DIY Performance and Installations for Christmas, Birthdays and Other Holidays

DIY Performance and Installations gifts for friends, family, lovers, and random strangers. Make them a Performance or Installation Art gift, better yet, do it together with the entire family.

1 Read them from their favorite book, borrowed from the library. These days you can borrow digitally as well. Nypl shameless plug here.

2 Trash treasure hunt in Manhattan. Take them sledding with a found sled.

3 Make up your own.

4 Make them a food installation on the kitchen counter, spell their name or favorite phrase with cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, or whatever wonderful imaginative food combinations you can come up with.

5 Donate kitchenware and pantry items and replace their spots in the kitchen cupboards with books, handwritten messages, and joyful cards. When someone you love opens the cupboard they will have a nice surprise.

6 Make a wall of your house paintable, hang a giant piece of paper or canvas, and have everyone paint on it, write messages, and mural fun things in bright colors.

7 Spell the name of your loved one with clothes, in the hallway, living room floor, any large floor space. Make a letter from each item of clothing and arrange like this. I call it Words Works.

Ideally, you would destroy your kitchen and replace it with entirely paintable performance space for you and your family, especially the kids.