Parents are spending an average of $200 per child this Christmas. Is receiving gifts really all kids want though? Or are they looking for something that doesn't really cost much but your time?

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) Americans will be spending $738.11 on holiday gifts this year. If you're looking at the number and wish you could spend just a tenth of that on your kids this year keep reading.

As parents we want Christmas to be perfect. We would love to give our kids everything they ask for because we believe that is what makes them happy. But is it the gifts that make the kids happy or is it something else?

How many times has your child opened a gift, only later be seen playing with the empty box it came in? Even though that child might have begged and begged for the item that used to be in the box.

Take a look at our teenagers. Many don't work, and if they do, they aren't able to make a whole lot of money being full time students. Still wanting to give gifts though, they are doing so by using their computers to create personal music CD's for their friends, others are using their love of baking to create edible gifts, some are going to ceramic shops to paint special gifts. It's not how much the gift costs, but how much thought goes into the gifts.

A very inexpensive gift that parents are excited about is letters from Santa. Lee Ann Howes, a Bizyletter.com Associate and owner of Kids Keepsakes, creates special letter for kids from Santa. The letter is all about the child, written from Santa and kids love them. Here's what one happy customer said, "The girls LOVED the letters!!!! They were so thrilled and excited, they could concentrate on nothing after reading them!! Lee, you are doing a great thing for all kids this Christmas!! Thanks!!"

One year single mom, Liz Folger, work-at-home mom expert and founder of http://www.Bizymoms.com, contacted a teenage homeless shelter in her area to see what supplies were needed. Liz explained to her two daughters they would be getting a little less that year as far as gifts go, but they were going to help the shelter out. They took a hundred dollars and shopped as a family for socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste. "After taking the supplies to the shelter we were walking back to the car and my oldest daughter said, "Boy, that sure felt good."

Surprisingly enough, kids want your love this Christmas. They want to spend time with you. When ten year old Jessica Rose G. was asked what her favorite part of Christmas was she said, "Decorating the Christmas tree because the whole family is hanging out and we are hanging our special ornaments, and when it lights up it is just a special feeling!"

So whether it's watching old Christmas movies, baking cookies for the neighbors, decorating the tree together or visiting shut-ins, these are all wonderful ways to share Christmas without having to spend much money and you can make others feel good in the process.

About the Author
Liz Folger is Work-at-Home Mom Expert and author of, "The Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide To Making Money". Liz has also created a resource site for work-at-home moms at: http://www.bizymoms.com. When you visit don't forget to sign-up for the free Bizy Mom e-newsletter.

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