DIY Toddler-Friendly Holiday Gift Wrap

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WrapGiveRepeat #CollectiveBias

Confession: Last year the holiday decorations didn't even make it out of storage. I was newly pregnant and so so sick (I still refer to those early days with the twins as the Dark Ages), my toddler was too little to understand the holidays anyway, and my husband never got around to it, what with finals and then packing everyone to leave for Christmas.

Let's just say this year I'm making up for it. Fine, maybe I'm overcompensating. But hey, my toddler is old enough to get it this year, and it has been SO fun decorating with her and teaching her all about the season.

I really want to focus on giving this year (Remember this post? Are you participating in the day of service on Thursday?). In fact, the sponsor of my post today, Scotch® Brand, is donating $200,000 to Fisher House this season, a charity that provides comfort homes where military families can stay while a loved one is receiving treatment. So, yesterday when the twins were napping, we made some holiday gift wrap together and talked about giving presents.

I love the look of craft paper as a wrapping paper, so all our DIY gift wrap was made from the same base. And with just a few more items, you can make DIY wrapping paper four ways. It's toddler friendly, budget-friendly, and adorable. Here's how.

1. COOKIE CUTTER STAMP

Spread a large length of craft paper on a clean surface. Pour some acrylic paint onto a plate (acrylic paint is usually pretty good at wiping off when you're done, but better use a disposable or plastic plate to be safe). Turn the cookie cutters upside down (to expose the thickest edge) and dip into paint, then stamp on craft paper.

This one was so easy, and my toddler absolutely loved it. We got a cheap set of cookie cutters from Walmart (I think they were $1.99) and have used them for both cookies and crafts already.

2. POTATO STAMP

This one is similar to the first one, except I made a potato stamp instead. Quick potato stamp tutorial: Cut a large potato in half. Use a knife to carefully carve a simple shape (well, if you're more talented than me, I guess you don't have to stick to a simple shape). I'd recommend a simple star or Christmas tree if you're a beginner. Pat the potato dry, and then dip it in acrylic paint and stamp on craft paper. I could usually get 3 or 4 stamps out of one paint dip.

3. GLITTER CRAFT TAPE

This one is so easy. Wrap the present with plain craft paper (it's a heavier paper, and I found the Scotch® Magic™ Tape worked best to secure the folds down). Then, use glitter craft tape to decorate the gift any way you want. (My toddler wasn't into putting the glitter tape on the present, and wanted to make herself a shoe from the tape instead? Figures.)

4. METALLIC PERMANENT MARKER

Wrap the present with plain craft paper (again, the Scotch® Magic™ Tape worked best for holding the heavier paper in place). Then use a metallic permanent marker to decorate the gift with the recipient's name, a holiday scene, or whatever you like. My toddler loved this one, and in fact, the backs of most of these presents are covered with her scribbles. This is an easy and fun way to personalize the gifts. Add a large ribbon as a final touch.

^^I know what you're thinking. How does she draw such symmetrical trees??

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE ALL FOUR IDEAS

craft paper
scissors
Scotch® Magic™ Tape 3 Pack Caddie
acrylic paint
cookie cutters
glitter craft tape
large ribbon
potato

We picked up everything from Walmart (check out the cute elf packaging for the tape!), and although I already had the scissors, potato and ribbon at home, our total was less than $12, which is fantastic considering the number of hours this entertained us for, and the darling final product. (Plus, grandparents go crazy over homemade wrapping paper.) This is a great time to stock up on wrapping supplies at Walmart early and save with 50% off and Rollback prices as well.

What are you doing to give this holiday season?

Other favorite DIY gift wrap ideas?

There are lots more great ideas here too.

when service makes the world a little brighter: hosting a playdate

I'm so excited to share today's post with you.

My long-time readers know that the holidays can be pretty sad for my family as we commemorate the death of my angel mother. It's impossible to go through Halloween without thinking of three days before in 2009, the day she went from apparent good health to collapsed in the hospital with only a few weeks to live. It's impossible to go through Thanksgiving without thinking of the last Thanksgiving we shared with her - it was one of the last days she was up in her wheelchair, and one of the last days she remembered who I was. On my birthday I think about how we buried my mother in a frozen cemetery the day before, how I had never felt less like a child and more like an adult. A few days later was the bleakest Christmas I have ever had.

That's why mormon.org's Christmas campaign is so beautiful this year. It's all about doing small but meaningful acts of service. When people reach out and help others, it lights up the entire world. Whether or not you share my religious beliefs, I think it's a message we can all agree on.

Nobody was better at service than my mom. When I was thinking about a small act of service to share with my readers today, I went through quite a few possibilities. Should I clean out my closet and donate the extra clothes? Should I volunteer at a homeless shelter? Make care packages for the military? Deliver cookies to some neighbors?

All of those are great ideas, but then I thought - What would my mom do?

She would host a play date.

We ALWAYS had somebody else's kids over at our house. My mom was so great at giving parents a break to go on a date or get work done or just take a nap. And she was so great at loving every single child she came across. The best way I know to keep my mom's legacy alive is to try and be like her.

Of course I'll never be as wonderful as my mom in a million years, but I thought - this is one thing I can do. I can host a play date. I can give parents a little break, and I can love these kiddos.

So I did. It was a small act of service, just a few hours on a Saturday morning, but I really loved it, and I think these sweet kids did too. And that's the great thing about service. It helps you, it helps the person being served, and it helps the world be a little brighter. And it went surprisingly well, considering there were eight children under the age of three running around my small apartment. ;)

To see more examples of my Savior Jesus Christ and the ways he served people, click here. For more information about the #LIGHTtheWORLD Christmas campaign (launches officially this Friday!) click here, or visit Mormon.org's Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page. And press play below to see the video of our little play date.

Thank you to Mormon.org for partnering with Silver Lining to create this video and blog post today. The content and opinions expressed, as well as my belief in the power of service, is all my own.

cookies on a cold afternoon

Another day, another yummy treat post! While this sunny Arizona weather may not have me in the mood for hot chocolate and caroling, I will always stand behind any excuse to bake delicious things and spread the cheer by delivering them to my neighbors and friends.

While Sam was away at school selling his soul getting ready for finals, Claire and I ran over to Walmart and came back with our favorite cookie mixes. I've been all about these Betty Crocker cookie mixes lately. They're incredibly cost-effective, and they combine the convenience of a mix with the yummy home-baked taste I love in holiday treats. We whipped up the Peanut Butter mix (complete with chocolate kisses as soon as they came out of the oven) and the Chocolate Chip mix (dipped in chocolate and sprinkles for an added holiday touch - get the recipe here!).

 ^^Officially the world's biggest goober. Love her smile (and her bedhead!).

Then, we packaged our cookies up. Instead of an old paper plate covered in plastic wrap, we emptied some Pringles chip canisters, covered them in wrapping paper, and added ribbon to the sides and top. To complete the ensemble, we printed these cute #SpreadCheer printables and added them to the top! It was the perfect size to fit our cookies, and Sam about died of happiness when I brought home Pringles for the first time in my life.

Our favorite part? Driving around to some of our friends and neighbors later that night to deliver the treats! It's always fun to see our friends. And we also printed this out and nominated some of our neighbors to #SpreadtheCheer and make their own treats to pass around! We tried to give some to our downstairs neighbors, as part of an ongoing attempt to make them acknowledge our presence. It didn't happen, but if we keep giving them yummy things like this, maybe one day they'll say hi when we pass each other outside, right?

Feel like spreading the cheer yourself? I'm running a giveaway for $20 PayPal cash, which will more than cover the cost of these yummy cookie mixes, and whatever else you want to make them your own. And it's probably the easiest giveaway you've ever entered! (If you're reading from your phone, just click the link below to enter!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Wednesday!

Click here for the #SpreadCheer printables and coupons.