Okay people. What are you buying your kids for Christmas? I assume that many of you struggle with this as we do, for probably some of the following reasons:
1. Your kids have too much stuff already.
2. What they do have, they play with a lot, then a little, then not at all.
3. They're too little to really know what they want. Or they want something unreasonable, like a trampoline.
4. You hate plastic.
5. Your kids already have a lot of "imaginative" toys (blocks, play doh, legos, art supplies, sand box) and you dislike many of the "un-imaginative" sort.
6. Let's be honest: Your kids are content with a box...for their heads. (Yes, Ollie loves walking around with a box/bucket/whatever on his head, even if that box/bucket/whatever is opaque.)
7. Santa only brings one gift because you still feel weird lying to your kids.
8. (And this may be my issue alone) You like to make the gifts instead of buy.
Given all of my issues, what do I get my boys?
P.S. We're thinking about doing four gifts for each child, one each in the following categories: want, need, do, read. What do you think? Do any of you do something like this?
P.P.S. Again, I apologize to myself for the irregular posting schedule this week. I've just been feeling a little off.
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We have the same problem. Although I have less aversion to things cliche and plastic and I also cannot make my kids' gifts. My only excitement is buying books. I wish our mantra was "something to read, something to read, something to watch (Disney movie or a classic), something to read."
ReplyDeleteso these are my thoughts and i'll try and make it concise, but i doubt it. . .
ReplyDeleteyes, it's a nice thought "Christ is the reason for the season." But we try to live all year-round with Christ as a focus in our lives and in our home. so we (i'm speaking on ben's behalf) don't feel super bad about making presents a big part of the Christmas season. we hardly ever buy our kids gifts - unless it is birthday or Christmas.
and, yes, our kids don't "need" more. frankly we always talk about how toys are sort-of wasteful since all our kids play with it seems are non-toys items! but, kids love getting toys. it makes Christmas magical. so we do it. even knowing the toys may be well-forgotten or not-played with in the near-future.
so what do we get them? we do one "big" gift from santa and santa also fills the stockings. our big gifts to our boys this year is some "tuff camera" is something. each boy gets his own. our girls are probably getting ballerina dolls - partly due to lack of other ideas.
then we, the parents, give them 3 gifts: a fun toy (big lego sets - star wars and harry potter for the boys; not sure for the girls), an interactive game (board game, darts, etc. Miles is getting "rush hour" do you remember that game?), and a cool book.
i think your categories are great.
I am the same way. I try the old "something to wear, something to read, something I want, and something I need" and I like that a lot. With both my kids I pay attention to what they LOVE at other's people's homes too. My son loves his cousins trains so he's getting a small Thomas train track this year. I hope he loves it, and if not I didn't spend too much.
ReplyDeleteErin I totally get you. Freddie just got so much stuff for his bday! And I'm trying to take time to play with then with him. But we don't want to ever have tons and tons of presents at cmas so we decided on this One present (an awesome keyboard cause he LOVES playing the piano already!!!) and we saved a present from his bday to give him and he gets a wooden puzzle that I found for $4.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking in The future everyone in our family will get each other one thing and everyone will get something from Santa in their stockings. We want to keep it simple.
Yeah, I think that's a great idea. We aren't that smart I guess to do the 4 gifts, but we try to keep a budget and try to be somewhat educational/fun in our gifts. Like the others we do one santa gift and he does stockings too. Then a few other things from us.
ReplyDeleteI hate to get them a bunch of things when there are so many other gifts from grandparents and siblings, etc. Anyway, it sounds like you have a great way to go about it! Can't wait to see what you make!!
i like the idea!!! we aren't as structured in our gifts as we should be. or maybe as budgeted, we try.....i swear, but there are always those last minute things either they NEED, or we WANT for them. ha.
ReplyDeletewe do go through ALL the toys in late October, or November to make "room" for new stuff though, i sell stuff that hasn't been used, we give AWAY tons to friends with kids similar ages, and the rest goes to DI. i try to teach my kids a little about giving too, and they actually are more inclined to GIVE stuff away. win win, if you ask me.