5 Gifts that Cost $0, but are Special

Our shopping is done (thankfully). I don’t mind shopping some for Christmas (and, yes, I buy or at least help with more than just Leah’s present), but day after day of it gets old.

I was thinking recently about what we can do for our kids as they get older. There is nothing wrong with getting presents for Christmas, and I love seeing the look on a child’s face as they unwrap (read: destroy) a package. But I was also thinking of some things we might do in the future along with the presents to help them mature.

Here are a few.

1. Volunteering. Many people give some time on Thanksgiving or Christmas in order to serve the needy or help with a meal at a nursing home. What a great gift to give a child: a reminder that service continues every day of the year.

2. Time. After the presents are opened and the meal has been eaten, the tradition part of Christmas is over for many. Why not give your child the gift of an hour. You could play a game or read books. Maybe you could watch one final Christmas movie. The child won’t soon forget it.

3. Coupons. These are often given from children to parents, but why not from parents to children? Write coupons for a night out, or for playing in the Fall leaves. Make some for one free room cleaning or (if the child is older) $5 extra for a night out with friends.

4. Visiting. This is like volunteering, but you can just take the child to the hospital or nursing home for a visit. If you have a good relationship with a place like that, you might even be able to ask for a list of a few people who need a visit from the institution itself.

5. A family treasure. This is something I’ve thought of for Turner as he grows older. Since you already own it, why not go ahead and “pass it on.” Maybe its a book or recipe that’s been in the family for a long time. Maybe its a collectable (baseball card, model car, etc.). What a stocking stuffer!

What have you gotten/given that didn’t cost anything, but made for a special Christmas?