Christmas Gift from a Two-Year-Old

[WestAussieGirl]

This year I thought it would be fun to have my daughter paint Christmas ornaments and give them to the family as a gift.  My plan was to give one to each set of grandparents, and also to each set of aunties and uncles.  Now that it's time to do the actual giving, I'm starting to have second thoughts about giving them to the aunts and uncles.  All of my husband's brother's and sisters have older children (well past the "making decorations" age).  The ornaments look they've been painted by a two-year-old (I think they're cute, but I'm still obviously in the middle of raising a young child, not out the other side).  I'm wondering if they'll think I'm being one of those annoying "look how cute everything that jr does is" kind of mothers. 

So, what do you think?  Would you be pleased or peeved to receive a gift handmade by a toddler?

Note, they don't know our daughter well as they all live quite a distance away and see her only two or three times a year.  Also, we don't exchange gifts with them so it would just be a little extra something.

[sammycat]

I think it's a lovely idea.  I have 2 nieces aged almost 7 and 3.  We have some decorations handmade by the 7 year from when she she was a todder in daycare and I thought it was lovely that she considered us "important" enough to make something for.  We hang them on the tree each year alongside all the decorations our own 10 and 6 year old have made.

[lolane]

I would neither be pleased nor peeved. I would think "oh this is cute" and then I'd wonder what I was supposd to do with it.

[momto3daughters]

I think its wonderful idea. My girls have done that, and sadly the people who gave them to STILL use tem on there tree (much to the eye rolling of my now older children) lol.

[Shoo]

I think this is the sort of thing that's perfect for your child to give to aunts and ucles.  It plants the seed of "giving" at holiday time, instead of just receiving, and it also gives the aunts and uncles a keepsake for their trees.  I'd love to receive a hand painted ornament from my 3 year old niece!

[Clara Bow]

I think it would be different if the recipient wasn't family with a bond to the child. I don't know what I'd think of a painted ornament from a friend's child, but one from my cousin's kids (even though I only see them once a year)? I'd be in hog heaven, and so flattered....

[Katharine]

I think it is especially fine since it isn't in place of a gift you would be giving. It isn't "oh she is so special and the gift is so wonderful I didn't have to buy anything" sort of thing.

I wouldn't mind one either. My mom still puts the ones that I made when I was 3 on the tree every year.

[ZipTheWonder]

I'm really sad when I heard someone start to question whether a heartfelt, homemade gift from a young child is inappropriate. 

[Cyndi]

My mom has an ornament I made in preschool. It's ugly to me and she loves it, lol.

[Sandi Papaya]

My mom has an ornament I made in preschool. It's ugly to me and she loves it, lol.

So does mine. I've begged her every year since I was old enough to realize its ugliness to please not put it on the tree, or at least hide it in the back where no one will see it. Nope. No dice. Won't throw it out, and it always has its pride of place at the front of the tree.   

Luckily, this year we don't have a Christmas tree, just the handmade, light-up ceramic tree my mom bought from a friend and co-worker (who's also a ceramic artist) many years ago. So no ugly ornament that I made when I was 3 at the front of the tree. 

That said, if my 2-year-old cousin down in Long Beach sent me a hand-painted Christmas ornament, I'd be thrilled. I don't get to see her often, so whenever I get something from her (or her older brother, my 4-year-old godson) I'm tickled pink. The "get well" drawing of purple and blue marker scribble she sent me was placed prominently on my door when I had all my get-well cards up. If she sent me a Christmas ornament she painted herself, I'd hide the one I made in preschool at the back of the tree and put the one she made at the front, displayed with pride.

[Suze]

one year a friend told me that she wished that she had put a note on the back of the ornaments that her kids had made when they were little, as she couldn't remember for sure which kid made what.

I told her there was a sure fire way to find out. 

Just put them all on the tree and each kid will more than likely try to take theirs OFF the tree because of the "I can't believe you saved that awful thing" factor.  Then just gently take them back and mark down which kid tried to get rid of which ornament.

[veryfluffy]

There is probably no harm in sending it, as long as they don't end up feeling obliged to actually use it, and you don't feel offended if they don't.

[Fluffy_Brit_Bunny]

one year a friend told me that she wished that she had put a note on the back of the ornaments that her kids had made when they were little, as she couldn't remember for sure which kid made what.

I told her there was a sure fire way to find out. 

Just put them all on the tree and each kid will more than likely try to take theirs OFF the tree because of the "I can't believe you saved that awful thing" factor.  Then just gently take them back and mark down which kid tried to get rid of which ornament.

That's exactly what has just happened - I couldn't remember which ornaments my sis made and which I did. Plonked them all on and the ones she begged me to take off - hers!

[ehartsay]

This year I thought it would be fun to have my daughter paint Christmas ornaments and give them to the family as a gift.  My plan was to give one to each set of grandparents, and also to each set of aunties and uncles.  Now that it's time to do the actual giving, I'm starting to have second thoughts about giving them to the aunts and uncles.  All of my husband's brother's and sisters have older children (well past the "making decorations" age).  The ornaments look they've been painted by a two-year-old (I think they're cute, but I'm still obviously in the middle of raising a young child, not out the other side).  I'm wondering if they'll think I'm being one of those annoying "look how cute everything that jr does is" kind of mothers. 

So, what do you think?  Would you be pleased or peeved to receive a gift handmade by a toddler?

Note, they don't know our daughter well as they all live quite a distance away and see her only two or three times a year.  Also, we don't exchange gifts with them so it would just be a little extra something.

I would be quite pleased, and I think that it is the cutest thing!

[andi]

i think that's a WONDERFUL idea.  i wish i'd have had mine to that this year - maybe next...

even if it just winds up in a box -the thought was there and as was mentioned earlier - establishes a precedent for gift GIVING in your child