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teachingmyown
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For financial reasons, the gift-giving aspect of Christmas will have to be scaled back this year. This is probably harder on me than the kids.  I really enjoy gift-giving. Last year, I got carried away in my quest not to buy Chinese products and ended up spending way too much.
What things do you do to take attention away from the presents, or lack of presents, under the tree? What are some fun, economical gift ideas for kids? I refuse to go to the dollar store and buy junk. I would rather give one expensive gift to each child than five cheap ones.
Thanks for any ideas!
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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JodieLyn
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If it's the process of opening the gifts that you think might be missed.. you can do those where each gift is wrapped 2 or 3 times.. everyone opens a present and then changes who opens the present inside that one etc.
Or you could do a present hunt where the kids have to find their gift hidden somewhere..
We enjoy the cooking things together so being able to do that is great. And the Christmas tree hunt is a highlight. And Midnight Mass.. the kids have been so sad we haven't been able to go to Midnight Mass here the last couple of years (not offered and can't get elsewhere due to weather)
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teachingmyown
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What fun ideas, Jodie! Thanks!
The kids hid my gift one year and had me going all over the house finding clues. It was great fun.
My dad loves to wrap small presents in huge, unusual ways. Often, the receiver finds silly things in the package first, like dish towels, salt shakers, etc., before getting to the gift.
Okay, time to get creative!
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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JodieLyn
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oh and one other thing.. I remember more my parents telling us how we wouldn't have much for one Christmas more than I remember not getting things.. I was 12. And we had very little money.. and I know I remember thinking.. "I thought they said there woudln't be much".. there wasn't anything big.. but there was some little things I loved and several of them.. so it just didn't feel like what mom and dad were so worried about.
And you know.. I still have the copy of The Red Badge of Courage that I got that Christmas.. and while I don't have it.. I remember the book mark I got and used tons. 
So even if you're scaling back.. the kids may well not even really notice.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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Maddie
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We have been scaling back for years now too.
My older teens are aware of our financial situation and have asked me not spend much on them and put the money towards their younger siblings. My big guys really enjoy helping me play St. Nick to the little guys, maybe if your older ones knew the situation, to some degree, they might enjoy planning with you? They may enjoy being on the other end of the gift-giving. My teens wrap the presents and plot to get the toys under the tree so they're there when we arrive home from Midnight Mass! It has been so much fun to have their help and perspective!
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SusanJ
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I agree about not warning the kids that you are scaling back. I remember "simpler" Christmases with my family as a kid and with dh's more recently. I never would have noticed if the adults involved hadn't played it up so much. And I noticed that it gave my young brother in law a really warped idea of family finances.
And I definitely second the treasure hunt idea. We have a grandpa who does that every year (the gift in his case is always a check) and we all look forward to it so much.
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DominaCaeli
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I totally agree with getting your olders in on the gifts for the littles if it's possible--I used to help my parents shop for gifts for my younger brother, and it was such a joy to me even as a teen to watch him open them. It made the whole day that much more fun.
It might not sound like much, but cutting down significantly on stocking stuffers can also be a really big cost savings. All those packs of gum, toothbrushes, and candies really add up! And there are lots of freebies that would make excellent stuffing for the little one's stockings: coloring pages printed from off line and stapled into a little book, lacing cards just printed onto cardstock and hole-punched, etc.
Also, if you still want to retain the gift-opening element of the holiday, you might try wrapping up Advent/Christmas/Epiphany books from the library, one for each night of the Advent and Christmas seasons (or something similar). We did this with my littles last year as part of our devotion time (I think a few other ladies on 4Real did something like this as well), and the children had so much fun with it.
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anitamarie
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One year for nieces and nephews we wrapped gifts inside gifts. We draw names and we get 4 of the nieces/nephews. We wrapped the smallest gift first and put it in a box next to the next largest (wrapped and labeled) gift. Those were boxed and put in with the next gift and so on. We had 1 large box in the end with the last gift and the box of others gifts. Each of the included boxes was labeled with the next person's down. I don't know if it makes sense. They had fun opening and passing until it go to the last one. I don't know if this makes sense
When we were young, my parents celebrated the 12 days with us. We got 2 or 3 things on Christmas Day and then either opened a gift or did something as a family the other nights. One thing was to take us to see the Christmas lights at this one man's house who really overdid it.(Every town has one ) We'd go out to eat at a fast food restaurant sometimes. I think Family Movie Night with popcorn and cocoa could fit in here.
You could do the coupon book thing for each child for special activities (that don't cost anything) with you or dh. (Playing games, extra books, making something, browsing the bookstore, etc.)
I wouldn't say anything, either, then it's not such a big deal.
We're cutting back here and I definitely am NOT informing anyone who doesn't need to know. Anyone not contributing to the upkeep of this household financially, doesn't need to know.
God Bless,
Anita,
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Mimip
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DominaCaeli wrote:
Also, if you still want to retain the gift-opening element of the holiday, you might try wrapping up Advent/Christmas/Epiphany books from the library, one for each night of the Advent and Christmas seasons (or something similar). We did this with my littles last year as part of our devotion time (I think a few other ladies on 4Real did something like this as well), and the children had so much fun with it. |
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Celeste, thanks for the reminder! I totally want to do this for advent this year! I just need to get to the Advent threads and order some books!
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Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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JodieLyn
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Quote:
special activities (that don't cost anything) with you or dh. (Playing games, extra books, making something, browsing the bookstore, etc.)
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You could combine this with limited gift giving too.. give one child a new game that everyone can play.. give another child a book that can be read out loud to everyone.. a new movie for movie night (think older movies and you're talking $5-10 rather than $22 for a newer movie...
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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SeaStar
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I have been thumbing through old Issues of Family Fun for ideas of fun but inexpensive ideas..
One I liked was customized paper dolls.... use a digital picture of your child to make a card stock paper doll of herself! Then she can use just about any outfits from any standard paper doll set (and there are tons available on line for free to print yourself) to dress herself up.
Another idea I really liked was a set of 365 blank index cards labeled with
only the day and month at the top. Each day the family records one thing that you observed in nature that day. You can keep the card set for several years, and then it's fun to look back each year and remember what you saw. You could make one set for each child, or make a family set and put it a prettily decorated little box and keep it in a place of honor (maybe near the kitchen table so you can record your find at meal time?). I might try to put mine on a metal ring (if 365 cards will fit!)
Another idea... bird feeders. You can make some really cute ones by threading wooden spoons through an empty 2 liter soda bottle. The spoon is both a perch and a serving tray for the birds. Each child could receive one, and then you could have a great "hanging of the feeders" day and see who picks the spot with the most traffic.
One more idea I liked a lot was to give each child his/her own special plate... you can scout them out at a thrift store or yard sales- something that just says "you" for each child. Then they can use them on special days, holidays, birthdays or any time you need a festive boost.
One last thing that is fun for opening gifts... play a game: the first person opens a gift. Then then the next person goes... and he/she can either keep the gift she opens, or swipe someone else's . So say say you opened a box of cookies, then I opened a deck of cards. I could take your cookies and give you my cards. Play goes on til the last gift is opened. This is a lot of fun and can be done with just ordinary things: you could wrap up an
"excused from chores for one day" pass, a box of cereal everyone really likes, a funny pair of socks from the dollar store... endless possibilities. This game can be a lot of fun and good for a lot of laughs!
ETA: in the gift game, part of the fun is you get to pick the gift you open, then you get to pick whether you want to keep or trade it.
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Bookswithtea
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We were talking about exactly this idea at our hs coop in the nursery today. I heard an idea I just love.
Each child gets 3 gifts. One is "frankinscence"=something body related...shower gel/cologne, etc. Its wrapped in a natural/brownish paper.
One is "myrrh" and its wrapped in white and is something spiritual/religious in nature.
The last one is "gold"/wrapped in gold and its the one nice big gift.
I am *loving* this idea. We were already planning on one nice gift for each child, and then 2 or 3 gifts that are under $5, each.
Dd 13 is getting a sewing machine (used singer).
Two younger dd's are getting American Girl dolls.
Ds is getting either a new boombox or a practice amp.
The two little boys are getting a few more toys instead of one big toy...a lot of them came from gently used children's consignment stores.
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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4 lads mom
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Books, that is a terrific idea!!! I LOVE it!!! AND a sewing machine, how awesome!!! You could even print off some free patterns on line to tuck in with the machine, on pretty paper.....how fun! ( maybe some free patterns of clothes for those AG dolls!)
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MarilynW
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Great thread Molly! I have a draft blog post waiting to finalize called "The Loveliness of a Simple Christmas". Although many of us have to have to scale back financially this year - I think it is something our family has been trying to do for years - just so that our children do not grow up thinking that Christmas has to be expensive - not just for gifts but also food, decorations, crafts etc etc
Re gifts: our tradition is to do a book for Saint Nicholas stockings, a "wanted" (not "needed") gift for Christmas and a family gift or small religious gift for each child for Ephiphany. eg in prior years our ephiphany gifts have been Holy Traders, Friendly Defenders or a family dvd. We have family "Kris Kringles" - everyone picks a name out of a bowl and prays for that person through Advent, does things for them secretly and hand makes them a gift.
In our family we focus much more on our traditions - and I really think these are more important to the children than the gifts. eg they all have Christmas notebooks that they write down our traditions etc and they look forward to the same things - we decorate the tree on the day after Thanksgiving and always go to a local parade and Christmas sing along after this. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving we decorate the house - window wreaths, lights etc. Advent is really really big in our house - our activities are over and we really focus on home and warmth and family - we have a family dinner every night with candles, Advent wreath, Jesse Tree and read aloud (eg Jotham's Journey). We always go to a couple of local music events and to see local Christmas lights. My dh always takes a week off and he does the gingerbread house making with the children and a trip to a farm to see how cold and smelly a stable is!! Midnight Mass is the highlight for the kids.
We also have baking week and make goodies for family and neighbors..
..sorry to ramble - just some of our traditions. This year we have a tight budget for gifts...but I have managed to come up with creative things.. I would love to have a handmade Christmas - but realistically I would have to start a year in advance. I do handmake the Kris Kringle though - I am so hoping I pick one of the little ones though as I have lots of ideas for them...
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ekbell
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With Christmas we follow my husband's family tradition of a classic children's book for each child's stocking (an advantage of truly classic children's literature is that you can normally find less expensive copies).
This year they are also each getting an inexpensive nativity set in their stocking (the older girls are getting plaster paint it yourself nativity sets, my three year old is getting finger puppets - if I was craftier I'd have made the finger puppets).
I tend to default to art and craft supplies for their main presents unless there is something that my children are particularly wanting.
The advantage of art and craft supplies is that you can make up craft kits for very little or splurge on really nice stuff depending on your budget and it gets used up rather then cluttering the house- the children get enough toys from relatives, it's easy to find stuff that's not from china....
I've in the past made up kits by finding directions for a nice craft or art project and bundling them up with the materials for the craft.
Fresh ivory soap + clay tools + the directions at the ivory soap website + my children = many, many stylized faces (one nicely painted with watercolor paint) a couple of roughly detailed people, and a large zip-lock bag full of soap shavings-any suggestions for things to do with ivory soap shavings? [my six year old wanted to carve, this was the safe alternative given her for her birthday]
My oldest daughter is making paint with water booklets for her siblings based on this idea Just Add Water, using her drawing rather then the template given. Add water brushes and it becomes a lovely gift for a younger child.
This year I am inspired by the picture of water color kits given here Summer Painting 
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Mary G
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We're doing something that will definitely help with the bottom line ... Santa is probably bringing a Wii with the Fitness/Balance Board ... that will be THE gift for the whole family (my kids who still "believe" are asking all of us to sign a letter to say we relinquish our gifts for this one big one -- yep, they want it THAT badly!). That will save us tons as the Santa for each was a big present/dollar value and this way we all get something fun that we can use as a family.
When I was little, Dad often didn't get paid by his clients until right AFTER  Christmas ... so a few years my parents spread out the gifts from Christmas to Little Christmas, with a small surprise every day, until January 6th when we got our stockings and a "big" gift (that was probably on an amazing after-Christmas sale).
Clever, huh?
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Waverley
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I agree with MaryG about consolidating gifts! I too have found that buying one larger gift for everyone or one gift for a set of kids to be less expensive.
Also, if the grandparents are willing, get them involved in giving the larger gift. For example, one year Santa brought a doll house and the grandparents and aunts and uncles gave the furniture and dolls. Similarly, one year Santa brought a wooden kitchen/marketplace and the relatives gave wooden food and dishes.
I agree completely with the sentiment expressed above that we have the ability to set the tone for gift giving. Even if it is a lean year, we can teach gratefulness and gratitude by being excited about the one or many gifts received regardless of their monetary value. For the little kids, I have never told them if its a lean year or not. They don't know how much anything cost but they do know if I appear grateful and am focussed on Jesus's presence. Getting your big kids involved and having them be excited by whatever gifts are presented will go a long way to making the littles excited as well.
I love hearing everyone's stories and ideas!
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Waverley
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melanie
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Just wanted to add to the great ideas here...we scaled back Christmas in a major way three years ago. I was worried about my oldest, mostly. She had been an only child for 8 years and was used to more gifted Christmases.  We told her upfront we were scaling back to a certain number of gifts (3 each) and why. She wasn't thrilled, I could tell, lol, but when Christmas morning came she was very happy and it didn't seem like there was a thing missing. And I'm so glad we did it.
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Kristie 4
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Love the special plate idea! My kids would love that...
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Kristie in Canada
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Mary G
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I think it's also a case of getting them the one thing they really want (and thank goodness for us, this year they all want a Wii) ... as they'll be so focused on the one gift that they wouldn't play with anything else anyway!
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MaryG
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Scaling back Christmas
