Christmas - What are you changing this year?

[PollyOR]

A few years ago, we changed from Santa bringing gifts to bringing a stocking only. They knew their main gifts came from mom and dad.

 

Our lives are soooo cluttered. We love giving each other gifts but often this stuff ends up at Goodwill within 6-9 months. So, this year we're shaking things up.

 

 

• We plan to give some of our usual Christmas spending money to charities of our choosing. (would love some recommendations)
  
• Santa will still bring stockings on Christmas morning, but we won't be giving each other gifts.
  
• Because there is a lot of merchandise variety this time of the year, we are going to let the girls choose one thing they really want and buy it before Christmas. Hopefully this will relieve some of the shock of no presents under the tree.
  
• We're going to use the time that we would have spent shopping to bake cookies, go to Christmas celebrations, and hang out with extended family.
  

 

At first my girls were a little unsure about this "let's give to others/charity rather than get lots of gifts ourselves" idea. When I asked them what they received last year for Christmas they could only name 1-2 things. That proved to them that those presents weren't as important as they had thought.

 

Honestly, I'm a little nervous about this. :001_huh:

 

Are you making changes this year? Shaking things up?

[Mommyof4ks]

We started that tradition last year sort of. We did do presents, but the kids asked for 3 things they wanted and that was what they got. We have done the same this year. Our focus is on giving to charities which is fairly easy this year! We also love the cookies, the parties, the time spent with family and friends, and that all seems so much more enjoyable when gifts are no longer a major issue. Just our experience! Have fun with it!

[Evergreen State Sue]

We are in a situation where the family members we invite to share Christmas with us never have money to give gifts. It becomes awkward for them to watch us open gifts. We give to them (which we love to do), but gifts are not exchanged (and we think that might feel uncomfortable for them). We're thinking of changing this year, but I love those Christmas present memories. When I was growing up we didn't have a lot of money, but I so enjoyed opening Christmas presents, even if it was the slippers I needed anyway.

 

We are thinking of doing stockings (usually food items and a few small gifts) and maybe just one family gift or only 1 gift each to open. I'm also thinking of saving the other Christmas gifts that we would give for closer to New Years after the guests have left but the tree is still up. I don't think we go overboard, but have things that they would need anyway.

 

So, we're changing something, but I don't know how quite yet.

[hsmom3tn]

I'm not buying gifts this year. There's just not really anything that they need (except maybe some more clothes). They can't think of anything that they really want either. I'm trying to think of something special to do for them instead, maybe take them somewhere. My father always gives them a bit of money for Christmas, and this year he gave it to them early so that they could take advantage of the sales. I'm considering doing the coupon thing that was suggested in another thread. I think they would love that.

 

We did make a few of the shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child, but that's all the toy shopping that I'm planning on doing. :001_smile:

[IsabelC]

We give our children some money to donate to charity at Christmas time. Because our kids are young, we like to use the gift catalogues such as TEAR, Oxfam Unwrapped, etc and let them choose an item to give. Usually we don't use these - our regular charity donations go to Red Cross for a variety of reasons - but it's great for the kids to learn about how kids in other countries live and how they can help.

 

Our Christmas is already pretty low pressure, the only gifts we buy are a book for each of our children and our nieces and nephews. Plus we do activities such as the nativity scene, songs and stories, Christmas food, Advent Calendar and decorations. This year I'm seriously thinking about eliminating the cards. I usually send about 70 and it takes me a while since we design and print our own cards from scratch using a specially created photo of the children. I'm in two minds about it, I'm not sure how much the friends and relatives appreciate getting them, I'm sure some people do but others I dunno. Have to make a quick decision as it's nearly time to get going on it...

[sthompson]

Our kids are getting 3 gifts each this year. (not that they got tons before, I guess I don't like having a limit) I may sneak something small into their stockings with their fruit and candy though. :D The three gift thing was upsetting to me at first. We do not have a money issue and I like to give them things. However for us the purchasing of plastic stuff that is going to break within a week is frustrating. So we are getting things that they have talked about over and over and keeping it small.

 

I do like to do cookie boxes and homemade cocoa mix for our parents and grandparents. They each get a picture calendar of their grandkids. I think that is it this year. Usually we get everyone 2 things each. Not so much this time.

 

We give monthly to St. Judes and Make a Wish and I like to give more at the end of the year. This is not something we do in lieu of giving presents or sending cards.

[Hikin' Mama]

We have proposed to the kids that instead of buying gifts, we use the money for someone in need. We have left it up to them, and told them to discuss it together. If not everyone agrees, then it's a no-go. And I also told them that I don't want to know who doesn't agree, if that happens. We are very blessed: we still have an income, we still have a warm house, and we eat well. We really don't need anything, and the kids really don't want anything. We've always found places before to give at Christmas, and it has always been a family effort, but this year I wanted to see if the kids would be willing to focus on just giving.

 

We will still do stockings. But we do stockings a bit differently. Each person (we are a family of five) draws a name, and we shop for the person we draw. We each spend $20. It is so fun to see the kids focused on someone else and what they would like. We began this when the kids were little for the very purpose of having them focus on how they could bless someone else in the family, rather than "I want a _______ for Christmas."

[Dooley]

We are asking the kids what 4 things they want the most. Last year was a good year, and Christmas reflected that. This year was not...but I want them to be happy in much and in little. I think they can handle it. I dont like the stress of the season, I want the beauty and joy instead. We will spend lots of time together, doing things, walking...whatever! God bless all of you!

[keptwoman]

We are camping in the bush instead of at the beach.

We won't have power like we usually do so we can't decorate the tent with fairy lights and the tree will be unlit.

Main gifts are always from Mum and Dad but the Jolly old fat guy in a red suit will be bringing less.

I'm seriously considering not including a water pistol in the stockings. In our family this is very serious indeed but we still have last years (because I finally brought decent ones)

That's about all I can think of really.

[Pippen]

I'm having surgery the week before Christmas and will be in the hospital 3-4 days so we're simplifying in a lot of ways. Probably just one tree instead of two, meals from the freezer, no last minute rush of baking.

 

Actually, no last minute rush of anything--if it's not done by the time I check in for the hospital it probably won't happen!

 

We've never had money for a lot of gifts so we've always tried to get the kids what they wanted the most.

[Blueridge]

My girls came up with this wise idea a few weeks ago. They do not want us to put our presents under the tree as we buy and wrap them. The pile gets too big in our tiny space anyway. Last year it seemed to encourage a sense of greediness to keep waiting for *more* presents to appear under the tree. So this year we will get our gifts for each other and hide them, and put them out on Christmas eve, so it's all fresh and new and the limited number of gifts will still seem large and exciting. Sweet kids!

[ChristusG]

This year I've decided to stop doing most of the "regular" toys that you see at stores. Which basically puts places like Toys R Us and Target out of the question for toy shopping. "Regular" toys seem to be the ones that get played with for a week and then ditched. And I end up selling it on craigslist 6 months later. :glare:

 

This year my mission is less toys, and to make them much more useful. Some are not even "toys", but science kits and stuff like that.

[chiguirre]

I found an online source for Hungarian Christmas stuff so this year we're hanging szaloncukor (beautifully wrapped creme filled chocolate candy) from our tree. Since we're not home on Christmas, I'm going to do it on St. Nicholas and St. Lucia. The store also carries canned poppyseed filling so we're going to make poppyseed cake. I hope it turns out right since this will be my first attempt. I'm excited to include more foods from my childhood and I hope the kids like them.

 

I am going to simplify gift giving a bit this year. I have several things hidden away I bought on clearance last year for dd. Oldest will be getting supplies to make his own toys instead of pre-made. I've finally learned my lesson on this one and I'm sticking with fuzzy sticks, sticky tack, balsa wood and zoobs. Middle son is the only one I have to shop for and he'll just want legos, transformers and robot toys.

[HollyDay]

A few years ago, we started asking each dd what was one thing they really wanted. One year, they both wanted a see-saw. 2 years ago, it was pogo sticks. So, they get one "big" gift, which is big to them, not necessarily money big. Dh I get other gifts for them, but we tend to go more practical. For example, in my Christmas stash so far: socks, books, art supplies, hair accessories. We always buy board games too. Dd loves the 10 Days games, so this year I have purchased 10 Days in Asia. I will get their favorite candy and perhaps a Littlest Pet Shop for the stocking. But, we have a fairly strict "No Junk" rule. I love what one post replied about not using Toys R Us or Target. I don't completely rule it out, but that is not my first choice either.

[lynn]

I was just thinking this morning that I wanted to skip Christmas and go on a big trip instead. Chalet in the Smokey Mtns, Disney? California? a cruise? something totally different. A few years ago we rented a cabin in Flagstaff AZ and that's the best Christmas memory for the kids. They went sledding all day Christmas Eve and most of Christmas day. I brought a small pre lit tree that we decorated with ribbon and 1 gift for each child. The place we stayed had sleigh rides, hot cocoa and cider, a yummy variety of cookies and Santa at the lodge. Did I mention how the kids loved it. Now if I can just pull off the all the planning in the next few weeks. I wonder if the Smokey Mtns will have chalets available?

[Tammy]

I don't celebrate Christmas......What a relief!

 

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[rafiki]

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[*********]

We plan to give some of our usual Christmas spending money to charities of our choosing. (would love some recommendations)

 

I'd like to recommend Gospel for Asia. You can go to their website and request a 'Christmas Gift Catalog'. In it, there are all sorts of things you can 'buy' for struggling missionaries or believers in Asia; for example, for a donation of $11, you can provide a pair of chickens for a South Asian family. Then, the family has a source of both food and income. Our children really like looking through the catalog with dh and I, picking out what we will donate.

[MIch elle]

from Heifer International as our charity Christimas gift. We also sponsor a child in Egypt through Childreach now called Plan USA and give to that quarterly.

 

We buy one large gift for each of our boys and smaller more practical gifts along with some food gifts (chocolate, sweets, etc.). Our Christmas is very simple.

[woolybear]

Hmmmm......you guys have given me a lot to think about here. The only real thought I had prior to this was some of the schooly things I want to get them, will be presents (science and art stuff). However, then they might not get used how I want. Maybe that's okay.

 

Now I'm thinking I like the three gift for each idea. That way they can really think about what they want, instead of getting greedy. And the charity.....I'm going to mull all this over and talk with dh. And then the kids.:)

 

Thanks guys! Christmas looks brighter already.

 

Hey, I just had another thought....Maybe I'll brainstorm with the kids all the fun Christmas stuff we can do---making cookies, seeing friends, making decorations, gingerbread houses, looking at the lights, etc. and then we can either plan when to do what together or we can put some of those ideas on slips of paper and put them into a jar. Then on a day when we can, we pull one from the jar and see what we'll do that day....

[kpupg]

Are you making changes this year? Shaking things up?

 

We live 1700 miles away from the closest family, and I had been in the habit of making and sending goodie gift bags for all the families, with a different theme each year. It was fun and creative, but also quite stressful ... only one person ever said thank you, so I am cutting that out. The main branch of the family I am referring too has already cut out gift exchanges, so I'm clear there.

 

Instead, dd12 and i plan to make cookie plate gifts (ala today's featured Homeschool Freebie) for all our local contacts -- piano teacher, pastor & his mother, neighbors, etc. Yes, I just now decided that LOL.

 

We have always been relatively frugal in family gifts, so we won't be changing that part of it.

 

Karen

[K&Rs Mom]

We are thinking of doing stockings (usually food items and a few small gifts) and maybe just one family gift or only 1 gift each to open. I'm also thinking of saving the other Christmas gifts that we would give for closer to New Years after the guests have left but the tree is still up. I don't think we go overboard, but have things that they would need anyway.

 

So, we're changing something, but I don't know how quite yet.

 

Because of scheduling & family visits and gift-overload from the grandparents, we changed last year to giving each dd 3 gifts on Epiphany (a celebration of the wisemen giving their 3 gifts to Jesus). Since it's January 6, it's far enough from Christmas that some of their stuff (plastic junk from distant relatives) had already gotten old, and this was a way to extend the season.