While I am looking forward to the festivity and fun of the holiday season, the one thing I am not looking forward to is putting all the stuff we get for Christmas away once the gift giving is done. As a matter of fact, I am trying to reduce the amount of stuff my family has - not add to it. So what is a Mom to do?

The following are ideas I have collected over time for gifts that don’t have to be dusted, don’t have a gazillion little plastic pieces, always fit, and don’t create more clutter in your home.

For the Kids

• Movie tickets make a great clutter free gift. We rarely go to the movies, so movie tickets are a huge treat for my kids.
• Make a coupon for tuition for sports lessons, a drama class, or new activity. Five years ago we gave our kids ice skating lessons for Christmas. They loved it and it sparked an interest in my son - he is now in his third season on the ice hockey team.
• Coupons for a day with Dad (or Mom) - or for a special dinner out, bowling afternoon, round of putt putt, etc. The gift of time is the best one you can give.
• Magazine subscriptions or book club memberships are gifts that keep giving through out the year. Kids love to get mail! (We like Tessy & Tab Reading Club for Preschoolers, Zoobooks, Highlights for Kids Magazine, Discovery Girls, Popular Science just to name a few)
• Got a music lover? An iTunes gift card will give them the opportunity to fill that iPod nano with the tunes they love.

For Teachers, Coaches, and Such

• Gift certificate to a local cafe, coffee shop or restaurant.
• Teachers spend a lot of their own money buying supplies for their own classrooms. Teachers love gift certificates for a teacher supply store.
• Put together a gift box of stickers, small prizes, pencils and the like for the teacher to use as rewards and incentives in the classroom.
• Treat your child’s teacher by sending in breakfast or lunch one day - be sure to include a note expressing your appreciation for all they do all year long.
• Designher Gals has the coolest notepads, stickers and cards that you can completely customize to look like your child’s teacher. Guaranteed to be a huge hit!!

For All the Other Grown Ups in Your Life

• Grown ups like movies, too. Treat them to a movie night out (complete with babysitting services) or for movie nights in, try a Netflix.com subscription. Dress up the gift with some packets of microwave popcorn and theater size candy and you have a fun gift for just about anyone on your list.
• Tickets to a favorite sporting event are always a hit. I gave my husband tickets to a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game last year and he had a great time!
• Tickets for an upcoming concert, show, or similar event - do your research and this can be a very appreciated gift!
• Gift certificate for a local car wash.
• Gift certificate for house cleaning. You can also make your own coupons and give your own cleaning services - especially for an older family member who would love the extra help and the company.
• Treat a friend to a spa facial, manicure or pedicure.
• Indulge in a hobby - spring for golf lessons, sign you and your honey up for ballroom dance lessons, or a pottery class. This make take some research, but the recipient of the gift will certainly know you care.

Another great feature for most of the ideas on this list is that you can spend as little or as much as your budget can bear AND many of them are great last minute gift ideas, too.