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Shopping for group gifts can feel daunting, especially when the group is a family with a wide range of ages, hobbies, and attention spans! A great board game is an easy win, but thinking outside of the box (pun intended) is equally as fun, particularly if it appeals to a family's sense of adventure or creativity.
Check out some of my favorite ideas for family gifts from s'mores making kits to scrapbooking supplies to baskets of delicious treats.
For Families Who Wait All Year for the Camping Trip
It's pretty tough not to feel at least a little nostalgic at the idea of making s'mores, and it's one of those marvelous activities that gets everyone gathered around the fire - or in the case of this travel-ready kit, around the table! What a clever way to make an otherwise droll weeknight dessert that much more special.
For Those Who Bond Over Sweet & Salty Treats
How anyone can resist the perfect chocolate covered pretzel is beyond me, and this collection of treats has plenty. Personally, I'm a huge fan of gifting this basket to movie-loving neighbors - snacking popcorn is so much more fun when it's coated in caramel!
For the Shopping Savvy
For families that can truly never decide on just one thing to do as a group, you really can't go wrong with a gift card. I'm fond of gifting these with a gentle nudge in the card to have every family member select a book they'd each like - and be sure to read them all together around the living room sometime.
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For Those Always Game for a Beach Trip
One of the smartest things my husband and I did when we established our list of "things to always keep in the trunk of the car" was to add a good picnic blanket. It's pulled out most often when we can make it down to the beach we're just a short drive from, but it easily works for pulling up a bit of ground anywhere you like. Grab this one for a family that enjoys a spur-of-the-moment afternoon out.
For the Family Up for Every Adventure
If you haven't yet discovered the adorable Adventure Challenge, this will no doubt become your new gifting go-to. Each "challenge" includes a budget, the time an activity should take, and a few helpful icons to hint at what you might be doing together - all with plenty of room to add a photo and some notes about the experience. This is a wonderful present for families looking to make more memories.
For the Weekend Hikers
Who thinks to just carry around a picnic basket anymore? They're adorable and very fun, but they're not always practical. A backpack, on the other hand, is much more likely to encourage an actual picnic. We love ours, and I suggest them to just about everyone who mentions they like to take their kiddos hiking on the weekends.
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For the Family with a Collection of Jigsaw Puzzles
Whether the collection has always been impressive or it became so in the dreggs of COVID quarantine, family jigsaw puzzles are a bonding, brain-teasing pastime it's hard not to appreciate. That said, finding the proper surface for doing one can be a real drag. This wide tabletop not only offers that space, it includes handy drawers to help keep pieces out of the way until they're needed.
For the Family with Every Other Backyard Game
Bocce? Absolutely. Cornhole? Obviously. Yard games are a great way to get the whole household outside, chatting, and playing together, and this ring toss pick keeps things a little more interesting than plain old horseshoes.
For the Extensive Family Tree
I'm Irish. I thought I had a lot of cousins. Then I married into a family thrice the size of my own, and I struggle to keep everyone's names straight at Thanksgiving dinner! Grab this artistic photo display for the family that will give My Big Fat Greek Wedding a run for its money.
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For the Cross-Country Road-Trippers
If you happen to know a family (and I know a few) who plan their entire year around their roadtrips - the ones who are checking through every National Park in the U.S., the ones who can't wait to invest in their new camper van, the ones who have brilliantly curated playlists inspired by exactly how long they'll be traveling - this will become their new favorite guide, packed with fun and photo-worthy pit stops in all fifty states.
To Strike Up Some Dinner Table Conversation
I've probably gifted a conversation starter deck to a dozen people over the last couple of years, and every single time, someone comes back months later to tell me, "Thank you. We actually talk at dinnertime now!" I adore this kid-oriented deck as it not only asks some important questions ("What makes you feel better when you're sick?"), it asks some fun ones, too!
For Board Game Players of All Ages
I will continue to recommend this award-winning board game as many times as I need to until everyone I know loves it as much as we do in my family. Suitable for ages eight and older (but my daughter was very happy to play when she was only six), Ticket to Ride teaches players critical thinking skills as they build train tracks from town to town.
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For the Family with the Perfectly Coordinated Holiday Card
I can't resist matching family PJs. They're cozy, they're fun, they're so very aesthetic. These fleece onesies are all of the above and more with their toasty feet, helpful pockets, and roomy hoods. Grab a set of these for a family who takes the very best Christmas morning Instagram photos (you know who I mean).
For the Families with a Million Photos
Get a family-wide craft activity going with a scrapbook! This kit comes with the book itself, high-quality stickers, sturdy photo corners, and a selection of metallic markers to add notes for every picture. You can even print off a few of your favorite pictures of the family and add a loving note on the first page.
For the Savvy Home Chefs
Gifting to a veritable legacy of exceptional foodies? Challenge them with a pastry course in a box! This is an especially fun one to pull out on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and sweet treat lovers will appreciate the chance to learn a delicious new skill.
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