A drizzle of chocolate syrup, a few scoops of assorted cereals and granola, a glob of ketchup, some raisins, a splash of milk, a cup of applesauce and whatever other tasty treats we could find in the fridge — it all went in a bowl and my siblings and I thought it was the best breakfast imaginable. Of course, we weren’t eating it, so we didn’t think much about how that combination of ingredients would disgust anyone else.

It was our mom’s birthday, we were all under the age of 10, and we thought we were treating her to the best surprise of her life. Who wouldn’t want breakfast in bed? And of course we had carefully thought about her favorite things. She loved ketchup so it had to be included, she always ate granola in the mornings so we knew it would be breakfast-appropriate, and chocolate makes everything better.

And of course, mom had no choice but to try this creation and appease all of us who thought we could be on the next episode of “Master Chef Jr.” Was that the best gift my mom ever received? Far from it. But it was definitely one of the most memorable.

As Christmas creeps up and kids start to think about giving gifts to friends and family, it can be tricky to find the magic area between “spending too much money on something nice” and “DIY-ing a useless item.” But don’t give up hope — there really are gifts kids can make themselves that won’t just end up in the bottom of a storage bin.

We’ve rounded up 25 ideas at 25 Gifts Kids Can Make, but don’t stress too much about perfection.

Alexis Crowe, Editor

When I asked my mom about her favorite gifts she’s received from all of us kids over the years, she sent me a picture of a stack a foot tall of cards, letters and notes we’d written her. The messages were simple: “I love you mom!” “Keep calm and mom on” (courtesy of my youngest sister), and nothing about them was fancy. But she’ll love and cherish them all forever.

Of course, grand gestures are always fun, too. My brother Gabe built my mom an outdoor table during a class in high school and surprised her with it. I’m not sure any of us will ever be able to top that one.

So as your kids think about what to make and gift this holiday season, remind them that whatever they do will be appreciated when they do it with love and care. The cliché rings true — it really is the thought that counts.

And as I close out this note, I hope you know how much thought and care I’ve put into these magazines over the last three years. This is my last issue of Little Rock Family, and it’s a bittersweet goodbye. I’m excited for what the future holds, but I’ll miss this publication, and I hope you keep reading it and learning all about what central Arkansas has to offer for families like your own.

Happy reading and merry Christmas!