Here are the things we always looked for in buying gifts for our guys:
Constructive Things–Boys love to build. Building sets, especially those that can be added to for years to come, are sure to be a hit. Feel free to pitch out a problematic piece or two, or even reimagine the purpose of a kit to make it fit your family.
Imaginative Things–Boys like to collect realistic gear to suit up as knights, soldiers, ranch hands, or explorers. Sometimes this can double as useful clothing items, too (a western-style winter coat, for example, or a pair of nice cowboy boots for church shoes). Don’t forget the Army surplus stores, for great inexpensive gear.
Useful Things–Boys appreciate having their own tools. Maybe they can’t handle Dad’s 16-ounce framing hammer, but they work fine with a smaller, lighter tool. Cull lumber from the lumberyard to give him an inexpensive way to try his skills.
Boys want to do real things. They want to be men!
Ballistic Things–Instead of “shooting” their family members or friends or playing out activities that would be sinful in reality, encourage them to pretend they are pioneers, soldiers, policemen, and hunters–all God-honoring roles. Toy swords, bows and arrows, or slingshots, with training to handle with care, can be great fun.
Don’t forget ballistic rockets! What boy wouldn’t like something that goes boom and flies away?
Books and Games–Boys especially love audiobooks. What a great thing to take in the van on a long ride.
Look for games that the family can play together and harder ones, too. We just team a younger child with an older one. The younger children mostly want to roll the dice and move the “man,” while the older boys get into the strategy.
Active Things–The old standbys, balls and bicycles, are always good for gifts.
Video Games–Top on the list for many boys are video and computer games, but we think they should be last on most lists. They’re better for an occasional or weekend treat. Why? Most boys love exciting, action-packed games that fill a boy’s system with adrenaline, and then leave him with no way to be active.
As we get past the idea that our boys need the latest hot toy and think about what will not only give them pleasure, but develop their skills, their imaginations, their minds, souls, and bodies, we’ve found that gift giving has become a lot more fun for all of us!
Merry Christmas!
Hal & Melanie
P.S. For more on Character-Building Gift-Giving, including practical examples, click here to download this week’s podcast by that name from our radio show, Making Biblical Family Life Practical.
If you haven’t checked out our Merry Christmas Shop yet, you are missing some great stuff! We just rolled out several wonderful new resources that your family will LOVE and you will feel great about giving them!
Click here to check it out.
