I don't do this very often, but last year I gave DH and 3DS tickets to a big deal event that they were going to go to together. Obviously they had to open the envelopes at the same time and then my gift giving would be over. Poof! No fun. So I sent them on a "hunt" to make it last longer for me and for them. So what I'm looking for in this thread is your ideas for clues. Here's what I did.
I wrapped each one a silly book about dogs. (to make them think it might be a puppy.
In the books were pieces of a written out explanation about me wanting to make it last longer and blah blah blah, that they had to piece together to understand which told them to beg me to give them another clue. While they were piecing I put on a Tiara and held a queen's scepter. (a dowel and a christmas pick ontop with ribbon). And they came a beggin.
After sufficient sucking up I handed them an envelope with a piece of St. Patricks Day scrapbook paper and stickers saying "MUST be read in Irish brogue! I"m a lucky little leprechaun and I have a pot of gold at the "end of the rainbow" " - a 3inch crafty paper rainbow taped to the wall in another room with a piece of string they had to follow around the room and out the door to the porch where I had put a plastic halloween cauldron with gold gift wrap shred.
In the bottom was a note from the pirate Jack Sparrow, which one of them had to read like a pirate, saying he had stole the gold and hid it where no one would find it in an AAArrrrchitecture book. Jack isn't too bright telling like that. (I love architecture and it's a great word for a pirate to say) And they got help finding the book with HOT or COLD around the house.
In the book was a scrapbook page pirate map where I had put a bunch of X's and labeled various piratey points of interest and only one which meant anything "The coal diggins". Our dog Coal always digs in the same place. If you squish the page like trash it looks older, then fold it or roll it.
In Coal's hole was a little toy treasure chest with those gold chocolate coins and a letter on each one (felt marker) they had to play with until they figured out it said "20 questions"
It only took them six.
For your hunt the last step would probably be actually finding the gift.
It was a lot of advance planning but really fun. I did have to stop the gift opening while I set up some of it like the rainbow and the pot of gold.
Did I mention my sons were 22, 25, and a married 28! :grin:
Deckr8r Sorry this is really long
I wrapped each one a silly book about dogs. (to make them think it might be a puppy.
In the books were pieces of a written out explanation about me wanting to make it last longer and blah blah blah, that they had to piece together to understand which told them to beg me to give them another clue. While they were piecing I put on a Tiara and held a queen's scepter. (a dowel and a christmas pick ontop with ribbon). And they came a beggin.
After sufficient sucking up I handed them an envelope with a piece of St. Patricks Day scrapbook paper and stickers saying "MUST be read in Irish brogue! I"m a lucky little leprechaun and I have a pot of gold at the "end of the rainbow" " - a 3inch crafty paper rainbow taped to the wall in another room with a piece of string they had to follow around the room and out the door to the porch where I had put a plastic halloween cauldron with gold gift wrap shred.
In the bottom was a note from the pirate Jack Sparrow, which one of them had to read like a pirate, saying he had stole the gold and hid it where no one would find it in an AAArrrrchitecture book. Jack isn't too bright telling like that. (I love architecture and it's a great word for a pirate to say) And they got help finding the book with HOT or COLD around the house.
In the book was a scrapbook page pirate map where I had put a bunch of X's and labeled various piratey points of interest and only one which meant anything "The coal diggins". Our dog Coal always digs in the same place. If you squish the page like trash it looks older, then fold it or roll it.
In Coal's hole was a little toy treasure chest with those gold chocolate coins and a letter on each one (felt marker) they had to play with until they figured out it said "20 questions"
It only took them six.
For your hunt the last step would probably be actually finding the gift.
It was a lot of advance planning but really fun. I did have to stop the gift opening while I set up some of it like the rainbow and the pot of gold.
Did I mention my sons were 22, 25, and a married 28! :grin:
Deckr8r Sorry this is really long