Gift giving for our extended families has been interesting the last few years. I went from buying for one sibling (my brother) to buying for my brother, my husband’s five siblings and their families. If I bought gifts for all of them I would have zero money for food for December let alone gifts for my boys. Ok, not really, but you know what I mean. We have had to get creative when it comes to gift giving.
Of course I could make gifts for everyone, and that would be quite a bit less expensive; but with 30 people to make gifts for it can be time consuming too. We decided the best and easiest thing to do was to give one family gift to each family. Trying to find something that will work for everyone (my brother doesn’t have any kids and my husband’s nieces and nephews range from 1 to 19) can be a little tricky.
Then one day while organizing our movies (my youngest likes to take all the cases out and hide them while I’m making dinner or doing laundry) I found the box for Polar Express. We’ve watched it so many times it’s almost always in the dvd player. And that’s when it hit! Why not give every family a classic Christmas movie. But just giving a movie can be plain and boring, and I don’t consider myself a boring person so I added a little twist. One of my favorite lines from the movie, and something I am incorporating into our holiday decorations is the part at the very end where the Hero Boy gets the bell from Santa and his parent’s shake it and hear nothing. He starts talking about how the bell fell silent for his friends and his sister but it still rings for him and all who truly believe.
I created this cute tag to attach to the gift and included a bell. Right now you can get Polar Express at both Amazon and Target for $7.99. I got a pack of bells at the dollar store and I already had the ribbon and paper. For less than $10 we were able to give a fun, meaningful gift that every family is sure to love. This may be a tradition we start every year, with giving a holiday movie. What are some of your favorite Christmas movies?
Melanie K. says
December 11, 2014 at 9:41 amThis is one of my absolute favorite Christmas movies!! I still believe 🙂
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:29 pmThank you Melanie! I still believe too 🙂
Janette says
December 11, 2014 at 10:11 amIt feels like my family is getting larger too! This is a great idea, and I ADORE your tag! Prefect! Happy Holidays!
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:30 pmThanks so much Janette… it is a great gift for growing families!
Suryatapa says
December 11, 2014 at 10:52 amWow! I love the idea…so simple yet so meaningful!
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:30 pmThank you so much!
Tracers says
December 11, 2014 at 1:44 pmI LOVE this movie! Great ideas as well!
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:31 pmThanks a bunch!
Jeanine says
December 11, 2014 at 2:09 pmMy kids love that movie. We haven’t seen it in a good while though. Such a good, and cute idea!
Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:33 pmThanks Jeanine! We have watched it I don’t know how many times so far this year.
Lady Lilith says
December 11, 2014 at 2:53 pmThat looks really thoughtful. We love the holidays.
Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:33 pmThanks so much!
Stephanie Keeping says
December 11, 2014 at 3:43 pmThis is just beautiful! I love it.
Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:34 pmThank you Stephanie!
Terri Beavers says
December 11, 2014 at 6:10 pmThis is such a great idea and my mom recently decided to do the same thing and give a family gift instead of a gift to everyone. She has over 30 grands and great grands, not to mention all of the adults in our large family.
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:34 pmOh wow! Yes I am quickly learning that one gift is way easier than 30+ gifts
Debbie Jean says
December 11, 2014 at 7:25 pmThat movie is a classic – definitely in our lineup this year! I love watching it because its such a different movie for the holidays
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:36 pmWe think so too Debbie!
Sharon says
December 11, 2014 at 7:56 pmI think that is so cute, creative and fun! Our favorite movies over here are the usual, It’s a wonderful life, A christmas story and Miracle on 34th street
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:36 pmOoh those are all great movies too Sharon!!
katrina g says
December 12, 2014 at 8:35 amI love that tag! That is such a great idea.
Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:37 pmThanks Katrina!
Erin says
December 12, 2014 at 10:54 amThis is a great idea! It looks so beautiful with the bell and ribbon too. I know a couple adults in my family who loved this movie. What a great gift idea.
Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:40 pmThank you Erin!
vidya sudarsan says
December 12, 2014 at 11:59 amSounds like a nice movie! I have not watched this one..
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:41 pmYou should Vidya it is a classic!!
Christopher James says
December 13, 2014 at 3:51 amThe bell still rings… I love the message behind it.
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Sydney says
December 23, 2014 at 4:43 pmThanks Christopher!
Nicole @Little Blog on the Homestead says
December 13, 2014 at 10:05 pmI feel very Grinch like, but I have never seen the Polar Express. But I love the bell! “Every Time A Bell Rings An Angel Gets Its’ Wings!”
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