What are ideas or Christmas traditions you guys have. My kids are 13 & 8 and I’m “over” buying gifts that just literally end up in the trash / donation - every spring I do a big cleaning, and half the gifts aren’t even opened and the other half they don’t even touch anymore. I’ve always been a “go all out” mom but I want to start a new Christmas tradition (I’m still going to get the basics - clothes, shoes & gift cards) but no longer wanting to go all out & by toys and games that are literally a waste. So what I’m asking is different ideas/opinions/traditions etc. That you all have. Thank you all so much in advance happy Sunday everyone
Something they need, something to read, something to wear and something they want.
We’re doing Disney this year .
Experiences!! Plan a day somewhere for each kid, either together or separately, and go somewhere fun like an indoor water park or overnight somewhere
I saw a post that said they did one of each: Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to eat!
We go on vacation now bc of this.
Go somewhere warm for xmas. I loved phoenix at xmas there are lotta cool places for teens/kids. I went with high school. The indoor water park was so fun
I want to start a tradition of adventures/activities instead of gifts. Stocking for everyone and maybe a few small gifts but memories are better for everyone🙂
I usually get them like one big gift from us, one from santa (usually a stuffed animal) and then we do a family trip. This past Christmas we did a family game night theme. Got a bunch of different board games, and then we told them we would take a trip to Wisconsin Dells (one night) during spring break, which was last week.
We don’t celebrate Christmas, we celebrate Yule. We have a Yule log, traditional activities and feast
We don’t do gifts we do experiences
We’ve been trying to implement giving experiences. Most years we can do it after the holidays and the kids love it. This year we aren’t going anywhere. But we do also go to Tennessee for the last few years and the kids definitely enjoy being with the family!
My kids get a Christmas eve box which contains new jammies, a movie and a snack.
Our kids have been the same the last two years. So we decided that we will gift them a few little things that we picked out whether it’s clothes or whatever we find that we want to give and then decided that we will be giving gift cards for about 100 to 150 for each child after that… its sad when we stress to make aure the gifts we give have a thought of thought and are never touched after the day… so to make things easier on us and better for them Thats what we decided. Our boys are 8 and 12
Take vacations! Those experiences will live with your kids forever
Following !!! I’m sick of the toys lol
Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read!
We gift our kids money and let them pick out exactly what they want for Christmas. Works great for us. My kids are teens though and are past the toy phase.
I tend to ask my child what she wants she is pretty good at knowing she is 8.
I get clothes trainers boots tracksuits hair accessories board games ( she loves board games ) arts and crafts etc…
Experiences! We do baking traditions (decorate sugar cookies, make pumpkin bread).
To ensure i get them items they want i have them write down 10 items they would buy if they got to walk through the store and just pick. Then i choose a few off of that list. And buy clothes books and family board games.
Books, clothes & shoes, homemade ornaments they make and keep adding over the years, small kid crafts to do together (gingerbread houses, snowman’s with cotton balls)
4 gifts - something you read something you wear something you need something you want
Once ours hit 12-13 we start asking them exactly what they want. If it’s around $100-200 we’ll get it, anything more then we will talk about an agreement doing halfsies between us, and them (our kids all work). Otherwise you never fail with streaming subscriptions, new earbuds/pods, apple music, spotify, PS subscriptions, etc.
I do for the younger kids something the want, need, read and wear. The older kids usually have 1 gift that’s expensive for the house or what not but they also get something to wear. Once the younger ones get a bit older to let me know what they actually want it’ll be wasier
I’ve started buying alternative products than just toys for my nieces. Tired of getting the same old stuff for them x
Do secret Santa . few gifts or give em money
I give cash, and then create experience around activities and making food.
" Something you want
Something you need
Something to read "
That is what we do for the kids gifts. One or two things they want, two or three things they need and three or four books or a big series.
We’re starting a new tradition with our kids this year. Although they’ll still get their usual toys and books (we’re pretty minimal. No need for excessive amounts of toys in our opinions.) but this year Christmas day is for our little family only and we’re going to the movies and spending some of that Christmas money on that instead of gifts.
Once the kids are older we are doing experiences for Christmas. Trips: Water parks, zoo tickets, beach trip, museums etc.
Right now they are still little so we do: Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.
Do museum membership or like a special day trip each. Buy experiences and memories instead. Where I live you can sponsor the Carnegie Museum for the year and a friend said that sponsorship enables her to get into museums all over the country (I think they are affiliated somehow but the point is to do your research because one thing like that could actually make tons of unique memories.)
Last year, 2020, we opted to not do gifts and do a trip to Florida instead. We left the day after Christmas and drove from Michigan, and took my parents. 2021, we flew and drove to the keys, my parents and brothers family went too. 2022, we’re gonna drive and hit Universal. Our boys will be 16 and 15 and it has been better than wasting money on things that will be used for a week. While I miss Christmas morning and gifts, its money better spent on a vacation and memories.
When it comes to gifts for any occasion I have my daughter sit down with me and we make a list on Amazon/ Walmart and then we buy from the lists🤷🏻♀️ we ask her what her top 3 favorites are and go from there
We plan a vacation and Amazon gift cards
I do annual passes for things, eg theme parks, trampoline parks, days out to zoo, my kids will be 7/11/13 come Xmas they love having something we can enjoy all year round x
My kids are adults now but at that age they always got …books , clothes, dvds…yes they’re that old lol…board games, …they got one big gift they wanted…games consul & game maybe…then cash to buy something they were saving for. Stockings were the usual candy, colouring books etc.
A bit older and all they wanted was cash but still got a few small gifts to open …maybe clothes and perfume /aftershave. Daughter was into crafts fairly young and son liked painting figures so was never really stuck for something to wrap.
Take them to an Airbnb an make a snowboarding trip or something
My daughter caught us when she was 5. It was a bit disappointing but I told her to come be an elf and she could fill mine and her Dad’s stocking. So, it got to where she played Santa for us and vice versa. It was fun in that she would try to catch us asleep to out stuff under the tree for us and vice versa. Make it fun. Give want they can use. What you know they will use.
My Kids choose a charity of choice and we donate what I would have spent on their gifts. They get a few “stocking stuffers” to open Christmas morning but that is it. Christmas Eve they take our family donation and drop it to whatever charity they have chosen. It gives them a huge sense of pride. We have done this for years and they love it. Also makes my Christmas way less stressful.
We have now extended this to all of our family. No gift exchanges. Donation as a family.
2gifts and money in a bank
Family vacation. We went to an indoor water park one year that was really fun. We didn’t get to take a trip last year. Even for birthdays we try to do experiences instead of gifts.
What my family did this year is we did a secret Santa we all gone one person to buy for Christmas, bake Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve, watch Christmas movies all Christmas Day in pjs.
A trip! Some experiences. We always do local amusement park season passes. Zoo passes. Things like that have been the best gifts!
We go on trips! So much fun
Do experience trips! Take the family on a vacation for Christmas!
All kids at that age are interested in Money I always give my gifts cards or send them checks So they can buy what they want
We have started doing a Christmas trip with our kiddos. This year it was staying in a hotel with games, art supplies, fav snacks, movies, etc
With lighter rule than normal , some occasional outings, letting them chose what we eat, and getting one sourvineor
Sounds like you dont know your kids!! dont trash those those gifts, donate them!!!
I have my children go through their toys before every Christmas and find those that they want to donate to other children in need. That way they learn the spirit of giving, and also make room for new gifts from Santa.
Experience! Is worth so much more. We all bring back a little souvenir.
I have similarly aged kiddos. We just focus on their interests. No junk for anyone bc junk for the sake of a gift isn’t a gift it’s a hindrance. I put a lot of effort in finding good gifts I know they’ll use and love. We also do a Xmas eve box. Has our pjs, a movie/family board game/puzzle, yearly ornament that shows an accomplishment or what they were very much into for the year and snacks. We never go wrong with books for the kiddos.
Find a needy family and give them Christmas. The gift of giving is a real need.
As a kid I remember making homemade Christmas ornaments… my mom would make some kind of salt dough and we would cut them with cookie cutters and then paint them and hang them on our tree. And then we also made ornaments out of cardboard and string. And of course Christmas cookies.
With them being older I would suggest maybe a secret Santa or something older kids are a little harder lol
I’m feeling the same with my 4 and 5 y.o
I always did at least 5 to 7 gifts each depending on the price as well. I put my kids on a budget once I hit 100 to 150 i stopped especially as they get older their stuff gets more expensive. If they are young I usually kept it under 100. When my kids got older I did things they needed us some cash.
Instead of going all out &wasting so much on stuff they swear they want &never touch… I decided we’re doing experience over toys &games. Fun trips, family vacations, one on one trips.
I feel this. Last year we did day pass gifts, or gift cards to go bowling, movies, arcade, things like that!
Experiences… hiking, go carts… check Groupon in your area
Taco’s Christmas Eve, also one gift. My kids are a little older so they wake us on Christmas. If the stocking are filled, Santa came
My family does a draw with everyones names in a hat. Whoever you pick is who you purchase gifts or whatever for. That way you only have to spend on 1 person. We typically only do this with all the kids though, the adults get some extra goodies in the stocking stuffers and possibly a gift for significant other. Thats what we started doing a few years ago! It works great
Experience life .plan a trip instead
Give your children gift cards and take them shopping to pick out what they want before Christmas. Wrap those gifts and put them under the tree. I’d also get a few surprise gifts for each kid, as well. The gift card also teaches them how fast that money goes.
as your kids, what is the one thing they really would like & get that, & then the rest of the normal other stuff
We buy 2 snow men worth
One for Christmas Eve
With a large box on bottom I fill with snacks a movie and a new stuffed animal, middle box has pajamas and a new blanket top usually has some coloring books or activities depending on age
Christmas Day snow man consisting of
1 large box with either 1 expensive gift or filled with small gifts
Middle with 1 item they absolutely think they HAVE to have
And top is filled with books gift card and some Knick nacks
I also don’t usually allow gifts from family members (hate me all you want). I require family members to buy ACTIVITES such as movie tickets where they can BOND with my kids so instead of extra junk lying around the kids are out bonding with family.
We do an Christmas eve box. (Hot coco, popcorn, a mug, jammies.
Christmas we either do an exsperience or want, need, read and warmth
Give them a choice let them tell you 2 or 3 things that they really want and then buy ONLY what they ask for. Problem solved.
I would say a trip instead. Let them purchase souvenirs. Or have them each pick two or three things they would really like to have, within reason, and you choose get one of those.
I ask for a list from my 2 teenage boys. I pick one big gift for each of them off their list. Then the rest of the gifts are necessities (clothes, shoes, bedding, school supplies). They seem to like that way. They get what they want and need. I like it too because I don’t feel like I’m wasting money anymore. I will use that same list to get bday gift that year also.
Clothes in one toys in one gift card and special snack in one that way they don’t get too much.
Go on a trip. Even if it’s not far.
How about a weekend trip?
Mine are 8 and (almost) 13 also. I did note crafting stuff for them this last Christmas because that’s what they’re into. I am known for over doing it. I tried really hard not to this last year though. Lol. They’re getting older though so they’re into more expensive, bigger things. Like for my oldest’s birthday this year she’s getting a bow, case, arrows, and a practice target because she’s really into archery and she’s been asking to get her own bow. So she’s get all that and just a few small things. My younger one wants a new bike so she’ll get that and maybe a game or crafting stuff. Experiences make good gifts too. Tickets to events or excursions.
l get paid over $125 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $19633 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
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If both were teens…i would say find a hotel with indoor waterpark and spend Christmas there or do a cruise or something every year to warmer weather. However…one is 8. Still need to do Santa for that one. Maybe do a trip and say Santa can’t deliver that many to a hotel or cruise ship,so pick 3 things REALLY want and then go get them some new clothes for the trip. Maybe give gift cards to places they love in envelopes. My daughter got one for McDonalds with her presents last year and she loved being able to go when she wanted and hand them her card to pay for her kid’s meals. Maybe a membership somewhere…my kids love the trampoline park,so considering doing a membership this fall for that and a membership to the splash pad for summer.
Maybe involve the kids in buying gifts for a local “Toys for Tots” organization. Might give you a clue for something they would really like.
We do a family trip, last Christmas we went to the coast for Christmas… The kids loved it. We did a few small gifts before we left.
l get paid over $125 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $15329 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
Details HERE… https://homeinlinejobbuilder6.neocities.org/
Gift experiences over toys. The aquarium, zoo, zip lining, etc
well grocery cards r nice resteraunt gift cards r nicegas cards r nice any gift cards r nice lottery tickets r great i bought mother in law 10 lottery tickets one year and she won a hundred dollars tickeled her to death and grocery cards r nice then they can get what they want shopping cards r great
l get paid over $125 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $16880 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
Details HERE… https://homeonlinejobbuilder10.neocities.org/
I “adopted” a shark for my then 7 yr old grandson. You get a stuffed whatever you adopt, certificate, poster etc. He was thrilled.
I’m that kind of mom that buys all year so the tree is full of gifts. Then I find unopened packages, things with tags on them etc. My kids also don’t take care of what they have. Every year I say I’m going small but get pulled into buying. I’m hoping this year I can stop.
I ask my daughter what she wants. She’s 13 so last year she said money. That was easy I have her money and she bought what she wanted that way I wasn’t wasting money on things she didn’t want or would never touch
l get paid over $125 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $16233 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
Details HERE… https://homeonlinejob44.tiiny.site/
Adopt a children’s home and you and your children go and hand out gifts to the children, myself and my fam did it and it’s the fondest most humbling memory I have
Gift cards to like laser tag trampoline park vacations
We pick a theme for each kid and go off it.
Mine needed rainboots and rain jackets
So we got those, fishing pole, tackle box, tackle, folding chair, pocket knife, compass,
sun glasses, a educational book or movie on fishing, lunchbox, drinking thermos. Then I planned a fishing trip (even if its just down the road) packed a picnic and made a whole day of it.
Other ideas: camping, hunting, arts &crafts,
spa & beauty, arcade, backyard, technology
I try to pick something they need and I’m gonna buy anyway. Use it to come up with a theme add a trip or experience with it
We just get big things they want,our present and Santa present under the tree plus what other people got for kids.
I buy my kids clothes and stuff all the time,don’t see why they would need extras for Christmas
I want to start doing activity and food giftcards. Like a trampoline park, an amusement park, movies, frozen yogurt, chickfila, Disney, aquarium, science center, museums, etc and clothes. My kids are only 8 and 2 so they will still a few toys but right now they have sooooo many toys that they don’t ever play with so i figured things that they could do, enjoy, amd possibly learn would be better than any toy
I’m a step mum at the moment (but also pregnant)
I do , something/s that’s needed- ie clothes, undies etc
Something fun or something she’s asked for that her mum isn’t already getting-last year she got a Boogy board and a tablet
And something educational like reading books or even colouring books as she’s 8 and loves art.
Ill do similar once the baby is old enough as well.
My parents used to do similar for me. A few small things from Santa and 1 big thing from them
With two families we find she gets too much and gets overwhelmed and most things don’t even get opened before the next Xmas.
𝖨 𝗀𝗈𝗍 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇, 𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖨 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖯𝖺𝗎𝗅 𝖬𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗈𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆. 𝖳𝗈 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖾, 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝗅𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗁𝗒
𝖳𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆, 𝖨 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗎𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇, 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝖻𝗈𝗌𝗌
100% 𝗅𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗍…𝗃𝗈𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖥𝖺𝖼𝖾𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝗈
𝗐𝗈𝗐, 𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗒 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗒, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖺 𝗐𝗈𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗎𝗅 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗒, 𝖨 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝖽 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖿𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗃𝗈𝗂𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆. 𝖨 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗂𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖽𝗋𝖺𝗐𝖺𝗅 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝗌𝗎𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖿𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗎𝖾. 𝗌𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝗈𝗆𝖾.
𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝗆 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝗇 𝖥𝖺𝖼𝖾𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄
𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘆. 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘄
Give to others ,volunteer
Geez this page is being flooded with spammers. Might just stop coming here
Whats with all the scams lately
Perhaps taking them to buy a gift for a child on an angel tree or at a shelter so they lean the joys of giving as well as the appreciation for what they do receive?