Five Ideas for Holiday Gifts That Can Grow with Them

published November 5, 2026

Some of the most meaningful gifts are not limited to one holiday morning. They encourage a new interest, create a family tradition, or help a child take a step toward a future goal.

This year, consider a new approach to holiday giving: pair a present they can enjoy today with a gift that can grow in meaning over time.

If You Want to Invest in Their Dreams

For Right Now: Open or contribute to an Edvest 529 College Savings Plan account as a meaningful holiday gift. For younger children, this can be paired with a book or coloring book with a note about the dreams you have for their future. Older children may appreciate a hat or sweatshirt from a local college (or your alma mater), along with a card explaining the gift.

For the Years Ahead: Continue contributing for birthdays, holidays, and other milestones. Friends and family can also contribute through Ugift^®, an online gifting platform that makes gifting easy, giving loved ones a simple way to celebrate a child while supporting their future education.

Edvest 529 is Wisconsin’s college savings plan, a tax-advantaged investment account designed specifically to help individuals and families save for future education expenses.

Earnings in the account are tax-deferred, and withdrawals are tax-free when used for qualified education expenses like college tuition, registered apprenticeship programs, or computers and textbooks. And Wisconsin taxpayers can qualify for a state income tax deduction on contributions into an Edvest 529 account.

Children may not immediately understand what an education savings contribution represents. Someday, however, they will recognize it as a gift of encouragement, opportunity, and belief in what they can become.

If They Love to Read

For Right Now: Choose a book that reflects your child’s personality, interests, or dreams. Write a personal message inside the cover so they will always remember who gave it to them and why.

For the Years Ahead: Make the book the beginning of a personal library. Add a new title for birthdays, holidays, or special milestones, creating a collection that grows alongside them.

A book may begin as a bedtime story, but over time, it can become part of a child’s story.

If They Are Curious and Creative

For Right Now: Surprise them with an experience that lets them explore something new, such as an art class, music lesson, cooking activity, sports program, or hands-on workshop.

For the Years Ahead: Encourage them to share what they enjoyed and what they learned from the experience. As they discover their passions, you can help connect these to future education and career opportunities. Learning and developing skills can help children practice creativity, perseverance, teamwork, and confidence.

Instead of adding another item to the toy shelf, you may be opening the door to an interest they carry for years.

If They Treasure Family Time

For Right Now: Plan a special family experience. It could be a weekend trip, a visit to a Wisconsin destination, a day at a museum, or a simple activity chosen together.

For the Years Ahead: Invite your child to help plan the experience. They can research the destination, choose an activity, or help set a family savings goal.

Long after the holiday decorations are packed away, the memories from time spent together can remain.

If They Love Family Traditions

For Right Now: Start a family recipe book filled with favorite meals, holiday treats, handwritten notes, and photos.

For the Years Ahead: Ask grandparents, extended family members, and family friends to contribute recipes and the stories behind them. Cook the dishes together and leave space for your child to add their own favorites as they get older.

Over time, the book can become more than a collection of recipes. It can become a record of the people, places, and traditions that helped shape your family.

A Holiday Tradition That Can Grow with Them

A lasting gift does not have to replace the fun of the holidays. It can complement it.

The most memorable approach is to give children something they are excited to enjoy now and something that helps support where they are going next. A favorite book, a shared experience, a family keepsake, or an Edvest 529 contribution can all communicate the same meaningful message: I celebrate who you are today, and I believe in the future you are building.

This holiday season, consider beginning a tradition that can grow with your child. It may not be the largest gift under the tree, but it could become one of the most meaningful.

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Footnotes

1. To learn more about Wisconsin's Edvest 529 College Savings Plan, its investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses, see the Plan Description at Edvest.com before investing. Read it carefully. Prior to investing, check with your home state to learn if it offers tax or other benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, or protection from creditors for investing in its own 529 plan. If the funds aren't used for qualified higher education expenses, a federal 10% penalty tax on earnings (as well as federal and state income taxes) may apply. Consult your legal or tax professional for tax advice. Investments in the Plan are neither insured nor guaranteed and there is the risk of investment loss. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRA, is the distributor and underwriter for the Edvest 529 College Savings Plan.
2. Ugift is a registered service mark.
3. Withdrawals for tuition expenses at registered apprenticeship programs can be withdrawn free from federal and Wisconsin income tax. If you are not a Wisconsin taxpayer, these withdrawals may include recapture of tax deduction, state income tax as well as penalties. You should talk to a qualified professional about how tax provisions affect your circumstances.

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