As I sit here laboring over the glorious chore of untangling our monthly financial home budget, I realize Christmas is getting near. Wifey and I always do our best attempting to create the perfect Christmas morning for our six little girls.
We scour the internet for gift ideas and reach to the back of our brains in an endless effort to find something our girls will appreciate and find useful without breaking the bank. This year, as a family, we have declared to only give gifts we can make with our hands so that they come from the heart and not some nameless catalog.
With Wifey's mastery of homemade bread, I'm sure that will be the centerpiece of many gift baskets to extended family. Her self-taught sewing skills have grown by leaps and bounds and undoubtedly will contribute numerous items to the gift giving. Personally, I have become quite good at making jerky from hamburger and will most likely contribute in that respect...at least, if I don't eat it all first.
To skip to the point of my post, I'd like to ask my readers (if I have any left after my short hiatus during October) what is the best gift you can remember getting from YOUR father? Particularly, I'm interested in hearing what you female readers remember getting from your fathers OR what you Dads have been proud to give your little girls. Raised as an only child (most) of my young life, I can't say I was exposed much to giving gifts to young women. Since I have six, I could use some ideas. Thanks in advance.
So, what was the best gift your Daddy ever gave you?
~OJD
This may be over simple, but why not give them time? I know you are an involved dad and you spend time with them every day. But I mean special, individual time. I don't know how young your youngest is ...but if she is at least two or three, she would enjoy having dad all to herself for an afternoon. Give each of the girls a fancy little certificate entitling them to four hours of dad just for them. You can take a short road trip to an age-appropriate destination ...a mountain park for a picnic, a day at the museum, a lunch date at a tea room where you both dress up a little. A young pastor at the church I used to work at had two daughters, ages 7 and 4. He had a separate 'date' with each of them once a month. He was spending quality time with his daughters but he was also teaching them how a lady should be treated.
ReplyDeleteSince you have six girls, they would have to schedule your time a little farther in advance but that would just give them something to look forward to and time to plan the day. Just a thought.
That's a good idea HB...and certainly fits my budget :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the idea, OJD. I think you'll make memories that will last the girls a lifetime.
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I was an only child and I had two boys and and one grandson. So buying a gift for young girls is beyond my comprehension. I like the above idea of giving time. That is always a good gift.
ReplyDeleteThe time idea is a good one. I love having those memories with my parents. You could also write a personal note to each of them, explaining how proud you are of them. Just something for them to look at when they are down. Oh and you can never go wrong with chocolate. Just stuff their stockings with off-brand chocolate and await the sugar overdose :)
ReplyDeleteI was about 6 or 7 yrs old. The youngest of 3 girls. Growing up I never realized we weren't rich, but a typical struggling family. My best Christmas gift was a made by both of my parents. It was a "Barbie" doll house and furniture. The house was Boxes glued together to make a two story house with an attic. Gift wrap was the wall paper and magazine pictures decorated the house. The furniture was made for cans and such. A tuna can was a chair. The lid was not completely removed but pulled up to make the chair back. Then the seat and back were covered with foam and the fabric. Sorry about the long post. I keep this house for years. It is a very fond memory.
ReplyDeleteThe best gift could a father could give to his/her kids is the unconditional love.
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As an oldest daughter, I very fondly remember "dates" with my Dad when I was little, so I agree you can't go wrong with those.
ReplyDeleteDepending on how old your girls are, you might also consider getting them simple tools in girly colors so they can "help" you with projects. Tape measures, small screw drivers or hammers - all that stuff comes in pink, purple and other fun colors these days. I remember being very proud whenever I got to help my dad with simple projects and I still carry the basic tool kit he bought me years ago in the back of my Jeep. It might also coincide with your theme of giving things you made yourself. Just a thought. Good luck!
My dad always bought me books. For example, one year I wanted to learn Spanish, and Dad gave me a selection of comic books, and romances in Spanish. Another year, I was into art and painting, and he got me a huge book about Art (yes with a captial A) and another huge book about painting and drawing.
ReplyDeleteAnd when I was into gardening, he got me an interesting selection of books related to gardening and herbalism. I still have some of them after 40 years, and 15 different homes.
I love the idea of special times together. We were poor, like everyone else in the 40's, but he would build such marvelous toys for me. Tops, puzzles, paper mache' animals. I loved them all!
ReplyDeleteOne cold winter night he bundled me up and we sat outside to watch the northern lights. I'm old now but I still remember those special moments I spent with my Dad. Time spent with each of your daughters IS special and will be a gift they will always remember and cherish.
I like the time idea too.
ReplyDeleteMy fav pressie was a bike he got from the tip. He cleaned it up, gave it a paint job and some ribbons.
A flower press is relatively easy to make too.
I don't know if you have the weather or the room for a slip and slide but they're fun and can be made from a long bit of plastic.
A little flower kit is good, a pot that you've maybe painted or written something nice on, some soil and some pretty flower seeds. Or the makings of a grass head.
Make an ant farm. If you have the skills build a mini kitchen or a cubby house.
Amanda
Wow, you folks are awesome! What a terrific set of ideas. Thanks SO much for the inspiration.
ReplyDelete@Jeff Roble Hallmark called with a Cease and Desist request.
*taps on the glass*... Where are ya OJD? Hope all is well!
ReplyDeletejust linked this article on my facebook account. it’s a very interesting article for all.
ReplyDeleteGift Ideas For Woman
In pretty late here...but had to think about this one a bit. I was the youngest of three girls and was used to hand-me downs from my sisters. One MAJOR gift I got one year from my dad was a brand new winter coat. BRAND NEW! NOT a hand me down! I was 12 and it was my first truly new coat. I LOVED it! Even bigger than that was when he took me to see Pinocchio all by myself. All three of us girls got chicken pox, but I got it a week after my sisters. So, they recovered and went to see Pinocchio while I was still unable to get out and about. Two weeks later when I was deemed socially acceptable to go out, the movie had moved on. My dad searched in an ever increasing radius to find a movie theater that still had it. He finally found a movie house 45 miles away. And he took me. One of my favorite memories.
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