CraftPals
Shaker Boxes
posted by kallen on December 03,
The following is offered to thank all for sharing - this has saved a wee
portion of sanity for me through the years.
Here's one for you and your little ones, but the grown ones still love it!
When my kids were little and the first Christmas they
wanted to tear the tree down, open all the presents, I began this tradition.
They could "play, hold, carry this one present"
because it wouldn't break. All the other presents will break so they couldn't
be touched. [Did this ever offer me a tad of sanity
- for a moment anyway] As they got older, they realized the pj's wouldn't
break, but knew there were some that would - so
only their box got touched. Now they're grown and still want to know where
their "shakers" are.
They're called "shaker boxes or shakers" because that's exactly what happens.
You take a sturdy box with a small non-breakable item that is wrapped.
Tape it to the bottom of the box. Place marbles, coins, rocks, anything
that will make noise in the box loose. Tape the box GOOD. Wrap in newspaper,
wrapping with tape again. Wrap with traditional wrapping
and curly ribbon in the criss-cross style, because these things will be
hauled around the house, shook, etc., while they try to
guess what's in it. Are they ever surprised when they get to open it!
Happy Holidays and hope this helps! kallen