The holidays are coming up and your gift list is growing. Along with your own kiddos, you need presents for grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins and the rest of the family. Why go with the same old sweaters or the dreaded “fruit-of-the-month” gift basket? Get personal (literally) and create your own holiday board book. Not only is this gift completely unique to you and your family, but it lets you get as creative as you want! Before you start putting together your personalized gift book, check out some of our favorite holiday-themed ideas.
Design your very own step-by-step guide. No, not a boring instructional book. Instead, come up with a completely creative way to show how your family takes part in this holiday tradition. Pop in photos from the start to the finish. Begin with “pick pics” (pictures of picking the tree, that is). Move on to some of your favorite ornaments, and then the actual decorating phase. Tell your tree décor story through the photos or add a cute and comical numbered tutorial.
Create your own Hanukkah DIY—featuring the menorah. Start with the menorah itself, taking a picture and writing a description. And, not just any plain old description (it’s likely that most of your friends and family know what a menorah is). Instead, have the kids write what the menorah means to them. Move on to each night, and lighting one more candle. You can make this a step-by-step of nights one through eight, or go more in-depth. Add holiday wishes for each night or fill the book with personalized Hanukkah messages!
Every family has their own Christmas, Hanukkah and holiday traditions. Make a lasting memory of your own or share them with a friend, through your very own board book.
Do you make a special
red and green pancake breakfast every Christmas morning? Maybe you go to a secret spot to pick the perfect tree every year? Whatever you tradition is, capture it in a creative combo of photos and words.
Receiving gifts seems like a no-brainer. Right? Your kiddo tears open the perfectly wrapped holiday paper, squeals and shouts, “Thank you mommy and daddy!” – but truthfully, as well all know, this isn’t always how this process goes. Create a book that helps children to understand gift-opening etiquette and deal with those not-so-perfectly picked presents. Design your own version of a how-to for opening and accepting gifts gracefully. This could include pictures of yourself unwrapping presents, smiling and saying a few kind words, or if you’re feeling especially creative, your own personal illustrations!
Tell a holiday tale, through the eyes of a snow person! Build your own snow family, snap some pics and write a story that matches. This could be the story of the snow family’s Christmas, a guide to what your snow friends do during the holidays or anything else. No snow? That’s okay! Make crafty snow people instead. Use cotton balls, Styrofoam balls or white tissue paper to build artsy faux snow creations that will then star in your picture book!
Your kids want to start helping out in the kitchen. Capture the cookies, cupcakes, cakes and other sweet little treats that your family whips up during the holidays in a board book! Try a tutorial-style story that features how to bake your family’s famous Christmas sprinkle cookies or go for an Instagram-style set of posed foodie pictures. You can also include ingredients and instructions, creating your own family holiday cookbook to gift to your friends.
Ready to start creating your own holiday masterpiece?