project we create, the kids work long and hard and take enormous pride in making truly original presents that only they could give. It's the same with my own two kids, 13-year-old Lainey and nine-year-old Ben. They love the whole gift-making process: the planning, the assembling, the wrapping and, especially, the unwrapping. As Ben said, "It just makes me feel good."
The following six gifts, all of which have been thoroughly kid-tested, also happen to make gift receivers feel pretty good. Ranging from a tile mosaic flowerpot to a velvet-covered journal, they are as practical as they are elegant, making them a welcome find under any Christmas tree or as a thank-you for teachers at the end of the school year.
Art Cards
Feature kids' artwork on envelopes and cards for one-of-a-kind stationary.
Knitting Needles
Craft decorative chopsticks for a relative who knits or a longhaired friend.
Mosiac Flowerpot
Preserve old treasures and create a useful gift in the process.
Sweater Mittens
Sew a pair of toasty, colorful mittens from old "felted" sweaters.
Tiny Treasure Box
Present collectors with handy decorated boxes to house their trinkets.
Velvet Journal
Cover notebooks with embossed fabric for easy, yet fancy, gifts.
Ronnie Citron-Fink is an elementary-school teacher who lives in Rhinebeck, New York.
