Here are the things we always looked for in buying gifts for our guys:

Constructive Things--Boys love to build. Building sets, especially those that can be added to for years to come, are sure to be a hit. Feel free to pitch out a problematic piece or two, or even reimagine the purpose of a kit to make it fit your family.

Imaginative Things--Boys like to collect realistic gear to suit up as knights, soldiers, ranch hands, or explorers. Sometimes this can double as useful clothing items, too (a western-style winter coat, for example, or a pair of nice cowboy boots for church shoes). Don't forget the Army surplus stores, for great inexpensive gear.

Useful Things--Boys appreciate having their own tools. Maybe they can't handle Dad's 16-ounce framing hammer, but they work fine with a smaller, lighter tool. Cull lumber from the lumberyard to give him an inexpensive way to try his skills.

Boys want to do real things. They want to be men!

Ballistic Things--Instead of "shooting" their family members or friends or playing out activities that would be sinful in reality, encourage them to pretend they are pioneers, soldiers, policemen, and hunters--all God-honoring roles. Toy swords, bows and arrows, or slingshots, with training to handle with care, can be great fun.  

Don't forget ballistic rockets! What boy wouldn't like something that goes boom and flies away?

Books and Games--Boys especially love audiobooks. What a great thing to take in the van on a long ride.

Look for games that the family can play together and harder ones, too. We just team a younger child with an older one. The younger children mostly want to roll the dice and move the "man," while the older boys get into the strategy.

Active Things--The old standbys, balls and bicycles, are always good for gifts.

Video Games--Top on the list for many boys are video and computer games, but we think they should be last on most lists. They're better for an occasional or weekend treat. Why? Most boys love exciting, action-packed games that fill a boy's system with adrenaline, and then leave him with no way to be active.

As we get past the idea that our boys need the latest hot toy and think about what will not only give them pleasure, but develop their skills, their imaginations, their minds, souls, and bodies, we've found that gift giving has become a lot more fun for all of us!

Merry Christmas!

Hal & Melanie

P.S. For more on Character-Building Gift-Giving, including practical examples, click here to download this week's podcast by that name from our radio show, Making Biblical Family Life Practical.

Philosophy Adventure from Home School Adventure Co.

In Philosophy Adventure, Stacy Farrell helps us explore the history of ideas. When I first received the textbook and student workbook to review, I was a little nervous. Philosophy? The word brings to mind dusty bookshelves, deep theological texts, and eyes struggling to stay open under the weight of heavy eyelids. I couldn't have been more wonderfully surprised.

The book skillfully takes us through the lives of eight philosophers, but the text does far more than simply recount historical facts. In the introduction, author Stacy Farrell shares, "What we learned when we delved deeply into the study of the history of philosophy is too significant to sleep through. In fact, the future of freedom may depend upon how many of us wake up to the world of ideas and seek to discern and defend truth."

Why is understanding the history of philosophy so important? Do any of these questions sound relevant to today's life?

Where did the universe originate?

Was the universe created or has it always existed?

What happens to a person when they die?

Is there more to life than the physical body?

Is the spirit reincarnated into other living creatures?

How does the character of a group's leader impact his followers?

Could there be one omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God?

Who or what can solve the mysteries of life?

Can truth be known or is all of life an endless string of confusing contradictions?

What happens when you try to blend science and myth?

Is it possible to know God exists?

In addition to exploring the historical foundations of ideas that continue to shape modern thought, author Stacy Farrell also introduces us to a world of logical fallacies, teaching us how to identify them and think critically about the "facts" that are presented to us. (Click here to read the rest of the review!)

You can WIN this set!