Five Ways To Keep Christmas Gift-Giving Simple

Christmas is such a special time of the year! There’s something so magical about it that brings us joy. I believe there is something deep within our very being that knows and recognizes that we are celebrating something truly special – the birth of Jesus.

Yes, I understand that December 25th may not have been the exact day, but this is the time that is dedicated to celebrating Christ’s birth. From Santa to trees to stockings – all the various traditions point to Christ. I want my child(ren) to grow up and experience this “magic” of Christmas while still focusing on the incredible gift that we received in Christ.

How do we manage to do that as parents though? What are some practical ways we can incorporate this into our parenting and gift-giving during the holiday season?

Here are five ways to keep Christmas gift-giving simple:

1. Give experiences.

They’ll quickly forget what toy they have gotten, but they will have those memories for a lifetime. A family vacation, a special fishing trip with Dad, movie tickets…get creative! Family traditions – baking cookies, looking at lights – are also wonderful experiences to give. Next week, I’ll be sharing what our family Christmas traditions are.

2. Give family oriented gifts.

Games you can play together, books you can read together, movies you can watch together, crafts you can do together. Key word = together.

3. The Three-Gift Challenge

This is a reflection of the three gifts given by the wise men to baby Jesus.

• Gold – symbolizes something of great value or desire. This would be the fun gift, the toy, something your child wants.
• Frankincense – It was used as incense/perfume and symbolizes something spiritual. This gift would be something meaningful and/or spiritual. Maybe a Bible, journal, or something handmade.
• Myrrh – It was used as medicine and symbolizes something useful or practical. This gift may be clothing, shoes, or something else that fulfills a need.

4. The Four-Gift Guideline

This is a great one! The four gifts are broken down into categories – a want, need, wear, and read. Love it!

• The want – maybe a larger gift, something your child really wants, something from Santa, a toy.
• The need – this can vary a lot. It may be school supplies, toy storage, or swimming lessons. It really depends on your child.
• The wear – don’t forget you can “wear” things like jewelry, hats, gloves, etc. It doesn’t have to be a new outfit.
• The read – self explanatory. What a great way to encourage a love of reading!

5. Three gifts + a stocking

This is what we do at our house and it’s kind of a hybrid of strategies three and four listed above.

Here’s what we are getting for Alisa this year:

Play kitchen (want)
Toy storage (need)
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle (read)

Stocking:
Socks (wear)
New toothbrush & toothpaste (need)
Small tool set
Magformers

I admit, at times it does take some self-control on my part! It is freeing though. The gifts are carefully selected, we stay within our budget, and we are intentional about the message (verbal and non-verbal) that we are sending as parents.

What does gift-giving look like in your family? What are some ways that you are intentional with your children at Christmas?