Ok. So not all of us have oodles of cash to splash about on Christmas presents. Here are some ideas that won’t cost you the Earth and, dare I say it, might actually be a bit more meaningful than just dashing into a shop.
1.Write an Acrostic Poem
Put the person’s name down the left-hand side so that each letter of their name is the first letter of the line.
Here is a fine example based on the fine name ‘Eloise’.
Eloise is a bookworm who
Loves libraries the most
Or sitting home and reading
In pyjamas warm as toast
So bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla,
Eloise the Elf.
I never said I was a poet.
But I really was an elf!
It’s a good look for me, right?
- Write a story
I know this is a variation on Number 1. But have you ever had a story written for you?
Where perhaps you are the main character? Which includes all the things you love and makes you the hero?
I would love someone to write a story for me. *Hints heavily*
‘Once upon a time Eloise went for a walk to collect blue things because she has a bit of a love for the colour blue….’
Just writing that first line has made me feel happy. Give it a go.
And if you can draw you could illustrate it too?
- Give a reading.
Do you want to get a present for someone who is exhausted and never really has time to relax?
Get them to sit down in a comfy chair. Tell them this is your present to them so they have to make time for it. And then read them a story. Act it out for them if you want to. You could even give them a part to play.
It can be a story you’ve made up yourself or something from a favourite book.
I would LOVE this as a present.
Perhaps you could make it a Christmassy story? Or if you celebrate the festivities in a different way you could make it a lovely wintry story instead.
- Make a recording
I’m still stuck in what I would expect most young people would call ‘The Olden Days’.
However, I am aware (because my eleven-year old niece told me) that it is possible to make a recording of your voice on a phone or computer quite easily nowadays. Tsk.This modern life!
So why not make a recording of a story or poem and then email it or send it to the person you are gifting?
You could even add photos of your time together? I couldn’t, because I haven’t got a clue how to do it, but I bet you could.
- Gift your time
Finally, and I think most importantly, give someone your time.
Go to them and say ‘You know what? I don’t have much money but I’d really like to spend some time with you. What would you like to do?’
This costs nothing and is the most important thing of all.