....this is how we approach Christmas in our family. Each kid gets four gifts that meet the above criteria. (I get some little stocking stuffers, too.) I don't want my kids to have a material explosion for Christmas. Usually, I have some pretty good ideas for what to get them. I get suggestions from them for the "something you want" category, of course. I try to accomodate (within reason, as long as it's age-appropriate and not hideously expensive) their requests, even if I think to myself (usually rightly so) "you'll NEVER play with/use that". Whatever. It's "something YOU want", not "something I WANT YOU TO HAVE".
I'm having trouble this year, though. Maybe it's the economy and the scarcity of funds that's making me so Grinchy. But really, when I look at these categories, only the "something you want" category even makes sense to me. Because there's really, really nothing they need. They truly, truly don't need any more clothing. We honestly, honestly, have too many books in this house. They're overrunning our place to keep them. We are expecting a baby in March with all the gack that goes along with that.
Anyone have any suggestions?
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7 comments:
If it were me, I would give each kid a certificate for a date night with Mom or Dad (quality time), to go out and buy them the thing they want. you could even tell them ahead of time that this is what you are going to do.
Personally...that would me more to *me* than getting a gift on Christmas. Just a thought.
Get a piggy bank and put a label on it that says, 'To Haiti or Bust'...maybe Christmas 2010 you can come spend it in Haiti from the money your kids and you saved!
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Ok, so I am totally not crafty, but I think that I am going to attempt to make this for Evie for Christmas. I just saw the idea today and I LOVE it!
No ideas here, Gretchen. I just wanted to say how much I absolutely love this idea!!!
I love the 4-gift principle. Do they have library cards (that way they get something to read and you get to take the books back to the library) - or are they willing to give away their gently-used books to a womens/childrens' shelter in the area to make room for more(which you can get at a thrift store or a library sale)? Or get them a tee shirt or sweatshirt with a slogan on it, that way their something to wear and something to read is the same thing :>)
This will be my first year trying this 4 gift principle. I have a question. Do you explain this to your kids, or just keep it as the criteria for buying gifts. My kids are still little so to start our christmas' moving in the right direction, I want to explain/address this, just looking for the best way. TIA
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