On a leisurely afternoon, let your kids unwind from the flurry of holiday activities with a special art project. Pull out their markers, crayons, paper and scissors and other favorite art supplies on the kitchen table to make clever and fun thank-you notes. They'll love creating these thoughtful cards because they are made in the shape of the gifts they received.

Here's how:Fold a piece of plain white paper in half. Place the folded paper in front of you with the fold at the top. Draw a picture of a gift item you received, making sure that the top fold is the top of the drawing. For example, if you received a T-shirt with a team logo on it, use a black marker to make an outline of a T-shirt (the shoulders will be along the fold). Color the drawing with markers and crayons, and add the logo or any other designs.

Cut out the outline, making sure you don't cut along the fold. Open the card and write a thank-you message inside. Additional easy pictures to draw include a football, stuffed animal, a videotape, CD and a book.

Help your child address standard-size envelopes, slip the thank-you card inside, add a postage stamp and mail.

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It's important to encourage thankfulness in our children. So compliment your child for showing appreciation to others.

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