1. Magazine subscription – I love this one and have used it for my kids before. Its super fun and is like a present every month! I’ve even given a subscription to my mom as a gift before. Did you know that Amazon has discounted magaizine subscription links? You can also get Kindle versions of the magazines as well. I’ve linked some of my favorites below:

• • American Girl Magazine
  • Boys Life and Girls Life
  • Highlights
  • Sports Illustrated Kids
  • National Geographic Kids
  • National Geographic LITTLE Kids
  • Magnifikid! {Catholic Children’s Magazine}
  • Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr.
  • Cobblestone Magazine {History lovers magazine for kids}
  • Animal Tales (for all my animal lovers out there)
  • Club House and Club House Jr. (Christian Kids Magazine)
  • Brio (Christian Teen Girls Magazine)

2. Subscription boxes with activities – These are super fun, because like activities, it is something exciting every                                  month! Whether you have a little baker, an artist or a scientist, subscription boxes are a great way to keep your kids                            learning for fun!

• Baketivity
• Little Passports – we’ve used this one before and love it. It’s perfect for younger elementary students (science)
• Green Kid Crafts
• Which Way USA (geography subscription from Highlights Magazine)
• Tinker Crate – Kiwi Co. – STEM
• Bits Box – coding
• Owl Crate – book themed box (middle grade kids)
• Doodle Crate – art
• PipSticks Kids – stickers and stationary

3. Activities – This is a fun one too, and one we have used before to gift our children special activies like Parkour classes                       for our oldest, and archery for our daughter. Find something they need for that class and use that as an opportunity to                         a) buy it and gift it (I mean, lets face it, you have to buy it anyway. Make it feel more exciting by wrapping it in a box),                           and b) a fun way to let them know they get to do said activity!

                     Ideas – soccer ball and shin guards for soccer classes, ballet bag for ballet                                     classes, special leotard for gymnastics, bow and arrow for archery classes.

4. Keep It Simple – Another way to keep it simple and keep yourself focused is something my mom has done for years.                          Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read. Keeps you focused and doesn’t                        let you get out of hand. Make it a theme!! If you have a kind into Harry Potter, add the illustrated version to your                                    bookshelf this Christmas and include these Harry Potter socks, Harry Potter Lego set and find something in the need                         category that might be themed like school supplies, or something like that!

5. A Trip – Sometimes an event or a trip during Christmas, or a gift right after Christmas is a perfect opportunity to teach                         kids about saving, and how to make an exchange. We aren’t going to spend a bunch of money on toys are stuff like                             that. Instead, we are going to spend money on this amazing trip. I have a friend who is going on a Disney Cruise for                            Christmas. Next year I hope to be in Europe right before Christmas so that will be a part of our gift.

Christmas can be such a great time, but can easily fall into being all about THINGS! We have such an amazing opportunity to bring more to our children, and show them how things don’t always have to be the same. Sometimes its about toys and silly things, because there’s a lot of Christmas magic in that. But, sometimes, its about memories and the experiences.

Do you give unique or interesting gifts at Christmas? I’d love to hear about them!