I love light bulb moments! And I love my friends because that is where I learn so many great things!
Today I was speaking to a friend and she told me how she handles Christmas presents for her children....
Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.
Wow. You would have thought she had just told me the secrets of the universe, I was that excited inside! As I was wrapping my children's Christmas presents just now, her method was on my mind and I felt the need to take a break and blog about it.
I have a hard time not going Christmas crazy. As much as I wanted this year to be different, I got caught up. Again. I love my kids and love making them happy and there are just so many neat things to buy for them! Yet I also want them to grow up balanced. Since I find it very challenging to myself to stay balanced, you can imagine my quandary. And understand my failure!
A guideline such as the one my friend told me about sounds like it could be a wonderful solution to both keep me in check and to teach my children. Knowing my boundaries would help me to stay on track. Setting a budget along with it would really help! And the lessons for my kidlets...some of which could be less materialism, more focus on what they really want and enjoy and with less to take care of perhaps that could also mean more appreciation and taking better care of what they do have?
I also thought it would be nice to add a fifth category...Something to give. We need to work more on that too.
So, it is pretty much too late this year (unless I wanted to do a LOT of returning, which I don't!) but I am definitely going to be promoting this for next year. And maybe over the next year I can convince my kids that this is a GOOD thing! :)
Do you have a method to your Christmas gift giving madness, especially when it comes to your children? What do you think of this method? I would love to hear your thoughts!
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And here is what my 16 year old D had to say so far....Something I want? Clothes. Something I need? Clothes. Something to wear? Clothes. Something to read? The tags on the clothes. And then she said..."See, I found the peep hole in there." Um, yeah, ya mean the LOOP hole sweetie? ;) Oh dear, this is going to be more of a challenge than I thought!
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a method, I just kinda do what I feel. I did end up buying Aaron a few things, his birthday is the 19th too, so he gets a bit gyped it seems.
ReplyDeleteYour friends' rule of thumb is WONDERFUL! I'm going to follow that, AND add yours...something to give. perfect.
oooh--that is one of the secrets of the universe revealed!
ReplyDeletei REALLY like you addition of something to give!
i think i'm going to use these guidelines
remind me next year!
my kids are still young
and they get a lot from relatives
as babies we just put money into savings for them
now we give just a few things as they really don't need much and aren't old enough to totally get it
the oldest is only 5yrs
and we put the money from our christmas club into savings still
I love the idea! I may have to start using that one. This is the first year that my 6 year old has really started asking for things. Still, it wasn't much. But, I like your idea!
ReplyDeleteI like that idea too :)
ReplyDeleteWe don't really have a method for giving Christmas gifts. When the girls were little I have gone kinda overboard, but I have since reigned myself in. They get so many gifts from friends and relatives, I don't feel like we have to overdo it. Our oldest asked for clothes this year for the first time, so both will get to keep monetary gifts to pick out their own. Both asked for several books and both would like a skateboard. All doable and I think plenty...
ReplyDeleteI love your idea, we have always gotten our kids something to wear (jammies), something they need, and something to read but I like the idea of using that as my shopping list for next year. And something to give is the best idea of all. Every year Brad and I donate toys for children in need but we don't always include this kids, from now on I will make sure to include them!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who does a great thing with wrapping paper. She has each of her four children select a roll at the store then they leave it under the tree for the wrapping paper elfs. The wrapping paper elfs come and take it a few nights before christmas. Then on Christmas morning each child knows which gifts are theirs to unwrap. Is that not a fabulous idea??
ReplyDeleteGreat idea...but my trouble is self control when buying for the Grandsons!!
ReplyDeleteJust wait till you get there,lol !