A local online community I’m part of recently featured a post by a woman with little financial resources asking for ideas on inexpensive gifts to get her 1 year old for Christmas. Knowing my own kids at that age, my first thought was an empty box and some wrapping paper! We all remember the stage when the child would rather play with (or in!) the box than whatever toy came inside. It started me thinking about this season of giving and receiving and what’s really important.
If I ask you what you received for Christmas (or Hannukah, or birthdays, for that matter) as a child, how many presents do you really remember? My family has never had a specific limit or rule around gift-giving, but I’m sure my kids will tell you that they are not the ones to have the new XBox or latest iPhone on Christmas morning. I’ve heard of ideas like Something you Need, Something you Wear, Something to Read, and Something to Want, but I’ve never had quite that level of discipline. I’m a little more random, but you can count on books, Christmas PJs, and something fun.
Getting back to the one-year-old, wouldn’t the gift of a less financially stressed out mom be the best gift? What if the holidays were all about presence instead of presents. If you have some extra time these next two weeks, I highly recommend spending it at home vs. the shopping mall. I failed to take my own advice on that one a few days ago and ended up abandoning the whole shopping trip because the line at Target was nearly to the back wall of the store!
So what can you do to be present? With yourself? With your family? With your friends? A few thoughts…
- Build a snowman. Okay, not possible in my neck of the woods right now, but maybe yours!
- Play a card game (my family specializes in competitive quadruple solitaire – yes, that’s a thing).
- Go for a drive to look at the lights.
- Watch a classic Christmas TV show. Here’s a complete schedule. Charlie Brown Christmas anyone?
- Make cookies. The more frosting the better!
- Sit by the fireplace and read together.
- Go sledding. (I’m clearly dreaming of a white Christmas).
- Go for deeper conversations. Here was one from our conversation last night… If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
- Invite friends over – for you and the kids.
- Turn off the TV and play holiday music instead. In Seattle, we even have a Santa station.
Great thoughts. Merry Christmas!
I love this reminder, Erika! With five children, we could not afford to give our kids a lot at Christmas. They usually got a family gift–like a big box of legos or each kid got a needed coat. Now that they are grown, they don’t have huge expectations of Christmas gifts. They look forward to the simple traditions from their childhood–doing a puzzle together, walks in the snow, board games with the family, cooking favorite foods, etc. I love the ones that you mention!