Family Ever After Blog

Family Ever After Blog

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Puzzle Games On Your Phone Help You Cope With Long Commutes

Your daily commute does not have to be boring. Besides reading a book and catching up on your social media, you can download mobile game apps to pass the time. Some of the top puzzle games you can download include;

Einstein’s Riddle Logic Puzzles

This tick and cross logic puzzle game gives you several clues describing a scenario with several people. Every person has a particular job, owns a unique pet, and loves a different sport, amongst other attributes.

Your role is to apply logical thinking and elimination to solve the riddle using the initial few clues. There are over 5,000 free logic puzzles – no purchase packs available. Every day, you have fifteen unique challenges to solve.

Grid sizes range from 4×4 to 16×9; the larger the grid, the harder the challenge. Even more impressive, this app comes with filters to help experts find hints to the elements they are looking for.

Features

  • Thousands of riddles
  • Daily challenges
  • User-friendly interface
  • Increasing difficulty

Gears Logic Puzzles

Gears Logic Puzzles rules are relatively straightforward – move the light gears and match them with the red gears to rotate everything. Your wisdom and imagination will need to be at play.

There are thousands of levels, some created by other players, to help blow away the stress. You can customize the app with multiple visual themes to choose from – paper, ice, stone, metal, and wood.

You get to play at your own pace, at any time, wherever you are. If the pop-up ads get the better of you, you can purchase the ad-free version.

Features

  • Thousands of engaging levels
  • Free play
  • Straightforward gameplay
  • Provides hints
  • Multiple themes to choose from

Quick Logic Puzzles

Expect small logic problems using similar principles as your usual puzzles but are faster to complete and function flawlessly on phone screens. You get 35 free puzzles to get you started. Fives puzzles are grouped and share a background story.

Plus, each puzzle comes with stats for its average completion time, so you can tell how your time compares. You can choose to utilize the daily free puzzle with no ads, nags, or interruptions, or you can purchase a volume of puzzles.

Features

  • Paid app with daily free puzzle
  • Requires internet access
  • Provides hints
  • Undo and Auto-X features

Logic Problems – Classic

If you love solving logical problems, then you should try the Logic Problems – Classic puzzle game. The first ten puzzles are free, with no ads, spyware, or nags. Should you wish to continue playing, there are thirteen more volumes available for purchase. Each volume comes with thirty unique puzzles.

Should you get stuck, you can choose to erase the errors, get a hint, or view a fully-worked out a solution. Though the app works best on larger screens, you can zoom to fit your grid – from phones to tablets.

Features

  • Paid app with first ten free apps
  • Hundreds of levels
  • Provides hints
  • Works best on larger screens
  • Undo and Auto-X features

Conclusion

Anyone who has traveled or sat in traffic for hours can share with you’re the torturous details of the journey. Hopefully, the games we discussed will help make your commute a little more bearable.

 

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Small Space For a Garden? A Tiny Pond Will Do a Job!

You might’ve had big dreams for your garden, a lush haven of plants and features. Reality doesn’t always match fantasies, and now, you’re stuck with a space too small to fulfill your dreams.

A small water feature is your best bet. It’ll make your yard seem more spacious, more luxurious, and full of life. However, digging up a tiny pond inside your garden differs from planting a bush of marigolds or pansies.

Let’s go over the considerations to keep in mind if you take up this task.

Determine the Purpose

Your pond is primarily there for decorative purposes, but the multiple design options can change the aesthetics of your entire yard. Think about the following questions:

  • Do you want it to look natural or to stand out as the central piece? Would you prefer a fountain?
  • Will you use the area for planting?
  • Would you like to have fish in your pond?

The answers restrict the pump and filtration systems you can use to make it work. If you’re unsure about what you want, look into different types of backyard ponds for inspiration before making any decisions.

Choose the Right Spot

The ideal location for a pond has enough natural light. The sun consistently cleans and maintains your water surface, keeping it fresh and free of bacteria.

However, there should be some shade around, especially in hot climates, to prevent sunshine from drying out the water in the summer.

You should also find a level plot of land, avoiding tilted areas if possible. While a bit of an angle won’t make much of a difference, it’s more challenging to DIY the digging if you have to change depths halfway through the process.

Determine the Size

A small garden doesn’t leave enough room for a broad pond, but you can play around with depth depending on which plants and fish you plan on cultivating.

For example, many water plants flourish in shallow areas, while fish require a bit of depth to survive winter. Consider the pipes that run below your yard, too.

Once you choose the size and location, it’s time to break ground. Prepare some clay for lining once you dig it up and you’re already halfway there.

Get the Right Accessories

Filling the hole with water and stopping there leads to missing out on everything a mini-lake has to offer. You’ll find many affordable, easy-to-install extras that make the design much more practical and impressive.

You can go to Aquatic Ponds for a glance at the scope of tools and extras at your disposal. Notable cherries on top include:

  • Pumps to keep the water moving
  • Filtration systems for maintenance and cleanliness
  • Waterfalls for fancy details
  • Nightlights to astonish visitors

A garden pond is much more than a still pool of water. Most of its charm lies in what’s inside and around it, though, so don’t skip this step.

Add Fish and Plants

Finally, if you still have your gardening ambitions, you can plant flowers and bushes around the pond. Alternatively, many fish species thrive in small artificial spaces, breathing life into your backyard.

Do some research about which species from the natural world can survive and flourish in your climate beforehand, though.

Take Away

Instead of remaining frustrated with a garden not big enough to match your aspirations, enjoy your new project.

Adding a water feature to the back yard opens the door to endless possibilities. Embrace the hobby and uncover all the options this tiny pond adds to your gardening repertoire.

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6 Tips to Take Care of Your Pet in Winter

The dropping temperatures and a sparkling white coating over the streets are a source of great joy. However, without a routine adjustment, the colder weather can be harmful to your pets.

Let’s check out the six essential tips for keeping your furry friend happy and toasty in wintertime.

Tip #1: Ensure Shelter

Ideally, your animal companion should stay inside at least from December to March. Take them out for walks and playtime, but don’t leave them outside when the temperatures drop.

Your pet might prefer to spend time outdoors, though, especially if you have a big garden. Introducing sufficient shelter space is your go-to solution.

For example, the best outdoor cat house will be big enough for comfortable movement but small enough to maintain body heat. The same goes for pups.

Tip #2: Consider the Food-Activity Ratio

Like people, animals aren’t as active when it’s cold outside. So, you might need to adjust their food intake to ensure adequate nutrition.

The changes can go both ways. You might have a puppy who loves snow and going out several times a day. In this case, up their intake to make up for the energy loss.

On the other hand, some pets avoid going out during the winter months. So, they should consume fewer calories. If you’re worried your animal isn’t getting enough activity, you could:

  • Spread meals around the house
  • Throw snacks for them to catch down the hall
  • Introduce mobile food-dispensing toys

Mixing it up a bit can help with their motivation to eat and move.

Tip #3: Check Their Paws

Tails, ears, and legs are the areas of dogs’ and cats’ bodies most susceptible to frostbite. You can’t do much for ears and tails except for keeping the walks short and during daylight hours. However, putting on boots provides some welcome warmth.

Plus, both these animals lick their paws. If they stepped into a harmful chemical such as a deicer, they could get sick after touching it. If footwear isn’t an option, at least wipe the paws with a warm towel when you come back home.

Tip #4: Don’t Bathe Them as Often

Bathing dries out the skin in people and pets alike. While you can mitigate the effects with moisturizer, your companion doesn’t get to enjoy the same luxury.

Don’t cut out baths altogether, but reduce their frequency to help them avoid dry skin discomfort. You could explore alternative cleaning methods or find a shampoo with extra moisturizing features to balance cleanliness and comfort.

Tip #5: Keep Them Leashed

Even if your regular outings don’t include a leash, in wintertime, they should. For one, your dog could run out in the snow, and it’ll be much harder to locate it. Plus, snowfall can disguise recognizable scents that a pet would typically use to find its way home.

Additionally, make sure that your microchips and collar are up-to-date if they do run away so they could more quickly and easily return to safety.

Tip #6: Remove Hazards

Finally, the snowfall is home to many potential hazards for animals. Clean up spills and shovel snow from your backyard. When you take your dog or cat outside, keep an eye out for antifreeze, rough terrain, and hidden debris on the ground.

It might make walks mentally straining, but it’s worth avoiding the health risks that come with these outdoor threats.

Safety First

As long as you keep these tips in mind and apply them for every walk, bath, and feeding session, your pet will be happy and healthy once the snow melts.

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4 Things You Should Do Before 40

Even though there’s no exact age when everybody feels like they suddenly become a grown-up, 40 seems to be an age that most people consider you should start to have your life together. At age 40, you should have already established a job, attained life skills like how to balance your checkbook, and hopefully know how to look after your hygiene.

However, in addition to these basic accomplishments that you should have ticked off by 40, you should also make sure that you have mastered these things too.

Write a Will

Even though you may not want to believe that anything can happen to you, the truth is that things can come up. If you don’t leave an estate plan, then you’ll be leaving everything you own in the hands of the courts. A common misconception is that your assets will go to your next of kin. Unfortunately, this isn’t always automatically guaranteed. An estate plan is essential for ensuring that what you own goes to the people you want it to.

Establish a Sleep Schedule

When you’re younger, it’s normal to have a busy social life and find yourself less susceptible to fatigue after a long night out. However, the older that you get, the more critical that sleep becomes. It’s important that you establish a regular sleep schedule to get your body functioning as it should be. Exhaustion doesn’t just wear on your mental health but also on your immune system. Ideally, you should go to bed as early as possible and wake up as early as possible.

Learn How To Small Talk

It’s not unusual to find yourself in your younger years struggling to find a way to fill dead air when meeting people you don’t know. However, making small talk is one of the best life skills you can develop. You never know who you can meet along the way, and knowing how to put yourself outside of your comfort zone is a fantastic skill to have. If you’re not sure how to get started, try asking questions.

Stay Active

Finding a way to stay active will keep your body lean and healthy. Research shows that people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop age-related diseases and even depression. Being active doesn’t necessarily need to mean going to the gym and lifting barbells, either. Staying active can be as simple as walking briskly for 30 minutes a day. The idea is to get your blood pumping and your muscles moving. Since your muscle mass starts to diminish as you get older, you should keep your body as strong as possible. Not to mention, exercise is also a great way to make new friends.

 

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Autism Self-Diagnosis in Adults

Awareness of autism and related disorders along the spectrum has grown a lot over the past few years. With this awareness, there has also been a growing trend of self-diagnosis among adults. The symptoms of adult diagnosis are, naturally, different from those exhibited by children. So, what does autism look like in adults?

Autism in Children Versus Adults

When clinicians present an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in children, they use several cues to identify the disorder:

·        Persistent difficulties in social interaction

·        Deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication

·        Sensitivity to visual, auditory, and physical stimuli

·        Intense focus on specific ideas or projects

·        Discomfort in social settings

·        Difficulty understanding social cues

In addition to these basic markers, there are  many other signs of autism. Do these markers look the same for adults who haven’t previously received a diagnosis?

Autism Versus Emotional Imbalance

If adults have experienced these symptoms throughout their lives, they have probably struggled with autism without receiving the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. In this case, an autism self-diagnosis could be a helpful first step in obtaining support and desired treatment.

However, if symptoms have developed in recent years, an autism diagnosis may be appropriate, or the adult could be experiencing an emotional imbalance. Some of the symptoms of an emotional imbalance look a lot like autism:

·        Social anxiety

·        Panic attacks

·        Obsessive-compulsive behaviors

However, other symptoms indicate an imbalance rather than autism. These include severe depression, unexplained sadness, and lethargy.

Treatment Methods for Emotional Imbalance

There are some things adults can do to determine whether they are experiencing an imbalance or adult-onset autism. For example, if adults gradually pick up the activities they once enjoyed, create more flexibility in their lives, and learn to tune out unwanted stimuli, they probably don’t have autism. Treatment for emotional imbalances is widely varied and is often determined by the adult and their chosen mental health professional.

Ways To Get an Accurate Autism Diagnosis and Treatment

Although there are online tests that may help adults self-diagnose their symptoms, the best way for adults to determine whether they have autism or an emotional imbalance is to contact a trained professional. Adults with the diagnosis are generally treated with behavioral therapy and specific tools that differ from those given to children.

Takeaway Points

When adults suspect they have autism, they may look for ways to self-diagnose before seeking help from mental health professionals. When clinicians become involved, they’ll generally use in-person communications and observations to make a diagnosis. Mental health professionals also consider symptoms reported by the adult. At this point, effective treatment is available.

Learn more about how clinicians evaluate autism spectrum disorder at WPS.

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5 Benefits of Moving a Family Member to Assisted Living

Moving a senior family member to an assisted living facility can feel overwhelming and intimidating for everyone, especially if they seem a little unsure about the idea. Change can be scary. Assisted living may make them feel incapable and old, which can lead to a bad reaction. However, just because a chapter ends, this doesn’t mean that a new and more suitable one can’t start. To help your senior family member make the right decision for them, you need to do some research together and let them know the pros. So, here are five benefits of moving a family member to assisted living.

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Reduces Loneliness and Isolation

Nothing is worse than feeling alone, especially as you start to go older. Even if you are a supportive family, many senior family members can feel isolated, especially if you lead busy lives and they have lost people close to them. Assisted living can prevent social isolation as it provides a community environment full of people to socialize with. Staff will encourage partaking in social events, which has its benefits.

Can Help with Finances

Elderly people can find it difficult to keep up with all of their bills and online payments as they grow older. They are also more susceptible to scams. Debt can pile up easily and quickly. This could get your senior family member in financial trouble and cause unnecessary stress. If they make the decision to move into assisted living, they will be able to manage their finances easier and keep their savings safe.

Offers Peace of Mind

Moving your senior family member to assisted living will give you both peace of mind. You will know that they are in safe hands with 24/7 healthcare available to them and plenty of people to make friends with. They will also be able to rest comfortably knowing this. To reassure you and your senior family member, there are considerations to make and questions to ask the staff and residents.

More Focus on Fun and Independence

Many seniors are put off moving into assisted living because they don’t want to lose their independence. However, residents in these communities are usually more independent and have more fun. This is because the customized care services and assistance ensure residents can do what they want to do, when they want to do it. There are also many fun activities and social events for them to take part in.

Safer and Better-Quality Living

Everything about assisted living is safer. The facility will be secured and there will be people on-site at all times. Transportation is readily available and safe, which is perfect for seniors who struggle to drive or can’t afford to own a car. There are great facilities on-site, like a gym and fun classes, which can improve quality of life. Residents can also get delicious and nutritious meals cooked for them.

Communication is key when it comes to making a big decision like this one. At the end of the day, it is your loved one’s choice whether or not to make that decision, you just need to support them and provide them with all of the information that they need to reassure them.

 

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3 Tips For Talking With Your Family About An Imminent Move

While moving yourself from one home or city to another can be an ordeal, having a family that you’re uprooting can make this whole process even more complicated. But while you might be dreading breaking the news to your kids, having this conversation early and in the right way can make things go much smoother for everyone involved.

To help you see how this can be done, here are three tips for talking with your family about an imminent move.

Get Yourself In The Right Mindset Beforehand

Chances are that you’ve given yourself some time to come to grips with the reality of your move. And while you might be excited or hopeful, you may also be nervous or even upset about what this move could mean for your family. But while having all of those emotions is normal, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got yourself under control before you talk with your kids about moving.

According to Carrie of DistanceParenting.org, your kids will be able to tell if you’re not feeling very good about your decision to move, even if you’re trying to hide it. Because of this, they might feel negatively as well. So to do your best to avoid this, make sure you’ve gotten yourself in the right mindset about your move before talking with your family.

Expect Big Emotions

Once you’ve said your piece about your upcoming move, you should then give your kids time to express what they’re feeling about this news.

As far as the response from your kids, Dr. Sarah Ramsi, a contributor to Psychology Today, shares that there’s a chance that your kids will be upset or feel other big emotions when you tell them what’s going on. In this situation, the best thing for you to do is to allow them to express whatever it is they’re feeling and validate that you understand them. In time, things should calm down as you work through this process together.

Don’t Let Them Think They Have A Say If The Decision Has Been Made

Sometimes, parents come to their kids talking about an impending move before things have really been decided. If this is your plan, and you’re trying to get your kids’ thoughts on the matter, make sure you actually take what they’re saying into consideration.

On the other hand, Diane Schmidt, a contributor to The Spruce, shares that if the decision has already been made, don’t let your kids think that they have a say in the matter. Rather, let them know that you’re here for them if they need anything or want to talk but that the move will be happening regardless.

If you’re thinking about moving soon but are unsure how to best bring this up with your kids, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you with this conversation.

 

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3 Tips For Getting Your Toddler To Sleep Through The Night

As a parent, one of the best things in life is when your kids start sleeping through the night. Not only does this mean that your little one is likely getting better sleep, but you’re able to get some solid sleep now as well. However, if your toddler isn’t sleeping through the night yet, or isn’t doing so consistently, you may find yourself desperate to make this happen.

To help you in doing this, here are three tips for getting your toddler to sleep through the night.

Go Back To Classic Sleep Training Techniques

When your toddler was a baby, you may have tried some sleep training techniques meant to help him or her learn how to soothe themselves back to sleep. And while you might have thought that sleep training was over, this isn’t always the case.

If your toddler has started waking up at night again, or hasn’t completely gotten the hang of sleeping through the night, Julia Savacool, a contributor to Fatherly.com, recommends that you go back to some of the classic sleep training techniques. Specifically, you may want to try simply revisiting your child in their room if they wake up at night. When you notice on the baby monitor that they’re awake, go in briefly to help them calm down and then leave so they can fall back asleep on their own. While this might take a while to seem effective, it can help your child learn to go back to sleep quickly after waking up during the night.

Create The Right Sleep Environment

One reason why your toddler might have a hard time sleeping through the night could be because their room isn’t set up for the ideal sleep environment.

To create the optimal sleep space for your child, Marygrace Taylor, a contributor to What To Expect, recommends making sure that your child is physically comfortable by not being too hot or too cold. Also, you should consider adding a fan or other white noise machine in their room to block out any sounds that might be waking them up.

Be Consistent With Sleep Habits

What you and your toddler do prior to going to bed can have a big impact on how well he or she sleeps through the night. Knowing this, it’s vital that you’re consistent with your sleep habits.

Ideally, the Cleveland Clinic shares that your toddler should be going to sleep and waking up around the same time every day. Additionally, you and your toddler should go through the same routine each night leading up to going to bed, whether this means taking a warm bath, reading a bedtime story, or singing nursery rhymes.

If you’re having a hard time getting your toddler to sleep through the night, consider using the tips mentioned above to help everyone start to get more rest.

 

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How COVID Is Changing the Way We Manage Our Health

Our world has been flipped on its head by the COVID-19 pandemic. Going to the grocery store, heading to the office, dropping the kids off at school; none of it is the same as it was at the beginning of this year.

 

The pandemic has also changed our approaches to basic healthcare, where something as simple as an annual physical may be far different than years past. From hearing loss management to mental health to changing your medication, here are some ways COVID is changing how we manage our health.

 

Hearing Tests

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As you find yourself stuck at home, you may have noticed that your hearing isn’t quite what it used to be. Whether it’s having to raise the TV volume with your remote control or a noticeable ringing in the ears, hearing loss may be more of a concern for you than ever.

 

While in-person appointments with audiologists are limited these days, online hearing tests are available to assess where your audible issues may lie. If you discover that a hearing aid may be needed for the highest hearing performance, you can look into the latest treatments and equipment, including the Signia hearing aid for hearing loss and other hearing needs.

 

Signia hearing aids are designed with rechargeable batteries to make for superior connectivity and audio quality with daily use, including the ability to stream audio, like phone calls, TV, and music. A pair of hearing aids has become almost minimal accessories, down to the size where they can barely be seen, and create a natural experience of hearing.

 

Mental Health

In this current state of affairs where we are restricted to our household for most of the day, mental health is more important than ever. Thankfully, telemedicine has allowed patients to continue a high level of therapeutic care from the comfort of their homes. With the touch of a button, online therapy is right at your fingertips, allowing mental healthcare to be more accessible to those at home in quarantine. Dr. Bruce Rubenstein, a board-certified psychiatrist for over 25 years, has found that psychotherapy has gotten people through the most difficult of time while reflecting on the important things that give them stability in their lives.

 

There has become more of a personal preference towards telemedicine, as it spares traveling to a doctor’s office and allows for a more open calendar to conduct psychiatry appointments remotely with your smartphone.

 

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Vision Tests

Just like hearing tests and therapy sessions, online vision exams are able to evaluate your eyesight with just the touch of a button on your computer or iPhone. Online vision tests can determine how sharp your sight is, as well as your sensitivity to light, color-blindness, or the possibility of astigmatism brought on by blurry vision.

 

Online vision tests are designed for healthy adults who already have a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, and are at no risk for eye disease, like high blood pressure and diabetes.

 

Some of these tests are accessible through apps on your smartphone, with results that can direct you to proper ophthalmologic care. Some apps not only allow you to book follow-up appointments with a registered professional, they let you purchase glasses and contact lenses with a fresh prescription for your eyesight.

 

Physical Examination

Doctor’s offices and hospitals have found themselves forced to adapt to these difficult times, with limited in-person capabilities. However, physicians are now finding innovative ways to take on appointments, while respecting COVID-19 protocols.

 

Medical practices have allowed for appointments to take place in person with limited physical contact, with masks and other PPE required depending on the patient. Telemedicine appointments are available with the touch of a button, with a surge in sessions conducted over a computer or iPhone.

 

With so many questions on the future of healthcare, hospitals are adjusting to surge capacity and restructuring workforces to allow for accessibility to medication for patients, as well as standards of care known before. Whether you need to schedule an appointment with an audiologist, a psychiatry professional, or conduct an online eye exam; you can still proceed with important healthcare treatments from the safety of your own home.

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How to Find the Perfect Gift For All the Family

Finding gifts for our loved ones can often be one of the trickiest things to do in the holiday season, especially when you feel overwhelmed with choices of what to get for everyone. To help you work out the perfect gift to bring a smile to your family members’ faces, read on for some great suggestions of meaningful presents to wrap up this year.

Choose something practical

A practical gift might not seem like the most exciting at first glance, but if chosen well, it can be something truly meaningful that reminds the recipient of their relationship with you, whenever they use the item.

When it comes to buying a practical gift, there is always something for everyone. Keen cooks might enjoy some exceptional kitchen tools and kitchenware that will stand the test of time, while an ardent DIY fan will always appreciate a well made tool to add to the cabinet. There are great practical options for kids too, such as beautiful stationery for school, or sporting equipment for a team member.

Gift a subscription

If you can’t find one item that you can decide on, you could instead choose to give someone a whole year of gifts. A subscription to something they would enjoy can be a brilliant gift for a family, and there are plenty of different kinds of subscriptions to choose from.

For fashion lovers, a magazine subscription might make a wonderful gift, while someone who loves life’s little luxuries may really adore a subscription from Scent Magic, for a regular variety of perfumes to enjoy.

Give them your time

A gift doesn’t always have to involve spending enormous amounts of money and long lines in store. Sometimes the most meaningful gifts a person can receive can be the most deceptively simple. A gift of time might not immediately seem like a lot, but for someone with a busy lifestyle, it can be a welcome treat.

There are many ways that you can offer someone more time and connection. Busy parents who are stressed and tired may appreciate a regular offer of a helping hand, or a chance to take a break themselves. For younger family members who might be feeling overlooked by adults’ working lives, the chance to spend quality time together doing a fun activity of their choice can be a great way to bond and make a valuable connection.

Make them something yourself

Homemade gifts are often associated with reams of sticky tape and misshapen ornaments, but they can actually be great gifts, when done well. Think of your skills and use them to create something special.

If you are an expert in the kitchen, some delicious homemade treats can make the perfect present, especially when presented well. Try making a hamper collection of jams, pickles, preserves, or baked goods. If woodwork is more your thing, you might like to craft a practical but beautifully made item that can be used around the home.