The holidays are supposed to be about bringing families together, right. So why does your family feel splintered and like everyone is off doing their own thing? Perhaps you need some gift ideas that encourage family togetherness.
Christmas at our house used to go a little something like this…
I’d spend tons of time making lists, shopping, wrapping, and cooking. And I would be so excited when the big day arrived because I had this image of a leisurely family day where we’d hang out together as a family and enjoy each other’s company.
The reality….the kids would tear through those gifts in record time and head off to their individual rooms to play with their new loot.
And I’d be annoyed.
And disappointed.
I would invariably feel like I had gone to all that trouble for not much in return. What I wanted was to spend time with my kids. What I needed was to give gifts that actually encouraged that to happen.
But just because I was a slow learner doesn’t mean you can’t learn from my mistakes.
Not every gift has to be a tangible item you wrap up in a box. Some great gift ideas the family may love are those experiences you’ll share together, that allow you to relax and enjoy each other’s company, or encourage you to get out and explore the world around you. The only limit is your imagination!
Card games the whole family can enjoy
Sometimes it’s nice to stay home, snack, and play games. There’s nothing that says family togetherness only happens when you’re away from home. Along with some tried and true favorites are some new ones I’ve discovered recently.
We love card games at our house – always have. Age seems to disappear because a lot of these games are simple but fun.
Set: The Family Game of Visual Perception – I actually discovered this card game a few years ago at a gifted education conference. I bought it for my classroom and the kids (all of them!) were HOOKED! I bought a set for home use and we loved it at home too. You’ll be surprised at who in your family finds the “set” first – it won’t always be the adults.
Uno and Skip Bo have been favorites at our house for ages. The nice thing about these two games is that they can be played by people of many ages. We used to play with the kids when they were young, and they still enjoy playing when they come home to visit.
My mother was a mega-card player. There wasn’t a card game that she didn’t love (and could win at!). She always had several sets of KEM playing cards and in my opinion, they’re the absolute best cards. They’re made of plastic that holds their shape, they feel good in your hands, and are easy to shuffle. I refuse to play card games with stiff paper cardboard feeling cards and once you’ve invested in a set of these, you’ll never go back.
Blink is a new one to me but it looks like fun. You’re racing to match shapes and colors. It look like it might be a great companion to Set
Board games for adventurers and mystery lovers
I haven’t played Ticket to Ride yet, but my friend up the street (whose very large family always plays games when they get together) says that this is one of their favorites. It’s got a ton of great reviews on Amazon so she’s obviously got lots of company.
CodeNames – This game for 4 or 6 players is played in teams and gets great reviews on Amazon.
You don’t have to have a certain knowledge level to play Herd Mentality. Guess what others playing will say and try to avoid getting stuck with the pink cow…that’s all there is to it.
Sporting equipment encourages family togetherness
Maybe you’ve decided that this is the year you’re all going to get in shape. If so, sporting equipment for activities you can all participate in together would make great gifts.
This rebound net eliminates that annoying sound and potential damage that occurs when someone hits the ball against the side of the house…for times when you really can’t find someone else to play with you.
For the serious and up-and-coming tennis players, this velocity speed gun allows someone to track how fast you’re hitting those serves. Great for friendly competition between family members or to help that family member who’s dreaming of Wimbledon.
The power base tennis trainer will let family members practice skills individually without having to run to collect stray balls.
Even if you can’t always make it to a public tennis court you can still have fun playing. This portable tennis net for your driveway allows several of you to create your own court at home.
Games for indoors and outdoors
Table tennis (or ping pong) table – If you want something to play indoors then this midsize folding table might satisfy your inner Serena Williams.
Croquet is a fun games when the weather is nice outdoors. You set up your own course and family members of all ages can participate equally.
This folding pool table is great when space is limited. We used to have a pool table and it brought hours of great fun…even if I never was very good.
This set is for outdoor volleyball or badminton.
Your basketball fans will love having the arcade feel of this indoor basketball game. You’ll like that it can be folded up and put away when you don’t want folks playing.
Memories from a trip last a lifetime
Perhaps your family would enjoy an outdoor adventure. A camping trip complete with fishing, hiking, and roasting marshmallows would be a great way to spend time together and learn new things about each other. Without the distraction of the TV and computer you can enjoy nature, each other, and a break from the everyday routine.
Part of the fun of camping is the cooking and eating outdoors. This kitchen utensil organizer means you don’t have to raid your own kitchen when it’s time to hit the road.
Camping lanterns are a must – and they’re versatile enough to have uses around the house if the power goes out too.
Cooking over an outdoor fire is fun, but sometimes the weather or location doesn’t permit that. When that’s the situation this camping stove still allows you to have hot food without the hassle of a fire or having to find a picnic area with a grill.
Some families might prefer an outdoor vacation that doesn’t involve tent sleeping (count me in this group). An upgrade to a nice cabin rental might make the vacation more luxurious.
And who says that you couldn’t choose to actually spend the holidays at a nice cabin someplace. If you don’t live where it snows this might make the holidays feel more festive – and give you a chance to relax and spend time together without the distraction of your daily routine.
Or if you’ve got a summer vacation planned, you might agree that part of the Christmas gift money will be put aside to spend next summer on “gifts” you find while you’re away. This would be a great way to stretch your vacation budget and allow the kids to get souvenirs that otherwise might be out of reach.
Places your family can enjoy together
Depending on where you live, some of these places or activities might provide a fun outing and turn your gift-giving into a gift that actually encourages family togetherness.
Consider passes to:
- the zoo
- sporting events
- the movies
- an Onmi theater presentation
- a planetarium
- the closest amusement park
- an evening spent bowling
- a friendly (or not so friendly!) game of laser tag
- a paintball course
Whatever gifts you decide on, here’s hoping that you spend the time with those you love most.
More great gift ideas to check out:
I help older women get past their fear and mindset issues so they can create a plan to pursue their goals and dreams.
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I so appreciate this list! It’s sometimes difficult to find things for the whole family to do year after year, but with this list, my options have just expanded. Thank you!
It definitely can be, but that family aspect is what makes the holidays special.
Fantastic suggestions! Just what I needed!
I hope they were helpful, Diane. Thanks for stopping by.