Ideas to give money in an exciting way

[profpoopsnagle]

Older DD has asked for money this Christmas as she's saving up for a trip. We will still get her some small bits and a stocking to open. But wondering how we can do it that makes it exciting and moreover, we still have younger DC who 'believe' so want to keep the magic going for them too- just worried they might notice.

I made a money (Christmas) tree. Just for that Christmas money really did grow on trees.
There’s some cool orgiami with notes. Could make a little naivety scene if feeling brave. Or just give the scene with money stashed under the manger.

I used to buy bags of chocolate money and then get bags of £2 coins and mix them all up in a small sack or bag.

A balloon with money inside. Although love money tree idea.

We do the balloon thing too. Can put glitter or confetti inside it too.

We have also done a big box with loads of shredded paper so they have to find it like a lucky dip, and put a few silly pound shop type things in there too.

Buy a calendar and tape it to the date of the trip

We used to hide cash in the house and garden and they had to follow clues to find it . Wish I could do it again but they're both over 40 - don't think it would be the same now.

If you’re getting her small bits then you might be able to slip the money inside some of them. Or you could put it in a wallet or a money box.

I’ve done the balloons before but presented a gift box with a pin in it. DS only then twigged that there was something in the balloons.

Following for ideas! DS wants money too. Can't do balloons as have a relative with a fear!

Looking for ideas too. DS (17) wants money for a new Bass guitar. He is saving up for one apparently. The one he wants is about £1K.

I asked him how much of that he had saved already?
Answer: £2.83!

For my cousin my mum used to buy a box of chocolates - take some out and wrap the money in the wrappers then put back in the box.

balloons are a no go environmentally with lots of teens though

There are lots of fun ideas on Pinterest

I was talking about this to DS yesterday. He thought that a brief case of cash would be cool. I did point out that the top layer could be cash but underneath it would probably be newspaper
I still might do it for him it depends whether or not I can find a cheap briefcase in a charity shop.

We usually do a picture with the money attached to it with a message and then in a frame

I bought one of those "Name" books for children ( you know , the "Mikey Saves Christmas" or "Amy Helps The Elves" type)

Not sure how many pages there are but we're going to slide notes in the pages (maybe with some novelty paperclips so they don't fall out )

DS will be 20

Buy a guidebook of wherever she is planning to visit, and slip the money inside.

I posted this on another thread.

I know some parents who had a novel solution when their teenagers insisted on money for Christmas, rather than presents. After some treasure hunt style clues which led to envelopes containing small but increasing amounts of coins, they had a final task for the "big money". The teenagers were asked if they thought they knew all the hidey-holes in the living room: being teenagers, of course they said yes. They were then blindfolded, and told they were only allowed to see when they had worked out where the money was. They were given signs to hold up showing the correct answer to everyone else, and told they could ask questions needing the answer "yes/no" about where it was: as many as they needed. They were encouraged to move about between their questions, and to confer with each other.

After loads of replies of "no", one of them asked "is it in front of me", and found the answer was always "yes", no matter how much he moved. Eventually they worked out where their booty was hidden - tucked into their blindfolds! They said jokingly how "utterly humiliating" this game was, but added that it was worth it for what they got, and it was talked about for a long time afterwards. I'm not sure what happened the following year though!