Christmas Gifts -Memory Countdown Boxes and Giveaway

 

I wish I could claim this idea for memory countdown boxes in Christmas gifts as my own, but I can’t. My sister Shell asked my other sister Kate and I to join her in creating memory boxes for my mom. The idea is that she will have numbered Christmas gifts that she can open in the days leading up to Christmas. When she opens each box, she will find a treasured memory that one of us has captured

My mom has three children so each of us will put together several memory boxes. If you decide to create memory countdown boxes, you can create all of them yourself for your family or someone you care about. You could also divide them up into a few boxes per person who is participating in creating these Christmas gifts.

For my mom this is most likely her last Christmas. She has terminal cancer and it doesn’t seem like we will have her with us much longer. Being able to  share with her cherish the memories we hold most dear of  is why we creating these Christmas gifts. Your motivation for creating memory countdown boxes may just be that you had a wonderful year. You just want to take a moment each day to look back on the fun you had in your child’s lifetime or year.  I think both reasons are totally wonderful.

This project of putting together Christmas gift that contain memories and are used to countdown until Christmas is intended to be joyful. Joyful for the people creating them and for the people opening them. I think kids would love getting to open a box a day to see what memory it contained. This doesn’t have to be for big people.

How to start this Christmas gifts project:

Decide if you want the boxes to contain memories displayed in words, pictures or both.  At my house we went will placing both in our boxes. I wanted my mom to see and read about each memory.  I was worried she might not remember the event shared without a picture. If your events are only from this year, you might just want to write a few sentences.

Make a list of the memories you want to include or sort through pictures that you have taken this year or through the years. Then pick twenty five you want to use in the Christmas gifts boxes.

 

Gather all the supplies you will need to put the memory countdown together. Here are the Christmas gifts supplies we used:

• small cardboard boxes ( We used boxes that were all the same size, but a variety of sizes would be great!)
• small label stickers or gift tags with the numbers 1 to 25 written or printed onto them
• memories written on small pieces of paper or index cards
• photos or printout of memorable events
• wrapping paper
• ribbon
• bows

 

Putting the Christmas gifts together:

My son and I sat down  at the computer with a selection of pictures we wanted to use in the Christmas gifts boxes. We worked together to come up with words to describe why that picture was important.  When we had a written explanation for each memory, we printed them out.

Hint: We didn’t add illustrations for each written memory, but I think it would be a great idea to do that. The photos we were putting into the Christmas gift boxes would be our illustration.

The pictures and written explanations were then placed in boxes. Our memories are sort of random. I didn’t worry about them being in numerical order. We just wrapped them and added a number sticker to them.

Hint: If you want them opened in order label the outside of the boxes so that you will remember what is in them when you wrap them.  You could wrap each box one at a time and place the number label on it right away.

My sister didn’t give me number stickers that were in number order. She wanted to have the memories from each family randomly appearing. I think that was a great idea. The fact that some of the boxes have similar wrapping paper or ribbon will be the only hint as to which family created which of the Christmas gift boxes.

Please let me know in a comment below or on Facebook if you create a memory countdown boxes.

A Giveaway

The wonderful bloggers from All Things Kids would love to help your family fill some of your Christmas gift boxes with gifts. Below you will find an amazing giveaway that features gifts we hope you will love.

 

Our Prizes

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1. That Dog! and I Can Do It books from Tiger Tales

2. Science BLAST from littleBLAST

3. Stackadoos from B Toys

4. The Pandas and Their Chopsticks from Wisdom Tales

5. Handprint Stone Craft Kit from Craft Project Ideas

6. ¡Sabor! Spanish Learning Songs CD from Whistlefritz

7. Kids yoga book (winner’s choice!) from Kids Yoga Stories

8. Celebrate Christmas Around the World! Printable Pack from Multicultural Kid Blogs

 

 

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