10 Experiences to Give This Holiday Season

In the "Alma's Way" episode “Alma’s Nochebuena,” Alma and Junior love their Christmas Eve tradition of making ornaments together. Even when things go awry (like a dog ruining their homemade star!), they still have the shared experience of creating something special together. Here are a few ideas for experiences and non-store-bought gifts.

1. Get crafty. Channel Alma and Junior by making these popsicle stick tree ornaments that don't require purchasing new materials!
2. Pass it on. What does your child love doing? If she’s a nature lover, look into family passes at a local reserve or national park — and then check out these family benefits for getting out in nature together! Or, got a budding scientist on your hands? Check out holiday deals on a ticket (or annual pass) to a science museum. Other places with family passes include rec centers, art museums, bowling alleys, and community theaters -- and some of these places have sliding scales, making payment accessible for more families!
3. Take a class. Connect with your kids through art! Reserve a time at a local art center or dance studio for you and your child to roll up your selves and make art -- and memories -- with each other. Or surprise your child with a basket of all the supplies needed for a specific project -- and then plan the time to work on it together from home. You can even watch a free step-by-step how-to video together to get inspiration.
4. Get cooking! My son and I took an online cooking class right from our kitchen through a local nonprofit in our community. It was a gift that kept on giving! We got to support our Nigerian refugee friends, learn how to make something new (and delicious!), and we made a lot of fun memories together in the kitchen, too. Try these delicious holiday food traditions from around the world. (And If you’re looking for a new-to-you recipe to make together, try Budín de pan, a Puerto Rican bread pudding that’s a favorite of Alma and makes a delicious holiday treat.)
5. Relax. Whether or not you go to a spa or create a spa-like vibe at home, relaxing together can be a fun experience to give (and receive!). Who doesn’t like a little pampering? Give your little one a yoga mat with a book of easy-to-understand moves or create a little self-care basket with a fun water bottle and cozy robe, and then get to relaxing together! Incorporate these simple self-care habits into your time together.
6. Light things up. Alma loves Christmas lights! When Papi turns on his famous animal lights, the whole neighborhood loves them. Grab some hot cocoa and take a driving or walking tour through a holiday light display. Or, create your own mini Christmas lights made of Q-tips! The light strand also looks cute as a bracelet, necklace, package decoration, or decoration for a miniature Christmas tree.
7. Create a book basket. Every year, I get a couple of new-to-us books to add to our holiday book collection. (I keep an eye out at library sales and thrift stores.) We bring out the basket every year and make new memories reading around the fire together. We also enjoy reading about how other families and religions celebrate the holiday season.
8. Game time! Celebrate the holiday season with tickets to cheer on your favorite team. You don’t have to go big to have fun, either. Smaller hometown teams often have themed family game nights and are fairly affordable, too. Give your little one a hat or shirt to go along with this sporty experience.
9. Go down memory lane. Whether you want to go old school with scissors and glue or prefer to order a digital photo album, a custom memory book is a one-of-a-kind gift for the ones you love. Kids love seeing photos from before they could remember -- and hearing the stories that go along with all those cute pictures! You could go on a family heritage hunt together, too!
10. Plan a holiday staycation. To celebrate Three Kings Day, Alma and her family go to a community parade. From big cities to small towns, many communities host parades as holiday kickoff events. Consider giving your child a special day at a parade as one of their gifts. If your little one loves unwrapping items, you could give them a homemade scarf to wear on their day out. Get something sweet at a local vendor and try something fun together, like ice skating! You may have a bruised knee (or ego) but you’ll also have plenty of laughs and memories, too.

The holiday season can get overwhelming fast (for young children and grown-ups, too!). We can help our kids be thoughtful and intentional this holiday season by showing them the beauty (and fun!) in creating new things and exploring new places together.