New Twists on Giving Gifts to Kids

MONEY SMART WOMEN

- JANET BODNAR

FIRST off, a big thanks to all of you for your responses to my column on giving gifts to grandchildren (see “Money Smart Women,” March). I asked you to share your ideas on how to handle gift giving, and did you ever. Ihave been swamped with e-mails, and your advice generally falls into two categories: new twists on traditional ways of giving and a focus on financial gifts to teach your grandkids long-term lessons on saving, investing and managing their money. In order to include as many of your ideas as possible, I’m going to cover them in two columns, divided roughly between those two categories and starting this month with new twists on traditional giving.

One of the most out-of-the-box idea: a treasure hunt with a series of clues to find the gift.

One of the most out-of-the-box ideas comes from Janet and Gary Balanoff. When their own two children were young, they began an annual holiday treasure hunt, leaving the kids a series of clues to find gifts focused on each child’s interests. When their daughter grew older, she turned the tables on her parents and set up a treasure hunt for them. “I still remember her joy and ours,” says Gary. “It was a very special Christmas celebration.”