After we had our first baby, my husband and I decided that for Christmas we would give our child three gifts. After all, the Wise Men gave Jesus three gifts, and they were “wise,” so that seemed like a good consistent plan going forth. (We did a lot of that rational the first year of being parents!) 🙂 The next thing we decided was to gift them something personal. Something that I had made for them that they could look at with their name or photo on it. Every year I think that the kids would say these might be their favorite gifts (or stocking stuffers), and over the years, I have found some great resources to continue the tradition!
So before Black Friday hits, take a look at my two favorite unique companies to make Christmas a little more personal. And as an extra bonus, these two vendors have given our HLLF family of readers discounts, which you can use through November 30th! Enjoy being creative and getting personal for the people you love!
HLLF – Melissa
1. Pinhole Press
Every year I use this company, and I am continually impressed with their quality of paper products and photo quality. I love them! One of my favorites has been their boxed set of photo alphabet cards. You can select a photo to represent each letter of the alphabet. So for example, in my son Grayson’s box, there is a picture of him holding an Apple for the letter A, and then the world “Apple” appears below. For the letter M, there is a photo of him and me, and the word is “Mommy.” You get the idea. They are awesome!
I also love their large scribble pads, which I gift with a set of Chunky paint sticks; Calendars, which my older boys have loved; Magnets which your kids with lockers will appreciate; and puzzles and memory games that will be enjoyed by all ages. (And these are just a few of my favorite things from them!)
Check them out at www.pinholepress.com and use the code LIVEFREELY when you check out to receive 20% off your purchase!
2. Marble Spark
This Omaha native company creates personalized books for kids of all ages. I love their book “Following Feather Bottom” for littles. It’s about a stork who goes to different counties all over the world finding the “perfect name” for the child. So to find “Cole,” the stork and his sidekick Pierre du Pond might go to Chile, Olso, London, and Ethiopia finding things on every page that start with the beginning letter of the country or city. Each book is personalized with the child’s birthday, nickname, dedication, and custom hardcover with your child’s name on it. You can select different destinations and even choose between three different hardcover background colors. Perfect for all kids ages 0 to 8.
Another favorite is “God Whispers your Name.” This personalized book celebrates God’s deep love for each of us, colorfully showing children how “God had a plan at the very beginning… He had you in mind when He set the world spinning.” Each beautiful illustration features the child’s name. They’ll love finding the letters of their name hiding in leaves of a tree, strutting on the feathers of a peacock and shining brightly in the night sky. Just go to www.marblespark.com and use the code QQMDWHFG for a 20% discount through November 30th!
One of the best parts about Christmas is creating traditions and giving something personal to our kids. Both of these companies have provided that for our family and have given us the opportunity to create gifts for our kids that they love and hold onto for years into the future.
If you have some cool ideas for creating personalized gifts for your kids, please share away!
