Helping Kids Make Homemade Gifts

Are you making homemade gifts with your family this holiday?

As part of the Nestle Family Holiday Exchange, I'm sharing my favorite holiday family crafts with you and Nestle is giving away a Homemade Holiday prize package (a $25 gift card to Jo-Anns plus LOTS of yummy products from Nestle, Carnation, Libby's and more) to one lucky SuperMom Central reader - see the bottom of this post for info. on how to enter this rad GIVEAWAY!

  Time is a precious commodity during the holidays.  When it comes to gift giving, the temptation to parade the kiddos around the dollar store for a quick "buy your grandparents a present" shopping trip is high!  But there are two major reasons that I have resolved this year to help my kids make homemade gifts, and encourage you to have a go at it too: 1 - It means so much more to both the receiver AND the giver.  We all know that nanas and poppas go nuts for anything made by their grandbabies.  But the amount of patience and dedication it takes a child to create something unique for a loved one helps them to truly understand what it means to "give" of themselves.  Our lengthy projects have become daily reminders to my little ones that Christmas is a time to think of others.2 - Making gifts together creates wonderful holiday memories.Last week I shared some of my favorite holiday traditions, both old and new.  I can't believe I forgot to mention how much I used to love making homemade gifts with my mother!  Every year she taught us to craft a different ornament that we would deliver to our neighbors.  I loved learning from her and spending time together.  Now that I'm the mom, I'm excited to make these special memories with my own little ones and have found tons of creative ideas at Nestle's holiday family site - I especially love the Holiday Gifts To Make Together.
Our kitchen table may have been taken over by glue, scissors, thread and buttons, but we're having tons of fun!  Here's a little peek at what we're working on...

Portrait Bookmarks

(tutorial and photo found at Mothering)

This was the very first project I dog-eared in my well-loved copy of "A Handmade Home" by Amanda Soule.  Brett and I have decided to give books to our parents this year, so I figured what better way to dress up a potentially boring present than with a handmade portrait bookmark!  Aren't Amanda's examples charming?  Ours are a collaboration between Gabby and I - she's drawing the artwork on squares of white bedsheets, I'm doing the stitching.  I'll post pictures of our finished project as soon as their done (if they get done!  My sewing machine just got back from the fixit shop!).Button Wreath Ornaments

(tutorial and photo found at Factory Direct Crafts)
Merricks tiny little hands are just perfect for this project, and I love the way he sticks his tongue out when he concentrates on threading the buttons onto the wire!  They're so very simple and I know he'll love seeing his gift hanging on our loved ones' trees each holiday season.  Are you working on any homemade gifts with your kids this year?  Nestle wants to help! GIVEAWAYWhat You Could Win: A "Homemade Holiday Prize Package including:  $25 gift certificate to Jo-Ann Stores for craft supplies, TOLL HOUSE Morsels, “Famous CARNATION Fudge Kit,” a LIBBY’S Pumpkin Bread Kit, CARNATION Evaporated Milk and LIBBY’S® Pure Pumpkin.How To Enter: Leave a comment sharing a favorite homemade gift that you’ve received or an idea for a homemade gift that your kids can give. Extra Entries: You can earn 1 additional entry for each of the following (leave a separeate comment for each one you do)-

• Become a Fan of Nestle Facebook Family
• Subscribe to SuperMom Central's feed
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet in the comments.
• Become a Follower of SuperMom Central (see right sidebar)

This giveaway will end Dec. 21st at 11:59 pm, winner will be chosen by random.org, contacted via email and have 24 hours to respond. This is a sponsored giveaway/post by Nestle, but all opinions and tips are mine.

***A little hint: There will be five sponsored Nestle Family Holiday Exchange posts/giveaways here at SuperMom Central - the last one will include a $100 Visa gift card and the only way to win is to participate in all five holiday discussions, so be sure to leave a friendly comment on each of these festive posts!