12 (Days of) Christmas gift ideas - part 2

2026 UPDATE:  The platform used to create these cute items was retired in 2023, so I have redesigned and/or updated them, along with making them much easier to just click & order.  I finished the update of part 1 of this post in 2025, so check it out there.  You may also enjoy the Click & Give (or Click, Craft, & Give) ideas at this Christmas in July post.

How fun are those ideas I posted last week?!  I love them!  Today we're continuing our 12 (Days of) Christmas gift ideas.  Whether you need 12 Christmas ideas or 2, there are some really unique gift ideas here that you're going to love!

Day 7:  Single-Serve Cake Recipes

This is another fun idea (like Day 4 from last week) for a sweet treat to be eaten later.  The mini cards (playing card deck size) have instructions for 10 different kinds of single-serve cakes using boxed cake mix and a few simple ingredients.

Unlike the rest of these gift ideas, this is one you simply print at home!  

I have to tell you, I LOVE this gift idea, so I decided to give this as gifts to girlfriends this year.  These photos of MY Quick Cakes gives you a better idea of what this gift will look like after you order then assemble them.

the updated mini-recipe cards you can order at the link below

You can find the downloadable Quick Cakes Recipe Cards here and see all 10 recipes, from strawberry shortcake to chocolate lava cake, and download following the directions there at the right.  After printing at home, cut out the cards, punch a hole in the top left corner, assemble with a book ring, then gift with a box of cake mix!

Gift just the cards, or with a cake mix!

Not to ruin the surprise, but my friends LOVED this gift!  

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.  If you're new to Forever and open your free account here to give it a try, you'll get a $20 welcome coupon towards anything mentioned in this post.

Day 8:  Candy Cane Games

2026 update:  Two years ago, I gave this gift to a couple of friends who have grandkids, and it was so popular!  This is not surprising, because I took the idea from a sweet blog post that two Grands (grandmas) wrote:  A Candy Cane Christmas.  Laura and Laurie are former kindergarten teachers with so many fun and creative ideas that make fun family parties, especially with Littles.

I turned a couple of their ideas into a card with directions on it!  I gifted them with a box of candy canes and a deck of cards.  My friends loved them!

front of the card

back of the card, with instructions

These cards come with envelopes and are ready to print.   The cards come in a set of 10, so you're ready to gift to 10 families!  Just click here to order the Candy Cane Games cards, following the directions at the right.

Day 9:  Candy Cane Meringues with the Recipe

I love these Candy Cane Meringue Recipe Cards because I am a recipe collector, and I tend to ask for recipes of delicious things--and this gift saves your recipients the trouble of asking.  :)  This is a yummy but inexpensive treat to make, and it's an extra treat to have the recipe as part of the gift, too.  (It's also perfect for your gluten-free friends!)

You can order the set of 10 Candy Cane Meringue recipes cards here,
following the instructions you'll see on the right.

This 4x6 card has the recipe on the front and cute decor on the back.  (These are the personalized cards I ordered for myself, but I made a copy and removed that so you won't see my name on the back when you order yours.)  When the cards arrive, cut them in half and gift them with some delicious candy cane meringues!   Cards come in sets of 10, so with 20 after they're cut, you'll have plenty for neighbor, girlfriend, and co-worker gifts. 

And just follow the recipe on the card to make your treats!  Easy, peasy.

Day 10:  Christmas Table Place Cards (writeable)

I love the idea of using a 3x2 business card as a Christmas table place card (and I had so much fun designing these).  Just write names on the front!  These come in a pack of 50 so you'll have plenty to go around.  

Christmas Table Place Cards front,
with space to hand-write names

back of the Christmas Table Place Cards

Find the Christmas Table Place Cards project I created here, and just follow the directions at the right to order them.

Day 11:  Unique Christmas Puzzles

Like everything else in these 12 (Days of) Christmas gift ideas, this gift won't be accidentally duplicated because it's literally one-of-a-kind since I created it myself using Artisan digital scrapbooking software and digital art.  

Keep little hands busy with this 30-piece Christmas Puzzle for Kids.  It's 11x14 when finished.

Christmas Puzzle for Kids (order here)

Or, choose this Christmas Scripture Puzzle on a cozy night with a cup of hot chocolate.  This one is 252 pieces and is 14x11 when finished.

Christmas Scripture Puzzle (order here)

You may notice that I saved my designs as an image to share here, so on both puzzles you can see the outline of the puzzle pieces.

Day 12:  Christmas Card with Message

This small 4x6 holiday card has space for a personalized note on the inside.  I love this option for handwriting a card to give with a gift.  Cards come in a set of 10 and include envelopes.  

In the photo, I'm holding a card so you can see the outside, and below it you can see the inside, with space for writing a message.   You can see both the inside and the outside close-up here, where you can follow the directions on the right for ordering.

I personally think these would make a great gift as well--just give a set of 5 or the whole pack of 10!

Did you find something you loved?  Whether or not you are looking for 12 gifts or 1, I hope you found something unique and fun.  Happy gift-giving!

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Family-Themed Gift Ideas for Kids

A common dilemma these days is figuring out what to give that will be useful and meaningful after the Christmas tree is put away.  Most kids today need connections more than things, but thinking of a gift idea to foster family connections can be challenging.  I’d like to share with you some great gift ideas that will do just that.  Let’s start with the kids!

I know many families like to give experiences and activities as gifts–like movie theater tickets or museum passes.  One year we gave our kids their own swimming suits wrapped in gift boxes!  Underneath the swimming suits were notes telling them we were going to spend the next day at Great Wolf Lodge.  (I have to say–  the looks on their faces when opening their own swimming suits was priceless!)

Experiences and activities can certainly vary in price, so picking something both interesting and affordable is a must.  Just be sure whatever you choose is something special (as opposed to something you already normally do) and something you can do together.  Here are a few experiences and activities you can give as gifts to your kids or grandkids:

• children’s museum passes (annual or just a day)
• {Shadow Puppet Theater Kit} by The Gifty Girl
• vacation ({family vacations make great family connections and stories})
• staycation
• day out with Dad or Mom
• movie at the theater (or even a movie day at home–here are some {great family Christmas movies})
• water park
• amusement park
• {Family STEAM Challenge Kit} by The Gifty Girl
• kids arcade (think Chuck E. Cheese)
• a “you choose” day (kids choose the meals and the activities all day)
• special trip to visit family members (cousins, grandparents)
• Heather at Raising Memories has more {non-toy gift ideas here}.

I suggest you make these experiences extra special by taking photos and then printing them out in an album or {book} with your memories included.  When kids can look back on memories and connections, it strengthens their sense of belonging.  Giving them a tangible keepsake or “souvenir” of the event can be meaningful for years.

I love this idea by Camille at Chicken Scratch n Sniff to choose 12 activities and make them into a Family Fun Packet you can give for Christmas.  See what I mean at her {link here}.

To focus outward instead of inward at Christmastime, this {12-Day Nativity book} includes activities, crafts, service projects, and recipes as your family talks about the symbolism behind each figure in a nativity set.

I think my all-time favorite gift for a kiddo is a personalized book.  I made this "Guess Who Loves Me" book for my nephew.  Each of the pages on the right side of the book had descriptions of the people who love him, and then he could guess who it was.  When he turned over the page, he could see a picture of the person who loves him.  It was especially meaningful because he doesn’t have grandparents or cousins or aunts/uncles who live nearby.

You could create "I’m a VIP" books, "You Are Loved" books, "10 reasons I love you" books, or anything you feel would make the child in your life feel important and loved.

Create meaningful, heirloom-quality books following these directions.

I hope you’ve found a special idea that will be just right for the kid(s) in your life.  Finding something wonderful takes the stress out of gift-giving.  Kids have an innate desire to connect with those who love them, and showering them with meaningful gifts that give them happy memories as they grow their relationships is a perfect way to do it.

NOTE:  I am a FOREVER affiliate, called an Ambassador, because I love FOREVER so much!  This means I'm here to help you with questions and have a great FOREVER experience.  I also make a commission from any purchases at my website.

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This post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on November 10, 2017, by Jennifer Wise.  More #familyhistoryfriday posts can be found by clicking the hashtag below next to Labels.

silhouette nativity blocks: a tutorial (#tbt)

Today's #tbt is a tutorial showing you how to make these darling Silhouette Nativity Blocks.

Like last week's blocks, this DIY project makes a unique gift, too.

This set costs about $8 (not including shipping for the scrapbook page/s). 

The step-by-step tutorial to make this sweet nativity set can be found right here:  http://lifetalesbooks.blogspot.com/2013/09/silhouette-nativity-blocks-tutorial.html

12 (Days of) Christmas gift ideas - part 1 (with gift tags!)

2023/2025 UPDATE:  The platform used to create these cute items was retired in 2023, so I have redesigned them, along with making them much easier to just click & order.  Next, I'll update part 2 of this post.  You may also enjoy the Click & Give (or Click, Craft, & Give) ideas at this Christmas in July post.

I have always wanted to do a really cool Twelve Days of Christmas for someone, but I usually think about it on December 15.  So today I have 12 gift ideas for you that you can use as Twelve Days of Christmas gifts, or just choose your favorites as December 25th Christmas gifts.  

2025 NOTE:  I'll keep the original design photos below followed by the Refresh I've created and a link to order directly (which is definitely a convenient improvement!)  Just keep in mind that these need to be submitted for professional printing by Forever Print and then shipped to you, so allow 10-14 days for order and delivery. 

DAY 1:  Countdown to Christmas

Original Product & Design:  These 11x14 metal prints have a finish that allows you to use a dry erase marker on them!  Some clever person came up with this cute idea to countdown to Christmas, and I think they're darling.

Refresh 2025:  I wanted to stay with the Santa & Nativity options, but I wanted to make it a little smaller and easier to display so I chose a 5x7 tabletop panel.  Tabletop panels have a built-in stand and look something like this--you can see the stand behind it.

There are a lot of different designs that are great for displaying photos on a desktop like this example, but I used Artisan software to just design my own since I wanted to create a Christmas Countdown.  And, yes, you can use a dry erase marker on the tabletop panel, too, because it has a glossy surface.

This 5x7 Santa Christmas Countdown can be ordered here
following the directions you'll see at the right.

I think the Nativity one is my favorite. 

This 5x7 Nativity Christmas Countdown can be ordered here 
following the directions you'll see at the right.

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate, called an Ambassador, because I love Forever so much!  This means I make a commission from any purchases at my website, and as your Ambassador I'm here to help you, too.  And if you are a new Forever user, be sure you validate your email so you'll receive the $20 coupon to use on whatever you're going to order!  It's good for 60 days.

A Christmas Countdown should obviously be gifted December 1, but I think it might make a fun "Thanksgiving present," too!

Day 2:  Let Us Take Care of the Dishes

Original Product & Design:  This is a simple 2-sided business card with a "Merry Christmas" greeting on the back.  They come in a pack of 50, so there are plenty to go around--think neighbors, friends, and co-workers.

I think this would make a fantastic gift at busy Christmastime.  You just attach this card to a package of paper plates!

Refresh 2025:  To be honest, I actually didn't love the original design--it's pretty, yes, but it just says "Merry Christmas" on the back, so there's not a place to include who it's to or from--so I was super excited to be able to design this myself!  I'm really excited to gift this now!  Again, I used Artisan software to design these cards.

I switched it up a little, too, with a cuter message that rhymes.  Above is one side of the little 3x2 card, and below is the other side, ready to write on.  The "Let Us Take Care of the Dishes" cards can be ordered here following the directions you'll see at the right.

Just wrap up paper plates, cups, and utensils, tie with a bow, and attach this card!  I'm going to buy some on clearance this year and have my gifts ready to go next year!

Day 3:  Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Original Product & Design:  This 4x8 card is for a gift with a bottle neck!  Just cut out the circle and place the card around the neck of a bottle of juice, sparkling beverage, soda, etc.

Refresh 2025:  I love this simple but kind of fancy idea!  When I made this card on my own, I decided to make a set of 8.  This is a cheaper option than individual 4x8 cards (and doesn't come with the extra, unneeded envelope).  I am all about doing something beautiful and top-quality but at the best price.  I created these on a 12x12 scrap page, so it's a cardstock-like print with beautiful colors and finish.  If you hit the 50% off sale (which is typically some time once a month), this print is $3.00, so that's only 37 cents each!

You can order these pretty cards here, following the instructions you'll see at the right.

And, I added a place for personalization, too!  (And, not being an alcohol drinker, I don't think of gifting wine, so you'll have to think of that on your own.  ha ha)  Just cut out the cards when they come, and you're done!

Day 4:  A Little Extra Dough

Original Product & Design:  One of my favorite Christmas neighbor gifts is frozen cookie dough.  As the recipient, it's nice to not be getting so many treats at once and be able to have some in January instead if I want!  This original design was for a label to stick on the outside of a Ziploc bag or plastic container with frozen dough inside--cookies, bread, rolls, etc.

 

Refresh 2025:  So cute, isn't it?  When I redesigned this gift project, I went with a card instead of a sticker since putting a sticker on something frozen and having it stick is hit and miss.  I created a two-per-card design on a 4x6 double-sided greeting card so you can write on the back.  I hope you love it because I kind of do.  :)

Here's the front of the card.  You can order it here,
following the directions you see at the right.

And the back of the card where you can write
your name.  You'll cut the cards in half.

Cards come in a set of 10, so with 20 total you'll have plenty for your gift-giving.

And be sure to write the baking directions on your Ziploc bag if you're gifting homemade cookie dough or rolls!  

Day 5:  We WASH You a Merry Christmas

Original Product & Design:  This gift idea is so easy and fun--just cut out the circles, punch a hole, and tie to a yummy-smelling hand soap. 

 

Refresh 2023:  I love how practical this gift is, both for the recipient (literally everyone needs soap!) but also for me as the giver.  I don't have to worry about delivering something fresh like cookies, and if I prep it today but get busy and don't gift it until next week, nobody even knows.  I used Artisan software to design these, and I think they turned out so cute.  

Here's the link to order the soap gift tags.  (They aren't personalized with a name like they are in my photo above, though, so don't worry.  They'll look like these below.)  After you click the link to order, just follow the directions on the right once the project opens.  They are a lovely glossy cardstock.  And one page is enough for 7 gifts.

Day 6:  Holiday Time Potpourri

Original Product & Design:  I love the smells of Christmas!  Potpourri is such a fun gift--easy to give, and lovely to receive.  To gift, just place dry potpourri in a 3-inch wide resealable plastic bag (like these), then cut apart the tags shown!  From there, fold each card below in half and staple it to the top of your potpourri-filled plastic bag.  

If you don't already have a favorite Christmastime simmer pot recipe, Diana at Aromatherapy Anywhere has 10 Natural Festive Christmas Potpourri Recipes here, and she's included a wonderful variety of options! 

Refresh 2025:  I've been gifted potpourri before, and it really is lovely to receive.  I just put the ingredients in a pot and let it simmer away while it fills the house with scents.  If you're looking to make this a more substantial gift, you can always include a simmer pot or a small crock pot!  I think the simmer pot is pretty, but I sure like the crock pot idea, too. 

I initially decided to make each bag topper different like the original design above, but as I explored my Artisan digital art collections, it ended up going a different direction and I decided I really liked just the one design.  I love it when I get to see where creativity takes me.  :)

I know the screen shot is a bit blurry here, so be sure to go to the potpourri bag topper order page so you can see it more clearly.  (There, you'll place the order following the directions you'll see at the right, too.)  

Since you fold these in half to go on top of your bag of potpourri, I did decide to place some one direction and some the other direction so it's easier to see what they look like on both sides.  I also included directions right on the scrapbook page, so when you have it printed, you have not only the bag toppers but the directions (and even a basic potpourri recipe, too). 

Here's what they look like when you receive your print and start cutting and folding:

Days 7 - 12:  More Easy-to-Order Ideas Coming!

We're only halfway through our 12 ideas!  Did you already find something you loved?  Whether or not you are looking for 12 gifts or 1, I hope you found something unique and fun.  I'd love to know in the comments below which one is your favorite. 

Next week I'll show six more clever gift ideas for Christmas gift-giving.  See you there!

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Gift Ideas for the Whole Family

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Have you started thinking about gift-giving?  Whether you’re like me and started thinking about Christmas gift-giving on Halloween or you’re still weeks away from giving it a thought, I can help.  I love sharing gift ideas in November because I’m convinced it makes for a happier December.  

And, of course, these make great gifts any time of the year!

As you might guess, since this is #familyhistoryfriday, all the gift ideas here are family-related.  Today I’ll share gift ideas for the whole family, and in coming weeks I’ll share ideas for kids, teenagers, and adults.  Since they’re all family-related, though, ideas you’ll see in all of November’s #familyhistoryfriday posts can easily be gifts for the whole family, too.

FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY IDEAS

Whether you are new at learning your family history or an experienced genealogist, here are some great ideas for the whole family to get to know their ancestors and see how they’re all connected.

• You can create a pedigree chart on a wall canvas. 
• Create{a life story book}–yourself or a parent, grandparent or ancestor (These make wonderful gifts because they connect generations!)
• I have to say, I adore this idea.  These are {blankets made from a family tree fan chart}!!  Roots Gifts makes these, and there are several styles and colors to choose from.
• {Family Tree Prints} (pictured below) is a great option for creating your own family tree chart to save as a high-resolution JPEG file for printing.  They have suggestions for printing {here}, or you can do what I’m doing with a wrapped canvas (pictured below).
• These are nice family tree charts you can fill in by hand:  {family history tree chart} and {branches-themed genealogy chart poster}
• {300 Questions to Ask Your Parents} (book)
• {15-generation single pedigree chart} (I have one of these–they are so neat!)

Read about my experience making this special canvas {right here}.

Thanks to Aleah Ingram of LDS Bookstore for many of these ideas.

FAMILY MEMBERS AWAY FROM HOME

For family members spending holidays away from home, heart-warming gifts are especially appreciated.  Think about turning your family traditions into something you can mail.  Last year, my son stayed at college for Thanksgiving (because his break was so short, and he was coming home for a month the following week anyway).  We made him a box of “Thanksgiving dinner.”  We sent instant mashed potatoes, sticks of turkey jerky, apple pie cookies, a package of biscuit mix, etc.  I’m sure he’d be the first to tell you that it wasn’t a real Thanksgiving dinner, but he loved the box because he knew we were thinking about and loving him from far away.

Here are a few other ideas for great gifts to send family members who are away from home:

• send {a fold-able Christmas tree} (a poster, really–so cool)
• a {recipe book of favorite family recipes}
• {quote bundles from The Gifty Girl} have “thoughts of the day” to brighten the day
• a photo blanket like this one

Update 2023:  My daughter not only graduated from college, but did it impressively, so we wanted to give her a vacation as a gift!  She chose Ireland, and I had no idea how much *I* would love it!  It's the most beautiful place.  When we got home, I just had to make her a plush blanket with pictures from our trip.  It turned out so beautifully!

Note: There are many awesome blanket templates in Design & Print, 
Forever's free software, but I created this using Artisan, Forever's 
digital scrapbooking software so I could use my own font for Ireland. 

This is the preview of my blanket before printing.

AROUND THE HOUSE

Did you have a special event in your family this year?  Do you live far away from cousins or grandparents?  Home decor is a simple way to showcase special photos or keep faraway family members close.  From gallery-wrapped canvases to metal prints and posters, creating your own home decor with family photos is a beautiful, meaningful gift.  Make photo gifts (like the blanket above and the canvas below) by following the steps here.

Other gift ideas for the whole family that they can see or use every day include:

• {mousepads, coasters, mugs, water bottles, ornaments}
• a playing card deck with family photos (shown above--contact me for more information)
• {family calendars} -- these are cool because you can tear off the bottom calendar portion and then you're left with a 12x12 scrapbook page to save!

MORE IDEAS TO COME

I’ve done a lot of looking and asking around to find some great family-oriented gift ideas to share with you this month on #familyhistoryfriday.  (Here’s one for history buffs:  {a book and CD of the Nativity story experienced by those in the ancient Americas})  I’m looking forward to sharing many family-oriented gifts, things (and experiences) that create connections and family interaction.  Next week’s post will have ideas for kids.  See you then.

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This post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on November 3, 2017, by Jennifer Wise.  More #familyhistoryfriday posts can be found below by clicking the hashtag next to Labels.

chunky nativity blocks for kids: a tutorial (#tbt)

November is going to be so fabulous here at LifeTales Books! On Tuesdays you'll find impressive gift ideas, and Thursdays will be #tbt (throw-back Thursday) posts showing DIY Christmas decor.

Although this is technically a DIY project, if you're not feeling so DIY-ish, these can also be purchased at my Heritage Makers Shop if you'd like to order them already made. 

So welcome to the first post of November:  #tbt Chunky Nativity Blocks for Kids!!

These come out to around $6-ish (not including the shipping cost of the scrap page/s).

And they make a sweet, practical, inexpensive gift, too!

This tutorial walks you through this project step-by-step, from ordering the scrap page with all that darling digital art (which you'll cut to go on the fronts of the blocks) to block measurements, adhesive, etc.  Here's the tutorial--enjoy!  http://lifetalesbooks.blogspot.com/2013/09/chunky-nativity-craft-blocks-for-kids.html

Looking for a more grown-up version of nativity blocks?  Check out the {silhouette nativity blocks}!