KingM Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Similar to the other thread, except I want to simplify things in terms of stuff acquired, rather than focusing on cost. We've been fortunate financially, but I'm getting sick of the big pile of loot that kids play with for a day or two and then gets abandoned. Other than consumable food and treats, can you help me think of ways to give gifts and make Christmas enjoyable that don't involve big piles of junk made in China? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Like other posters mentioned, a family trip during the holidays could be lots of fun. And memberships to museums and subscriptions to magazines are always a hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 What we did a few years ago is focus on NON-GIFT/NON-EXPENSIVE things we do/enjoy about the holiday season, such as: baking together carolling, if that's your thing (not ours) watching holiday movies going to look at light displays playing in the snow doing holiday crafts together making cards decorating the tree (not in a one day binge, but in separate sessions of crafting,etc.) decorating the house making popcorn strings/paper chains etc, etc. All of those things mean so much more to us than gift-getting (although, truth be told, I do love gift GIVING. We all get so excited about one particular gift each year that we just KNOW another will love, kwim?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingM Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 What we did a few years ago is focus on NON-GIFT/NON-EXPENSIVE things we do/enjoy about the holiday season, such as: baking together carolling, if that's your thing (not ours) watching holiday movies going to look at light displays playing in the snow doing holiday crafts together making cards decorating the tree (not in a one day binge, but in separate sessions of crafting,etc.) decorating the house making popcorn strings/paper chains etc, etc. All of those things mean so much more to us than gift-getting (although, truth be told, I do love gift GIVING. We all get so excited about one particular gift each year that we just KNOW another will love, kwim?) Good ideas, thanks. The only problem with the trip idea from jld is that we own an inn near a ski resort in Vermont. Other people's vacations pin us down for the holidays. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Good ideas, thanks. The only problem with the trip idea from jld is that we own an inn near a ski resort in Vermont. Other people's vacations pin us down for the holidays. :P OMG! That sounds like a lovely venue for the holidays! We always have to wonder if we will have snow during the holidays. I'd love to live in a more winter-friendly place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jld Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Lol. You are a lucky family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 The only problem with the trip idea from jld is that we own an inn near a ski resort in Vermont. Other people's vacations pin us down for the holidays. :P Go someplace warm after the holiday rush. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingM Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 Go someplace warm after the holiday rush. ;) We do that every year, but if we wait until the rush ends this would be an Easter thread. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Similar to the other thread, except I want to simplify things in terms of stuff acquired, rather than focusing on cost. We've been fortunate financially, but I'm getting sick of the big pile of loot that kids play with for a day or two and then gets abandoned. Other than consumable food and treats, can you help me think of ways to give gifts and make Christmas enjoyable that don't involve big piles of junk made in China? Honestly, what worked for us was moving to the 3-gifts per child idea with a few family gifts thrown in that everyone shares, such as board games, puzzles and DVDs. My kids were thrown back the first year, complaining it wasn't fair. But they have learned to give ALOT of thought to the gifts they ask for each year. I ask for a list of 5 gifts and I get to choose the 3 I want to buy. Now granted, we started this when the youngest was 9 years old. That might have made a difference in them accepting it graciously once they had heard my reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 We tend to save up and buy bigger items at Christmas, usually electronics. We're also looking into non-physical items (things that don't take up space) like Xbox live subscription for ds, a new software program, something that extends the usability of something we already own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 In the past, it has always been a tradition to give each person a pair of pjs (I have no idea but my family really goes through the pjs), a book (preferable but other forms of media are acceptable) and a picture frame with family pictures. Other ideas like this are a Christmas ornaments each year or something handwritten from mom and dad. One year, I would like to collect scraps from each person's pjs and make them a quilt from them. This is still stuff but I feel like it is meaningful stuff that will be passed down from generation to generation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Amongst other things, I've bought paintings for my kids this year. You can buy "glory box" type stuff for them, but call it a "war chest" for the boys ;) Or you could admit defeat on the "made in China" front and get involved with a local toy sale. I was helping out with one yesterday, with a percentage of profits going to the local toy library. A worthy cause indeed :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 ugh, us, too. I am always yelling at dh to stop, and he's always throwing something else in the cart. But I'm thinking he's starting to see. I'm looking forward to seeing your responses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Some people do Christmas along the old Victorian-style Christmas theme: Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, Something to read. And on another board I'm on, I've seen people discuss their own variations: Something to do, Something to wear, Something you want, Something to share. And so on. We're aiming at the first one this Christmas and scaling WAY back on the stockings. Instead, I'm starting to shop and prepare earlier so that I can really pay attention to what they're wanting and needing instead of rushing around in a last-minute frenzy just to get gifts under the tree! They're both old enough this year to really appreciate special times alone with mom and dad, so one of the things going in their stockings will be books of coupons for special dates with us. Another thing I hope to do if I can pull it together in time is photo books of our annual beach trips. They love love LOVE our trips and talk about them all year long, so I want to get the best pictures from the last three years and have them made into those nice hardcover photo books, one for each of them. What about gifts of experiences? Museum or zoo memberships, a trip to an event? I'll be :bigear: for other ideas as well :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 We give the kids each one big gift which they get to choose and then one or two little 'stocking stuffers' that I choose (usually books/diaries/flashlights sorts of things.) For all the other kids in the family (cousins/nieces/nephews) I give them each a magazine subscription to the magazine of their choice - with parents permission. I also try to heavily influence what others give my kids for the holidays. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 We have two boys and tend to give them weird things: consumables like tins of sardines and Costco-sized bottles of A-1 sauce, exotic cocoa or coffee, and chocolates. They also like machines so we give them tool sets, or parts for whatever they are working on: a new tractor seat, chains for their tires, fire extinguishers, modern seat belts for older son's 1970 pickup truck--things that will last and they can use in their adulthood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kates Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 We tend to save up and buy bigger items at Christmas, usually electronics. We're also looking into non-physical items (things that don't take up space) like Xbox live subscription for ds, a new software program, something that extends the usability of something we already own. This is what we do as well, though it's not always electronics for us (just not always ds's cup of tea). This year, some electronics, some non...but we tend to save a couple of big-ticket items for Christmas/birthday (5 days apart) and the rest is non-tangibles. For instance, this year ds13 is getting a Nook and a hiking backpack with some gear, as he's a Scout and will be focusing on some high adventure backpacking stuff next year. I know my parents are getting him a camera and not sure what the other set of grandparents is getting him. For the rest, we give a few stocking stuffere things (goofy socks, something like that) and then stick to non-tangibles. Not terribly interested in amassing "stuff"...we stick to a few things that will really be valued, for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 A friend was telling me recently how her daughter decided she didn't want a birthday party this year, she just wanted a day where she could do whatever she wanted. I thought that sounded like so much fun that I was thinking of giving that to my kids for Christmas - as in, a certificate redeemable during the month of x where you can have a day of all yeses (within reason - I still expect everyone to brush their teeth at bedtime and I'm not plopping down an absurd amount of money). Knowing my kids, we would probably have a very lazy day with lots of candy and video games as indulgences and maybe pizza for dinner. But that's cool, right? - feeling like you're in charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in AZ Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 What about gifts of experiences? Museum or zoo memberships, a trip to an event? I'll be :bigear: for other ideas as well :D My dd loved receiving her Year of the Dollhouse Makeover where we worked on a room each month. We're trying for more "experience" gifts. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 http://adventconspiracy.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyce Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 and yes when the kids were younger they got a lot of Christmas. As they've gotten older we have found that there is less and less that we want. We have found that giving to others make us have a better Christmas then giving to others. For years we have done Samaritan's Purse Christmas Boxes. We usually each do a box and we love picking out toys etc for others. We also adopt at least 2 children off our church's Foster Child tree. I've also adopted a couple off of the trees at Wal-mart and other places. We love looking for presents for them and usually add in little extras. There are so many charities and so many ways to donate that can be fun, still feel like it's Christmas and really make a contribution. My kids love the feeling they get when they know they've make a contribution to a person who is not as fortunate as oursleves. We do still give ourselves presents but we find that one or two is all we need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 The book "Unplug the Christmas Machine" might be helpful to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 What about gifts of experiences? Museum or zoo memberships, a trip to an event? I'm thinking of doing a family "coupon" booklet for one activity per month for the year. My 10yo in particular will love this. Some things on our list are: Tempin bowling Visit to the big zoo about 2 hours away A child-friendly show Science museum Ice skating Amusement park (My kids have never been) Indoor water park (in winter) Planetarium Big-screen movie Bird park Ride on a steam train Christmas pantomime As these are all an hour or 2's drive away, we tend to avoid these activities because dh does a staggering amount of driving for his work and usually prefers to stay close to home over weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Some people do Christmas along the old Victorian-style Christmas theme: Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, Something to read. [\quote] This will be our 3rd Christmas doing this and I love what it has done for our holiday season. It set a framework around the simplicity that I was striving for. The kids were able to find satisfaction in less, because they were able to precisely anticipate what less was going to look like. The only thing we unofficially added was something outdoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 books!! Still stuff, but not the kind of stuff that clutters up the house. Also, movie tickets, tickets to a zoo or museum, gift certificate to a favorite ice cream store or restaruant, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 I try to give my dc consumable things. Crafts and art supplies are high on the list as are food treats. A pack of gum still goes a long way with my clan. :) I try to have my dc make each other gifts, but that'll be difficult this year with a newborn. They make simple things like playdoh, fruit loop necklaces, bookmarks, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 We have a "quality meter" in an attempt to keep free of the junk. It is easier now that my dc are older. Youngest still loves Playmobil and her doll house but I do not consider those toys junky. We tend to buy books, clothes, tools for dh, kitchen gadgets for me, games (board games mostly but always a video game too), special soaps and lotions, special candy, that type thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Give experiences. Last year, I have DS and DH tickets to see Avatar 3D on the big IMAX screen. This year our local science center has a Harry Potter exhibit that just started and goes through January. My kids want to go see it and think that there's a good chance they won't get to because it is expensive. They'll be getting tickets for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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