When making soap for other people there are a few things that I would suggest. First of all the kits are far easier to use than the making of the soap from scratch. With the kits you don't have to wait three weeks for the soap to cure like you would if you made it from scratch. The kits also allow you to make clear soap without having to try and figure out the formula of how much sugar and water do I add with how much Castor oil. I have made my soap from scratch and I do not suggest trying it this close to Christmas.
One other thing that I have learned from experience is do not give a man or young boy soap with lavender essential oil added to it. There was some studies done on the lavender oil and it can cause some strange problems to males on your list. Buying the kits and going buy the directions on them is really fun. Kits and molds can be purchased at most crafting stores.
If you are really looking for something neat to do with a soap kit try getting one that is clear and when it is melted pour it up into a mold but before it sets put a small trinket, like a ring, a polished stone, with a big enough bar you could even fit a plastic army man inside the bar of soap. This is great for kids who don't like washing very much. They do it to get at the surprise that they can see in the middle of the soap.
You can also but soap kits that have color already added. This makes it easy and you don't have to worry about how much food coloring to use. The soap from the kits could be put into pans and then cut out into different shapes with cookie cutters. This is fun as well. However, if you really feel up to trying something different. Get some colored soap kits and a clear one and cut the colored ones with small cookie cutters of different shapes, then put the shapes into the molds and pour the clear soap over it. You then have a colored shape in the middle of the clear soap.
Combining soap kits and creativity is the funnest part of making soap for the Holidays. If children get involved with this you could have more creations than you ever could have imagined. My daughter was the proof of this the very first time I let her help. She loved cutting out different shapes with the cookie cutters.
The cautions with children helping are make sure that things have cooled before they cut and never let them pour the hot soap into the molds. One other thing to remember if the cookie cutters have a sharp edge make sure that the child keeps that edge away from their bodies. We never know when they might have to run to the bathroom and fall getting away from the table.