The holidays can so easily spiral into a frenzy of commercialism. 

If you are feeling called to reject consumerism, consider these ideas for heartfelt homemade gifts that will fill your kids with joy!

Peg Doll Set

Wooden peg dolls (or even wooden clothespins) can be painted to resemble anything from saints or historical heroes, to a Nativity scene or characters from your child’s favorite book! Aim for simplistic painting and let your child’s imagination fill in the gaps. 

Not only are they durable, but they will also be one of a kind! 

Playdough Sensory Jar

Homemade playdough can be paired with a variety of miniatures, knick-knacks, or buttons for a fun and timeless sensory experience. As a bonus, you may already have all the ingredients for the dough in your kitchen and the creative use of bobbles is the perfect excuse to clean out that junk drawer. 

Storing the dough in a mason jar can help extend its life, but plastic Tupperware can work too!

Fort kit

A quick thrift trip for an old sheet, drop cloth, or tablecloth and you are well on your way to an epic fort kit! 

Lay the fabric out over your kitchen table and use scissors to cut out windows and an opening for the door. Use painter’s tape or masking tape to line any edges you cut to prevent fraying. Add any other cozy accessories like pillows, a blanket, and a flashlight (if you want to get really crazy, include some PVC pipe!) to make this special fort kit complete! 

Felt play food

Got sewing skills? Grab some colorful felt sheets and get to work! 

Cut and sew different shapes for veggies, fruits, or other foods, and use dried beans or polyfill for the filling. The more colorful the better!

DIY Play Mass Kit

Scour the thrift store shelves or the back of your china cabinet to find everything you need for a play Mass kit! Look for a candle snuffer, candle holder, silver cordial cup (chalice), metal ash tray (paten), a small crucifix, and candles. A liturgically colored placemat (or even a white linen napkin) can serve as an altar cloth. 

Put the pieces carefully together in a basket and watch your child’s love of liturgy blossom!

Wooden Racetrack

Use some lumber remnants to create your own racetrack for matchbox cars. Simply paint them black (or the color of your choice) and add a dashed white line down the middle with a chalk pen or more paint. Tracks of different lengths are best so your child can build a city of interlocking roads. 

As long as your wooden remnants are wide enough for the matchbox cars to fit in their lane, the options are limitless. These tracks can be an indoor toy, or if you seal the paint they can even be a fantastic backyard toy!

Personalized Prayer Journal

Find an empty notebook lying around the house or pick one up from the dollar store. Then use scrapbooking supplies and even a beautiful prayer card to decorate the cover of the notebook to make it an attractive and one-of-a-kind prayer journal. 

Attach printouts of prayers to the front and back cover for further personalization. Even younger children who are not yet ready for prayer journaling can enjoy having a special place to draw or color during prayer time, church, or at Mass.