One year, when my kids were small enough to boss around, I strategized our holiday gift giving around an arts-and-crafts activity that I knew they’d love to create—and our family would love to receive. We made organic playdough* and used assorted animal cookie cutters to make cows and chickens, which we then painted and decorated with upcycled feathers, sequins, ribbons and cloth. Then we made a donation to Heifer International—creating a holiday gift that gives back.