Want•Need•Wear•Read

Last year was my first go at the Want•Need•Wear•Read gift idea. Holiday gift giving for my girls is now simplified: Something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR, something to READ. I was inspired by THIS.

To give you some inspiration, here's what I did for the girls last year...

WANT

Zoey: Fur Real Friends Baby Gorilla

Pazely: Littlest Pet Shop set.

NEED

Zoey's gift had to do with correspondence. And, having just moved to Nebraska in the cold blizzardy weather, Pazely needed her own handmade microwavable heat pillow just like her sister's. We use those pillows ALL the time!! (I cut an 8" square of cotton fabric & filled it with flaxseed & lavender. Or you can use rice instead of flaxseed. Then, I sewed a removable pillow case for it. Done! You heat it in the microwave at 30 second intervals until it gets as warm/hot as you want. Toss in your kids' bed to warm their toes in the winter! I also use it as a heating pad for my back.)

WEAR

I made the girls super hero capes. (Click HERE to see Zoey's cape.) Not totally practical as far as "everyday" wear, but it's fun to think outside the box with the WEAR gift.

READ

Magazine subscriptions. This was a favorite all year long!! Zoey received American Girl Magazine, which I LOVE! And Pazely got Hopscotch for Girls magazine.

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Here's some MORE ideas to get you thinkin'...

WANT

Instead of toys, why not a trip you know your child's been WANTing to go on: To the zoo, to some amusement park, to a monster truck rally, to see Elmo in concert, to a ballet performance, to the movies, etc. Really, this should be the easiest prezzie to figure out for your child, since kids are pretty vocal about what they WANT! The holiday sky's the limit!

NEED

Honestly, this might be the present your kid opens & doesn't like so much. There's a chance of that anyway. And it seems to be the gift in the bunch that might be the most practical. What about a new backpack for school? Or school supplies? Do they need a case to hold all their music CD's or DVD's? I found this the hardest category to think of for my girls. Pazely needs a new bike: but, really, who NEEDS a bike? Ya know? Also, we're taking a 1200 mile road trip this Christmas holiday. The hubby & I plan to surprise the girls with a portable DVD player for the car. We've been wanting one for a while, since our last one broke. I feel like it's a NEED for the trip---to keep the girls entertained (& the mommy gets a break from having to play the role as "entertainer") along the way. Is it really a NEED though? Not really. We could survive without it. (Just barely.) But, you get the idea.

WEAR

This year, I got the girls some fun toe socks. Have you seen those? They're like gloves, but for your toes! You see, it doesn't have to be an expensive gift. I spent 7 dollars. Boom. 2 gifts done.

What about some fun play dress up clothes? Or a new winter coat? A gift card to a clothing store? A shoe shopping date with dad? New jammies! Crazy slippers! Bottle cap badges! (hee hee) What else do you wear: fingernail polish, makeup, hair accessories, jewelry, hats, etc. Or it could be something that their favorite doll wears! Or their dog---I've seen some cute dog clothes/accessories around!

READ

I just love the magazine subscripton idea. It might be one of my faves. This year, the girls are getting their own age appropriate bible devotionals. What about a gift card to a bookstore? Bookmarks? A book light? Activity books? An all-day, all-expenses-paid trip to...the library! haha! You really could plan a special trip with this one. One of our family's favorite things we used to do (before moving to a small town), was to go to Barnes & Noble almost every Saturday. We would sit in the kid's section & read, & look at books & visit & relax & the girls would play with the stuffed animals on the shelves like they were their own until the lady that worked there would give them "the look" & then we'd put the toys away & then when she was gone, they'd play again.....But for Christmas you could do all that AND have your child pick out a special book as a gift before you left.

Or, how about writing them a letter, filled with tender thoughts & mushy feelings---all for them to READ.

These are just a few ideas. If you have any other's, please leave a comment! Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

Merry Christmas!

♥