When you give a gift how can you make sure it is one that will be remembered? My kids get hundreds of toys for Christmas and birthdays that get played with for a day or two and then discarded for the next new thing. I have found however that there are some toys that seem to stick around. The difference between toys in my house getting used for the long haul and ones that are forgotten is some personal touch from the gift giver. A personalized toy is defiantly going to stand the test of time in my home over one in which my child holds no sentimental value to it.
Personalized toys can mean different things to different people. Some people think in order to be a personalized toy it has to be painted or engraved with the child’s name or some other significant information. Personalized to my family means that it could have their name on it or something that the giver has put together specifically for my child. One of my daughter’s favorite gifts is a box that happened to have her name painted on the top with different scraps of fabrics, sequences, buttons and other crafty materials. It wasn’t something someone had actually purchased all together but instead a gift that the giver put together with her in mind.
Think about what the best present you ever received was. My favorite gifts are the ones that people make with me in mind. My friend always comes up with the best ideas. For instance, last year she made me a mirror and table out of wood from her yard. It doesn’t say my name but it is the most personalized present I have ever received. She took into consideration everything I love, birch bark and tree branches. Using natural materials instead of store bought products to build me a mirror and table showed me that she took time to personalize the gift. These are gifts that will be with me forever.
My sister-in-law is really good at this. She makes my children many personalized gifts. She thinks about what they like and need and adds their name to it. She always paints an object within their name that she knows they like. For instance one year she made them writing tables with room for pencils and crayons. On the top she decoratively painted their names on them and added a bear for my son and extra girlie touches for my daughter. They love these and carry them wherever they can. Another thing that has not only come in handy but also an heirloom is stools for them to use in the bathroom to brush their teeth and to reach high things in their closets. She didn’t just include their names but also painted the entire stool to match their personalities.
Personalized gifts, no matter your definition, will for sure become favorites for your recipient. Take time when picking out gifts. Personalizing toys and gifts make the person receiving them know that you took time to think of them. Gifts should come from the heart not the pocket book. Take that into account especially around the holidays when money gets tight. Personalize your next gift with the recipient’s name or take into account the receivers hobbies and add that into the gift. My niece wants a soccer ball this year. I think in order to make it personalized I am going to pick her favorite color ball and some permanent sharpies to put her name and the name of her team on it. I think it might just be her favorite gift this year. I might even let her cousins add their decorative touches. That way she can think of the every time she practices soccer. Have fun thinking about your next present a personalized gift.