I think something made "by" him eliminates most of the worry that the gift will be seen as really from you since you picked it out (and hence pursuing). Since my kids were born I gave my H an annual t-shirt with their handprints (dipped their hands in fabric paint) and their ages at the time. I did all the legwork but it was all them in the finished product.
The year my H had his EA his t-shirt had footprints instead of handprints because I was so mad at him. That was my little inside joke because I was trying really hard not to appear mad at him or even not to BE mad. But the footprints made me smile. Anyway...
Another nice thing is the paint-your-own pottery type of place - one year I painted a kitchen spoonrest with a background color and had the boys do fingerprints in a contrasting color (those aren't always ready the same day you paint them). Another really easy thing for kids to "make" - thread pretty glass beads onto stretchy string and tie it off to make a bracelet or necklace. If the kid's too young to handle the beads he can pick out the colors or what order to put them in. You can get all the fixings at a craft store like Michaels for pretty cheap and yet they're good quality and look like real jewelry. One more idea: at Whole Foods in the body shop section you can buy scented "essential oils", maybe some other places have them (lavendar's nice, orange, there are all kinds. Pour Epsom salt into a big bowl and mix in a few drops of the oil and a few drops of food coloring, add more until it looks and smells right, let the kid pick the variables and handle the stirring, and voila - bath salt you can put in a glass container, a recycled water bottle, or a baggie. Cheap, really nice product, and handmade by your child. OK one more: buy blank plain stationery cards, a couple of rubber stamps and ink pads, and let the child "make" decorated note cards for her.
I hope these are helpful! I have always loved making these types of things with my boys to give family members for Christmas.
Adinva 51, S20, S18 M24 total 6/15/11-12/1/12 From IDLY to H moving out 9/15/15-3/7/17 From negotiating SA to final D at age 50 5/8/17-now: New relationship with an old friend __ Happiness is a warm puppy.
