5 unique Christmas gift ideas for your children and grandchildren

We’ve all felt the excitement and anticipation of opening a present only to be disappointed by the contents.

According to research published in the Guardian £1.2 billion is wasted on unwanted or unsuitable Christmas gifts each year.

If you want to delight your children or grandchildren with an original, thoughtful and engaging gift this Christmas but you’re struggling to come up with new ideas, read on for inspiration.

1. Innovative tech toys

New technology offers a wealth of exciting innovations and giving a tech toy is a great way to surprise your child or grandchild with something they’ve never received before.

The children and young people in your family may love nothing more than surrounding themselves with high-tech gadgets, toys and games. And they’ll be delighted to receive one of the most sought-after tech gifts on the market.

There are plenty of options to choose from. Game lovers will relish Pictionary vs. AI. The classic Pictionary game has been given a high-tech twist that pits contestants against AI guesses. Players take it in turns to draw a picture and the AI guesses what it is, often with hilarious results.

Unlike the original game in which the player who makes the correct guess wins, this version awards points to players who predict which drawings the AI will guess right. The first player to earn enough points to cross the line on the board wins.

Games are a great way to bring everyone together at Christmas time and this one is sure to be a hit with both young and older members of the family.

For younger children aged six years and over, the MINTiD Dog-E Interactive Robot Dog offers plenty to entertain. This tech toy comes to life with unique lights, personality and sounds. You can create multiple profiles so the whole family can interact with this cute cyberdog. Feed him, throw him a treat and watch him react!

2. Experience day vouchers

Having a mixture of gifts under the tree to be enjoyed on Christmas day and vouchers to redeem at a later date is a great way to make the joy of the festive season last beyond the holidays.

There’s such a wide variety of experience day vouchers available you’ll be spoilt for choice when shopping for the perfect gift for your child or grandchild, whatever their age and interests. How about a “Meet the Meerkats” experience for an animal lover or a day at a theme park for the thrill seeker in your family? If you’re looking for something a little more creative or educational, explore the hundreds of chocolate-making, cooking and art experiences on offer.

If you don’t feel confident about choosing an experience for a young person whose passions and hobbies seem to change by the hour, a voucher that lets them pick an activity might be a good option. For example, buyagift offer a “Family Days Out Choice Voucher”. This allows your child to choose an activity for the whole family to enjoy from over 200 experiences, from paintballing to sightseeing tours.

Experience day vouchers often arrive in a gift box that you could wrap and pop under the tree so your child or grandchild has something to open at Christmas.

Giving an experience day voucher offers so much more than the gift itself. It creates an opportunity to spend time together as a family and make precious memories.

Most companies cover a wide range of locations and budgets. And vouchers are typically valid for long enough that you won’t feel rushed to book your chosen activity.

3. Lessons that nurture their creativity

Do you have a budding artist or musician in the family? Maybe a grandchild who loves to cook?

Nurture their passions by giving the gift of lessons in their chosen area of interest. This is a great way to give a present that is both fun and educational.

And, as with experience day vouchers, the joy of ongoing lessons in a favourite hobby will last well beyond 25 December.

You could look for vouchers or find a local provider of lessons and book with them directly.

If you and your child or grandchild share a hobby, the added bonus of giving this gift is that you can spend time together doing something you both love.

4. Personalised celebrity videos

Platforms such as Cameo.com allow you to browse thousands of celebrities offering personalised videos.

This is a unique gift that your child or grandchild can treasure forever. And what’s more, they’re unlikely to receive the same gift from anyone else, making yours truly special.

The process for selecting and booking a personalised celebrity message online is fairly straightforward. Each platform varies slightly but the basic steps are:

• Search for a celebrity your child or grandchild loves
• Create a message for your chosen celebrity to record
• Wait for your celebrity to send their video message
• Share the recording with your loved one.

Then sit back and enjoy the magic moment they receive their message on Christmas day, or whenever you choose to share it.

5. A magazine or book subscription

This is a fantastic option if you’re keen to give an educational gift that nurtures your child or grandchild’s interests.

There are plenty of subscriptions to choose from.

If your child or grandchild loves to learn about the world, The Week Junior might be the ideal choice. This multi-awarding winning magazine is packed full of information about science, nature and amazing places as well as ideas for things to make and do.

For bookworms, a subscription to LoveReading4Kids could make a fantastic Christmas gift. It offers subscription boxes for all ages, from picture books to Young Adult fiction.

Get in touch

If you’re eager to manage your money well this festive season and get your finances in order ahead of the new year, we’re here to help.

Please get in touch either by email at helpme@aspirellp.co.uk or by calling 0117 9303510.

Please note

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.