If you're tired of purchasing presents for your family that end up broken or ignored only a short time later, you might be willing to look at other gifting options that will be more meaningful to everyone. Here are some family-oriented ideas on how you can give memorable gifts without buying seemingly disposable items.
1. Plan and reserve a rafting trip.
For a true family experience, why not surprise everybody with a family rafting trip. Many rivers run through warmer states. You can "wrap up" the trip by gifting the things you'll actually need and use on the trip, and you can put vouchers in stockings that explain when the trip will happen and how long it will take. You might, for example, get everybody a new life jacket to wear on the trip or waterproof disposable cameras. For the adventurous family, this would a gift to remember.
2. Season tickets.
What type of entertainment does your family enjoy? Instead of blowing your Christmas budget on expensive things, try combining your budget for each person in your family to purchase season tickets to something you can all do together. For example, if you have a favorite local sports team, why not by family season tickets for the stadium so you can attend home games together? Other season tickets might be for musicals, plays, concerts with a local orchestra, or even all events that happen at a local theater.
3. Planned road trips.
Want to hit the road with your family? Choose destinations that will have meaning for each member. For instance, if your family loves roller coasters, you could a plan a road trip to ride the top-rated rated coasters in the United States. Pre-purchase tickets to major parks and put these in the stocking on Christmas. Other destinations might include Civil War historic sites, top-rated restaurants, different famous beaches and piers, or a trip through the states of a different part of the country (e.g. travel across the southern states if you're from the Midwest).
4. Classes.
Not everyone in your family might be interested in the same thing, but you can help to foster family friendships by signing siblings or child and parent up for the same class. For example, a father and daughter could take a ballroom dance class together, or two brothers/sisters could take archery or martial arts together. Pre-planned togetherness while learning a new skill will help to strengthen family relationships.
