2013 Gift Guide :: whole family gifts

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Do you have any large families on your gift list this year?  If so, you’ve probably considered skipping the individual gifts and opting instead for a more economically-friendly family gift.  It’s not a bad idea.  If you do it right, you can give a gift that will be useful and appreciated by every family member, from Dad at the tippy top all the way down to the most wee one.  With that giving philosophy in mind, I put together a gift guide that offers several ideas for the beloved families on your list.

A sure-fire hit with gaming families everywhere is the new Disney Infinity interactive game. Compatible with several gaming systems (including Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo 3DS, Disney Infinity brings favorite Disney characters to life within worlds that you create.  There are several different play sets (or familiar movie settings) to choose from in the starter pack, but you can also add to your collection by purchasing additional sets that are sold separately.  You can even add characters from some of Disney’s most popular movies!

I don’t know about your family, but mine spends a whole lot of time at one ball field or another.  That is precisely why I’ve added Sport-Brella to my wish list this year.  It’s a convenient shelter from wind and sun that can be set up along the sidelines within minutes.  This would make a great gift for any family with active, sports-playing kiddos.

As a big fan of family mealtime, I love the idea of giving families something to talk about while they’re gathered around the dinner table.  With this little TableTopics Family cube in the center of the table, conversations are bound to go from boring to engaging in no time.

How about a Citrus Juicer? You might not agree that it is a family gift, but I beg to differ. We purchased one of these this year and I’m here to tell you that the whole family has benefited. We can produce two large carafes of fresh-squeezed orange juice in minutes and the taste blows the store bought stuff out of the orchard. The kids agree.

The scarcity of family-friendly programming makes sitting down to watch a TV show together tough.  The Bible: The Epic Miniseries solves that dilemma.  This series brings Bible stories to life on the screen right in your living room and gives parents ample opportunity to open up a Biblical dialogue with their littles.

If the family on your list would rather read aloud than watch TV, you might opt for a classic box set of books.  My personal favorite is the Chronicles of Narnia Box Set by C.S. Lewis.  I’ve read every word of every one of those books aloud to my seven-year-old son and I can tell you that he was every bit as enthralled as I was as we adventured through Narnia together.  I cannot recommend these highly enough!

Another fun family tradition is game night.  Why not add to the family’s game collection with a quality board game?  Cranium is an excellent brand.  They came together with Disney to produce a game that I consider the best of both worlds: Cranium Disney.

For the outdoorsy family on your list, you might consider the modern version of a classic picnic basket.  This one includes cups, plates and flatware – just add the potato salad!

Equally suitable for an active family is this Boochie ball game.  I love that it can be played indoors or out.  My seven-year-old son received this game for his birthday and I can vouch that it is indeed fun for all ages–way better than a boring old bean bag toss.

Hopefully I’ve got you going in the right direction with these family gift ideas.  Go on now…get shopping!