There are a few things that are true about most kids, especially younger ones.

1. They love to make crafts.
2. They love holidays.
3. They don’t have much of their own money.

Put it all together and what do you have? The perfect excuse to have them make the Christmas gifts they give.

Gifts don’t have to be complex. Last year my kids made frames out of wooden craft sticks, with magnets on the back so they could be stuck on the fridge. They painted them and added glitter because, well, it wouldn’t be a fun craft in their view if things didn’t go just a little overboard.

The frames are really easy to make. You’ll need:

4 or 8 craft sticks, depending on if you want a single or double layer to the frame.
Glue
Photograph to be framed
Paperboard or thin cardboard
Magnet (strong enough to hold the whole thing up)
Decorating supplies

Have the kids glue them into approximately a square. Don’t fuss about perfection, these are kids and a little off looks good. My kids like to do the double layer frame.

Allow the glue to dry, then let the kids decorate the frame as they please.

As the decorations dry, you can cut the photograph to fit the frame. Glue its back to the paperboard and attach the magnet to the back.

When everything is dry, glue the photo into the frame.

There are many other crafts kids can easily make that will be appreciated by grandparents and other relatives. Having them make the gifts encourages them to give things that have more meaning, rather than spending a dollar or two on what appeals to them at that instant at the store.