Top Ten Gifts for Families

We have all been there before, we have entire families to buy Christmas gifts for, including our own. Buying individual gifts can prove to be very expensive and before you know it, youv’e spent a fortune on your credit card during the holiday season. I have come to the realization that purchasing one gift for the entire family can be a great alternative to buying individual gifts. You will have to get creative in order to find just the right gift that will please the entire family. But, here are my top ten gift ideas for families.

10. A magazine Subscription- Magazines can be a great gift because they are full of interesting reading material that will benefit the entire family. One of my favorites to give is Better Homes and Gardens because it will usually come with recipe books and great meal ideas for families.

9. Cookbooks- Put together a creative bundle of cookbooks. You can go to a Half Priced Bookstore, Barnes & Noble, Or even Amazon(online) and order inexpensive cookbooks. Get a little more creative and pick a specific book for each member of the family. Cookbooks have really come a long way since the 1960’s. You can find cookbooks on 30 minute meals, healthy cooking made easy, one pot meals and even cookbooks for children. Kids love the idea of making their own food and helping out in the kitchen. Not only is this a thoughtful gift, but it will encourage the family to cook together. This is sure to be a hit and may even start a great family tradition.

8. Old fashioned pop corn maker- These stove top popcorn makers retail for about 20.00. I was given one for christmas a few years ago and my entire family gets much enjoyment out of it. In fact, my mother in law tries to steal it from me as much as possible. There is nothing better than good old fashioned pop corn and butter. My three year old loves to hear the popping of the corn on the stove. This also is fun for the whole family. The kids can help turn the crank and watch the lid slowly begin to rise. (With adult supervision only.)

7. DVD’s- Choose great family oriented films. What better to go along with that wonderful popcorn maker that a bundle of DVD’s. You can get great deals on these through any discount store or superstore. Target and Wal Mart are very competitive on prices of DVD’s. You can even look for classic movies like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and It’s a Wonderful life. The entire family would enjoy the Chevy Chase classic, Christmas Vacation. These are all great movies that our family watches every year around Christmas time. The best thing about this gift idea is that it also creates a wonderful tradition.

6. Pesonalized Christmas Stockings- You can find really beautiful Christmas Stockings on the internet. These are custom made and personalized with each family members name. My favorites are the ice skate stockings. They are so unique and look beautiful hanging on the mantel over a fireplace. They look just as beautiful just hanging from a shelf if a mantle is not available.

5. A family Scrapbook- Most places will personalize the front of the scrapbook for you. You can put the last name of the family on the front of the scrapbok You can include some decals, glue tabs, colored paper and much more. This is another inexpensive idea that will be fun for everyone. They can design and create their scrapbook any way they like. You can inlcude specific pages for vacations, awards, and special events.

4. Board games- Everyone loves board games. It is a great way to bring families together. Classics are a great idea, like Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, and Clue. Now you can buy most of these on a DVD edition. This is an interesting take on the classic games because it is interactive with movie and trivia scenes that allow you to have the visual experience also. Most board games run anywhere from $15.00 to $40.00 on the very high end.

3. Tickets to an event- Do you know a family that likes football games, baseball games, basketball games, concerts or even moster truck events? You can find tickets at ticketmaster for just about anything they might enjoy. This may be a little more expensive but if you are working with a higher budget this is sure to be a hit.

2. Gift Certificates- For their favorite restaurant. These always go over well at our family functions. We all love to go out and eat together. This is perhaps one of the simplest and easiest gifts to get ahold of . You can order online, or go into the local establishment and pick them up . They can be purchased in any increment.

1. Digital Camera- What a great gift this will make! Most families have not upgraded to the digital camera, and even if they have these items are always changing and upgrading. The entire family can get enjoyment from a digital camera. They can be purchased at any large computer store like Best Buy, or even at the local Wal Mart. This might be another high end budget item, but you can usually get specials on these right around Christmas time. Black Friday(day after Thanksgiving) is a perfect day to catch a bargain on this item.

No matter what gift you purchase you can rest assured that any of these items will make a perfect gift. The best gifts come from the heart and create lasting memories. But, these are the top ten gifts for families and you can find one to fit your budget.