One of our family traditions, that my mum started many years ago, is that the host puts a Christmas table gift at each place setting at dinner. These gifts are not meant to be anything too expensive or showy just a nice token gift that we all open together. Since my husband and I started hosting Christmas dinner a couple of years a go it is a tradition that we have continued to do and I one that everyone always seems to love.
I understand many people will wonder why on earth we do this. People already get so many gifts and this is just another added expensive, however I always set a £15 limit per person and usually manage to get the gifts for closer to the £10 mark, so these gifts are not big and expensive they are simple token gifts.
So, why have Christmas table gifts?
There are a few reasons why I have continued the tradition of buying Christmas table gifts. The main reason is because I think it is lovely for us all to open a present together. Not all of us will be necessarily be together in the morning and even if we are w are so pre occupied watching the children that we don’t get to watch each, so at dinner we all have one gift to open together.
Another reason I buy Christmas table gifts is because it is my way of saying thank you to my family for coming to us for Christmas as both my brother and my Nana have to travel miles from down South to be with us and by them doing the travelling it means I can stay at home with my children.
And thirdly I buy them because I think that the boxes of presents make a lovely touch to my dressed table!
What make good Christmas table gifts?
If the above reasons haven’t already convinced you to start buying Christmas table gifts then you also need to consider the fact that they have the added bonus of being a great way to keep everyone, especially the children, entertained at the table whilst the food is being served. For this very reason I find that the best things to buy as table gifts are things that can be used at the table. Things that aren’t too messy or noisy and can be stopped as and when the food comes out.
Here are some of Christmas table gifts I have used over the years
PLAYin CHOC
These little treat filled boxes from PLAYin CHOC are perfect for table gifts as they even look festive. Each beautifully decorated box contains two individually wrapped organic allergen free chocolates and a 3D Christmas card puzzle for you to build along with a fact sheet all about that character. These boxes don’t just look great they are also eco friendly and cruelty free and at only £2.25 each they are very affordable, fun and tasty Christmas table gifts fit for the whole family.
Colouring Mats
Reusable silicon colouring mats make great table gifts. Your child can open them and instantly start colouring them in and then have their dinner placed on top of the mat without worrying about making too much mess or needing to make room on the table. Hey Doodle have lot of designs to choose from including this gorgeous sugar ad spice one that has traceable numbers 1-10, fairies, unicorns and lots of other cute pictures to colour in. The silicone mat also comes with 9 non-toxic markers and is currently £14.99.
Colouring books
A colouring book is another great Christmas table gift as it can keep everyone busy for ages and can be done on their own or with someone else at the table. They can also be started and stopped and picked back up whenever they want to throughout the day. When opting for a colouring book for the dinner table we usually look for Christmas themed ones but this year as the children are a bit older the Newtons Rainbow colouring book has caught my attention. It has 35 colouring pages as well as 4 design your own super hero sections which sound really cool, and at only £4.99 it is well within our table present budget.
Solo games
Depending on the age of your child you may find that solo games are also great table gifts. They can keep them occupied between courses and they can also be used to challenge other family members to see who can get the best score without needing to take over the whole table to play the game. We are a fan of the Kanoodle Genius by Learning Resources. It is a compact game that contains over 200 2D and 3D puzzles, is aimed at those over 8 and comes in under budget at £11.99.
Fidget Toys
Fidget toys are all the rage at the moment and this make perfect table gifts as they are small and keep the kids busy. If you have a couple of children at the table you could get them all a different fidget toy so they can swap them around and try each others out too. These tangle toys are available in metallic, fuzzy, pet and classic, each offering different textiles and colours. They are great for twisting and turning and keeping little hands busy at the table between courses.
Nail Art
Nail art is another option as it is easy to use, takes up little room and can be started and stopped between courses. It can also involve the whole family if you are brave enough to let the little ones loose on your nails on the big day. These nail stickers from Smiggle are only £3.50 but offer up the potential for hours of fun with over 175 sticker in each pack.
Books
Books make great gifts for all ages. You could keep with the festive theme and get everyone at the table a Christmas book or pick a book that isn’t Christmas related but that you just think they would love.
I adore the little people Big Dreams range. They are easy to understand books about people who have influenced the world in some way and followed their dreams, they are educational, interesting and fun. With so many to choose form you will be sure to find one for every child around your table. Some of my favourites include Usain Bolt, Queen Elizabeth, Taylor Swift, Vincent Van Gogh and Amelia Earhart.
Christmas table gifts for teenagers and adults
In our house it isn’t just the children that gifts on the table but also the teenagers and the adults too. Again, we keep these simple and under £15 and have included things from hip flasks to mini lego sets as well as minute bottles of alcohol and small boxes of chocolates. Another great idea though are these mini gift boxes by Kikkerland They have so many categories that there is sure to be something for everyone at your table.
Here are a few ideas
The emergency Tech kit
This one is perfect for teenagers! The emergency tech kit contains
- 1 bottle of screen cleaner spray
- 1 microfibre cloth
- 1 cable wrap ad
- 1 3ft lightning and micro USB charging cable.
This is a brill idea and cost less than £10 so well within our table gift budget.
A Book
Anyone that knows me knows that I love books and think they make great presents for every occasion, so obviously I had to include them in our Christmas table gift guide. If you’re opting for books as table gifts then make sure they are personal to the receiver to show them you have really thought about them. It might be that you know they have their eye on a certain book and treat them to that, or buy them the newest novel by their favourite author, or it might be a bit trickier in which case opt for a book relating to their interests, hobbies or career. For those that run their own business, or are thinking of starting one, or are part of the management team then Brand Momentum by Tony Lewis is an excellent choice “Brand Momentum presents a transformative brand measurement system that harnesses the two most powerful forces [MB1] that drive growth and long-term success – Brand Velocity and Brand Mass”.
Notepads
Notepads also make great table gifts for teenagers and adults. Most people use them on a daily basis either for school, college, work or for journaling and if you want to make them seem a little bit more inspired than a notebook then why not have them personalised. These notebooks from Billy-Gift are lovely, you can choose from a number of designs as well as hard back, soft back ring binder or other and then to top it off you can get them personalised with a message, their name or event their business name.
Calendars
Another great Christmas table gift idea that doesn’t have to be expensive and this will no doubt be appreciated by all of your (adult) guests are calendars. You can get them all different style and themes based on their likes and dislikes. For hat work in an office desktop calendars work well and for those with a busy home life the traditional wall calendar is perfect. If you are buying for a parent of multiple kids then I recommend the family planner style as they are a great way to manage everyone’s schedule in one place. Danilo have loads of options available, you’ll be sure to find something for everyone.
Individual Drinks
If you have a selection of people over on Christmas Day that all like different drinks then buying them a miniature of their favourite can also make a great table gift. It shows that you have take the time to think about what each and every person likes to drink and put some real effort in to the gift. It also means as th host you don’t need to buy full bottles of every different wine and spirit.
If you have some people joining you that don’t drink then maybe go for an alcohol free version instead of a soft drink. Caleno drinks have some lovely tropical non-alcoholic spirits available that your guests are bound to love.
So, there you have it my top tips for children’s Christmas table gifts, plus a few extras for the teenagers and adults, to keep them happy and entertained this year. If you have any more ideas, then feel free to add them to the comments and I’ll be sure to check them out.
If you are looking for Christmas gifts for children then we have several guides for you to check out.