Simpler Gift Giving

You have no idea how excited I am to introduce Amber from Giver’s Log.

This is the most beautiful ‘gift giving idea’ website ever. I seriously spent a good hour on it the other day {when i was supposed to be looking for airline tickets}. I even got a little choked up at a few of her sentimental ‘gift ideas‘. She also has a ‘pretty packaging‘ area.  A few adorable ideas I wanted to highlight before handing this post over….

Isn’t this the ‘sweetest’ birthday card for a small child? Love LOVE it. {She found this idea from Inchmark}

And seriously,..do you think I could redo asking my bridesmaids to be my bridesmaids? I’m tempted. {And found this idea at Oh Happy Day}

I must throw a baby shower soon,…and hand these adorable favors out. Friends!? Get baby makin’. {And lastly this idea from Rebecca Thuss}

Now,…without further adieu, I give you HowDoesShe’s Guest Blogger Amber focusing on

Simpler Gift Giving:

‘Every year at Christmas my husband and I go through the same struggle over
kids’ Christmas gifts. I want kids’ gifts to be meaningful, long-lasting,
wholesome. I want them to be worth the space they will take up on the shelf.
My husband, who probably has more of an imagination than I do, likes gifts
to have that “wow” appeal when the kids unwrap them. Sometimes it’s hard for
both these qualities to coexist happily in one gift. So our gift list can
get long and unwieldy and we often have to trim it back.

When I spoke to a friend this week about her solution, I was thrilled, and
intrigued. For each child she buys one want, one need, and one treasure. Her
children are grown, and last year, for example, her daughter received a
bicycle (a want), a bra (a need, apparently mom had come helped fold
laundry, moms are the best!), and a nativity set (a treasure).

I love it. Especially the idea of giving a treasure, something meaningful. I
would so enjoy dreaming this up. A treasure could be a book, an ornament, an
heirloom, something from a far off place, the possibilities are endless.

I also like another version of the three gift rule I’ve run across
here. Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom has Santa bringing
each of her five (soon to be six!) children something to read, something to
wear, and something to play with. I’m beginning to think this approach may
work pretty well for my husband’s gifts too.

Even if these rules are adapted from year to year, I really like the way
they give me a place to start. What about your family? Do you practice any
great gift-giving traditions? I’d love to hear about them.’

{Shelley here again,…I know,..isn’t she amazing? Leave us your gift-giving traditions and hop on over to Givers Log to be inspired…}