ody, and I've been guilty of this too, trades either gift cards or cash. Think about it, when was the last time you actually wrapped a gift? Now really, putting a present in a gift bag with tissue is nice but let's be real, it's not the same thing when it comes to the opening experience, where's the fun in that? Let's compare:Scenario A: You are handed a box with a with a bright shiny bow and colorful wrapping paper. You tear off the bow and either playfully stick it on your forehead or throw it back over your shoulders. Next you rip with all your might as quickly as you can and tear that paper to shreds. Your excitement builds as you start to get an idea of what's inside the box because you have made a hole in the paper and you can see a letter. What does it say? What did you get? You contiue to rip away at the paper but the tape, oh all that scotch tape is keeping you from your mysterious gift? Rip, rip but the paper just comes off in small pieces and then FINALLY you hit the mother load and you get that large piece of paper off and you are faced with the back of the box of...what is it? You turn the box over and...YES! You can't believe you finally got IT!!!!
OR
Scenario 2:
You are handed a pretty bag with lovely pieces of tissue paper in it. You pull out the tissue paper and pull out the gift. Smile and say thank you. Next...
But I digress...you want to know what the best present ever for an 11-year old boy is, don't you? Well, it's something I make, really! I know, I can't stand just how amazing I am sometimes! ;)
My son Jack has two best friends, Justice and Michael. This summer Justice and Jack spent a LOT of time together even though we don't live very close to each other. Sometimes it'd be days before Justice would go home or Jack would come home (not a bad deal!). Anyway, I make blankets - those fleece blankets that you tie. I custom make them to fit peoples interests and personalities, school colors, sports teams, princesses, you get the idea? Anyway, when Justice would be here he and Jack would share Jack's Chicago Bears blanket or he'd use Lollipops' monkey blanket or Delaneys' ladybug blanket. He loved, loved, loved those blankets. Hmmm...
Justice is one of those boys that has all of those big boy toys and all of the electronic gadgets, pretty much everything a boy wants/needs. Don't get me wrong, he's a great kid, super polite, doesn't act spoiled at all, I love this boy! He's wonderful! When Jack was invited to Justices' 11th birthday party I panicked for all of 2 seconds. What do you get the kid who needs nothing? What do you get a kid who's one of your sons best friends and is really special to you too? I certainly wasn't going to give him a gift card! He needed a BLANKET of his own!
Now, I had to explain this gift to his mom, because it's not like you would just naturally think of giving a blanket to a boy for a birthday gift, right? But that's where everyone goes wrong! Boys LOVE these blankets, especially when it's about their favorite sport or team or whatever their interest is. They wrap themselves in them and watch tv or movies or read or sleep.
Justice loves his blanket! And so did his brothers! His brothers kept trying to take it, they liked it so much his mother ordered ones for her two other sons, her daughter and even wanted one for herself! Since I know the family it was really easy for me to pick out the patterns and designs for the blankets to fit each persons personality.
So now when the Jack, Justice and Michael have sleepovers, they all bring their blankets (Michael already had one) and call themselves the Blanket Brothers! I'm telling ya, it's the best, most unexpected but favorite gift you can give a kid!! You really need to consider this in the future when you want to do something more unique than just another gift card.
And just to make the whole thing a really memorable experience, WRAP the blanket and put a bow on it! Now that's a present that ANYONE will be excited about opening!!! Trust me! ;)
Have a good one!
Debbie (Thanks Gail!)
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