Gifting for Children

A word of advice for any of you contemplating the no-shopping experiment - Save your old containers!  I mean the big plastic juice containers  - these can be turned into banks or any kind of mysterious creature you can create out of them.  Keep food boxes that can be covered and made into very lightweight building blocks, buses, cars, robots, etc.  I am thinking instant oatmeal boxes, cereal boxes, snack food boxes, etc.   If you have little girls, you can make keepsake boxes out of these, little 'purses' if you really get creative and even dollhouses - depending on the size of your boxes and your creativity.  Some containers, if plastic, like coffee containers could be made into critter keepers for the little guys and gals that like to collect snails, crickets, frogs and such.  A little paint and decoration can transform anything!  Will post more ideas when we come up with them.  In the meantime, we are happy to take your suggestions.