So, you’ve made the decision to attempt a more simple holiday season, especially when it comes to gift giving and receiving, but sometimes the real challenge is getting everyone else in the family to come on board.
Explain yourself
It’s good to inform your family of your intentions before the gift exchange. Keeping it simple to you might mean doing no gifts at all, or only one small gift when your sister in law always gives three. Not that anyone’s keeping score, but in reality, some families and in-laws do keep score. So, have a chat ahead of time to keep it all even.
Give where there are needs
For the family members that are going to buy the whole toy store no matter how much you ask them not to, use it for good. Have them take the kids to pick out toys for children at a local women’s shelter or children’s home or hospital. Many churches and communities have an “angel tree” with a child’s name and specific needs- be generous to those that need it.
The gift of spending time together
In the past, our family has gotten together with all the aunts and uncles and cousins to have a pizza party and game night in lieu of gifts- bowling, board games, miniature golf, etc.
Instead of buying presents for everyone, we spend a lot less money on an evening of food and fun. And have memories that last forever. (Much longer than the toys that will end up in your next garage sale.)
Plan a mini vacation with the grandparents- visit a children’s museum, indoor waterpark, sporting event, or even go to the movies. Opt to use money that would have gone toward gifts and wrapping paper and bows and put it towards time together.
Next week I’ll share simple family gift ideas for those of us that insist on having presents under the tree.
What do you do to keep the holidays simple?
photo credits: allerleirau, cursivedesign
Luckily, my siblings and I have all decided that with 5 kids and 25 grandkids, we just can’t give to everyone. So, we don’t give to anyone.
We get together on Christmas for dinner and games and it is just so much fun. No one misses the gifts.
For our children, they get 1 big gift from us (this year the girls will get doll cradles and Seth will get a lego set) that costs no more than $30. They will get handmade jammies from Mama and 3 gifts each from Santa.
We try to keep it as simple as possible to help them remember what Christmas is really about.
We also find it important to do a lot of service for others during the Holiday season so they can really realize how lucky and blessed they are.
We don’t go overboard with decorations. I know it may sound Grinchy but I have found that too much stuff makes me feel like the house is cluttered and then I start feeling like I am trapped and add that to the 4 PM sunset and well, its not pretty.
I try to get family members excited about what I may create next. With so many birthdays in the months right before the ‘big day’ it makes it a bit easier.
Thankfully my girls are older and they think clothes are a great gift to get and the grandparents love getting them gift cards to their favorite stores, even though they may only be able to buy a t-shirt they get to pick it out and they really love that.