do those.
Last year we made dough ornaments, tree shapes painted green then their fingerprints with different colors for tree lights. They also made their hand prints out of dough and then I finished up by painting them to look like Santas. Pretty cute. One that came out so cute was the baby last year; I was able to get a foot print in the dough, and painted it to look like a little snowman.
Another year I had them make foot prints on a canvas, brown for Rudolph, green for a Christmas tree, black for a penguin, white for a snowman. Then I painted the little finishing touches. That was awfully cute too.
Many years ago, we made calendars, using hand or foot prints each month to create a picture meaningful to that month. I'd find a poem to go with it and a picture of their child, wearing a Santa hat for Dec., etc. Took so much time and not one parent mentioned it.

What is your secret for the dough ornaments? Mine never turn out good. Do you paint with acrylic? Do you seal them? Thanks!

[Snowmom]

Maybe I am the odd one out here, but I don't usually to Christmas gifts for parents. We do big mother's day and fathers day gifts, and then at Christmas I give the kids gifts from me.

In my mind, if a parent wants a holiday keepsake (outside of the usual handprint/footprint holiday themed art we do year round), they should also build the memories around the keepsake and make it with their child themselves.

I love to make keepsakes with my DS, and I know the memories are what make his art even more special to me.

That's my thoughts too.

I don't do anything more than give a small gift to the kids and have a party day (loosely defined there too- just cookies and gifts and a lot of free play!).

[Josiegirl]

What is your secret for the dough ornaments? Mine never turn out good. Do you paint with acrylic? Do you seal them? Thanks!

I've made a lot of recipes for dough too and never had any luck. I'm not sure if I kept the recipe I used last year; I'll try to look for it later but it worked pretty well. I did use acrylic paint and I did seal them after they were all done.
I'm pretty sure I found the ideas on pinterest somewhere; will have to search now because my memory is kaput.

[Josiegirl]

http://www.messylittlemonster.com/2015/12/fingerprint-christmas-tree-ornament-salt-dough.html

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/ce/f8/7acef80448adadbd17db90c5580e9587.jpg

https://indulgy.com/post/mD1KDUlG23/salt-dough-ornaments

Not sure if the first link is the recipe I used or not but it's the picture I went by last year.
The 2nd link is one I might do this year. And the 3rd link was part of what we did last year.

[lovemykidstoo]

http://www.messylittlemonster.com/20...alt-dough.html

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/ce/f8/7acef80448adadbd17db90c5580e9587.jpg

https://indulgy.com/post/mD1KDUlG23/salt-dough-ornaments

Not sure if the first link is the recipe I used or not but it's the picture I went by last year.
The 2nd link is one I might do this year. And the 3rd link was part of what we did last year.

Thank you!!!

[NeedaVaca]

Do you have instructions for those; they're adorable!
I also like the painted jars; I think the dcks would like to do those.
Last year we made dough ornaments, tree shapes painted green then their fingerprints with different colors for tree lights. They also made their hand prints out of dough and then I finished up by painting them to look like Santas. Pretty cute. One that came out so cute was the baby last year; I was able to get a foot print in the dough, and painted it to look like a little snowman.
Another year I had them make foot prints on a canvas, brown for Rudolph, green for a Christmas tree, black for a penguin, white for a snowman. Then I painted the little finishing touches. That was awfully cute too.
Many years ago, we made calendars, using hand or foot prints each month to create a picture meaningful to that month. I'd find a poem to go with it and a picture of their child, wearing a Santa hat for Dec., etc. Took so much time and not one parent mentioned it.

I took a picture in front of my tree with the kids wearing the hat and holding the book, black and white, I may have edited the picture a bit to make sure it was a nice tone-not too dark. That was the hardest part Everything else is easy!

7 inch vase(dollar tree), print the photo on vellum paper (Hobby Lobby), wrapped it around the vase and used double sided tape (Hobby Lobby) at the seams to stick it on. The paper is a perfect fit for these vases! Tea light on the inside(dollar tree). That's it, super easy and very inexpensive!

[lovemykidstoo]

I took a picture in front of my tree with the kids wearing the hat and holding the book, black and white, I may have edited the picture a bit to make sure it was a nice tone-not too dark. That was the hardest part Everything else is easy!

7 inch vase(dollar tree), print the photo on vellum paper (Hobby Lobby), wrapped it around the vase and used double sided tape (Hobby Lobby) at the seams to stick it on. The paper is a perfect fit for these vases! Tea light on the inside(dollar tree). That's it, super easy and very inexpensive!

You just printed it on your regular printer on the vellum paper? I have never heard of that type of paper before. I thought maybe you put the mod podge on it or something. I am totally doing this and going to get the stuff this weekend. I always wait until the last minute and then panic. I'm gonna be ahead of the game this year! Thank you!

[NeedaVaca]

You just printed it on your regular printer on the vellum paper? I have never heard of that type of paper before. I thought maybe you put the mod podge on it or something. I am totally doing this and going to get the stuff this weekend. I always wait until the last minute and then panic. I'm gonna be ahead of the game this year! Thank you!

Yes, just printed it like regular paper! It's like see through paper/kind of frosted looking, just make sure you let it dry good after printing because it will smudge if you aren't careful. I agree about getting supplies now, I notice those vases go quick close to Christmas!!

[lovemykidstoo]

Yes, just printed it like regular paper! It's like see through paper/kind of frosted looking, just make sure you let it dry good after printing because it will smudge if you aren't careful. I agree about getting supplies now, I notice those vases go quick close to Christmas!!

I was just at our local Dollar Tree (love that place). They do have those types of vases and they did have the santa hats, so off I'm going

[storybookending]

I made these last year and the parents loved them! I didn't spend more than $3 each on these!

7 inch glass vase from dollar tree, vellum paper and a battery operated tea light candle. Really cute when lit up at night.

I really love these! I might try something like this.

[DaveA]

DCKs will make a couple different breads and cookies to take home the Friday before Christmas.

[ColorfulSunburst]

we make gifts only for Father's and Mother's days.
My gift for parents is one long day of service (to 9pm)without extra payment in a week before Christmas.
December 24 - January 1st we are closed.

[Lil_Diddle]

I just take the week off and give parents the gift of spending time with their children over the holidays.

Best gift ever! I do the same!!!! I'm not sure who benefits best from this gift them or us.