Table of Content
I have created a simple list based on the 4-gift rule. The first is a list that includes something creative and the second is the original list. You can also gift your child a kids book subscription box too! Some people do add some extra Santa gifts in the mix but that is totally up to you. Plus, my kids love awesome new books, new clothes, and of course things they want and need. Fewer gifts means a simple Christmas and that is really awesome.
With the rise of sustainability and minimalism, many parents are looking for ways to give gifts this holiday season without overloading their children. Needless to say, it went perfectly with their “want gift” – new scooters! 😍 I also love that coming up with creative ways to wrap gifts extends the amount of time you get to enjoy the unwrapping. Things can move pretty fast when there are just 4 gifts and some stockings from Santa. Rounding out the 7 gifts rule is a category that is my favorite.
Get Your Home in Order to be a Calm & Happy Mom
In addition, this is a great opportunity to encourage thankfulness during the holiday season, which is really what it's all about. By discussing this with your children, you will hopefully help them see that you are still giving them items they love, while being responsible for our planet and your wallet. I'm Becky Mansfield ~ founder of Your Modern Family. I am the wife to Mickey & the mom to four little blessings! I am a teacher turned play therapist and stay at home Mom. I love to share my organization tips, kid ideas, money-saving tips and recipes with you.
I’ve also adapted new shopping habits over the years like avoiding mindless walks down toy aisles and doing nearly all of my shopping online so I can stick to just the items on my 4 Gift Rule list. Above is a hangman game I wrapped in a big box for my oldest son last year. The words took him to our mudroom where his new bike awaited him. Although it was his biggest gift, it really felt like two exciting gifts in one. This new tradition might also allow you to splurge on a gift you normally couldn’t or wouldn’t buy if you were spending money on a boatload of other things.
Top Posts
This is a versatile category that can include anything from clothes to shoes or sunglasses. This category is also perfect for seasonal gifts, like a pair of winter boots or a scarf. One of the great things about the 7 gifts rule is that it’s flexible and parents can personalize it to fit their family’s specific needs.
Another factor that would come in to play is the cost of things. If a child really wants a toy that costs £25 is it fair for a sibling to want a games console of £400? As little ones have no concept of money, personally we would feel awkward with such a difference between them which may in later years be seen as having a favourite. I've got three teenage kids and we actually did the four gift rule last year. We explained beforehand and it meant we really thought carefully about each gift. I will have to think back to when my kids where younger and add some ideas for babies and toddlers.
What Is The 4 Gift Rule?
After all you have loads of toys to balance things out. But if you move to the 4-gift tradition with your family, you want every gift to be special. We started the 5 gift rule for Christmas right after we had our change of heart about overloading them with presents, but we added in a special #6 gift last year and think you’ll like it too. I know some people like to do a whole Christmas book advent calendar where their children receive a brand new book over the course of the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Many like to giftchildren’s Christmas books for this. Science proves that experiences are more beneficial than gifts or toys for children, and I couldn’t agree more.
Kids & Adults can create their Christmas Wish List with this free printable. Gather all ideas on one list to share with friends and family. This could include things like outdoor play equipment for kids, classic kids toys that kids actually play with for years, or even some sort of adventure experience gift.
Here’s what some of our readers had to say about their 4 gift rule experiences:
Can we all get back to the pure joy of giving and receiving, of simply celebrating new life and new hope? No-one wants their children to be disappointed or have to deal with undue peer pressure. I do have sympathy for the reasons behind it though. I'm old enough to remember when you just had one present from any loved one and it didn't mar any enjoyment and I don't particularly like the over-commercialisation of anything. I have three granddaughters and four children to buy or make for. I have two sons and a granddaughter with Asperger's syndrome so Christmas and birthdays can be hard for them.
Not only do these kinds of toys provide hours of play, but they are good for our kids. My job at the public library brought me into contact with hundreds of children. Every year I asked them to tell me about their favorite Christmas gift. I was always interested to know, because I like to track the gifts that delight kids. That Christmas our kids instinctively knew that too many toys was not a good thing. Their brains were trying to put a halt to what was happening, but like most children they dutifully unwrapped every gift.
Whether your child is into picture books or chapter books, there are so many options available. You can also get creative and provide magazines, graphic novels or even an e-reader of their own. The 4 gift Christmas rule or any variation of it, is likely to become a family Christmas tradition. You don’t have to follow it closely every single year or for every occasion but it gives you a nice guide to follow. It really removes so much stress from the gift buy process and can free up so much time for you to enjoy more Christmas activities with your family.
This year I am thinking of giving them a pajama set, slippers, and robe all wrapped together as one gift. Gratitude Games Activity Book – Fun games and activities to promote gratitude. Some people use this option to be a gift from Santa.
They may feel a little blindsided if they have been showered with tons of gifts on the holidays beforehand. I remember as a child getting lost in a good book, and I still enjoy reading today. We started using the 4 gift rule last year and it worked out so well with our family. Most of us are guilty of indulging our kids over the holidays. We love to see them smile, we want to make them happy.
This is one of the most important gifts since it will ensure that your child’s Christmas is merry and bright. They were excited to be part of the decision making process. Then they played with their favourite things and the rest ended up mixed into a pile of wrapping paper on the floor. I didn’t want that to happen again, so I decided to adapt the Four Gifts of Christmas Rule. Something creative can be as simple as a set of colored pencils or as sophisticated as a sewing machine. When I was a kid I HATED getting clothes for Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment