We realized that we can't control what our families do so we set some family rules in place. We started by asking the grandparents to please not go overboard with gift giving. This of course failed and we just simply go through the stuff and donate or throw out certain items. When the kids are older they get to choose what we give away if things are still overboard.
We really haven't bought the boys much because our families usually get so much, but I figured they' ll start to notice this sooner rather than later. I looked online and gathered information. I found several blogs that do four different kinds of presents. You get something you want, something you need, something to read, and something to wear. We decided that this year we are going to try it. Dandee's blog explains it well and Simple Mom gives some good gift suggestions.
So here's the plan:
Want: We got the 2 year old a plastic car that he can scoot in the driveway with his feet. He's just not old enough for the tricycle he received from the grandparents earlier this year. The 6 month old is getting these stacking blocks.
Wear: The boys are getting matching PJ's that they can open on Christmas Eve. This may change in the years, but it was my family's tradition and I loved it growing up. You open it on Christmas Eve and then you get to wear the PJ's all of Christmas day.
Need: The boys are getting a bookshelf from my parents so we are not going to get them anything in this area. Call me cruel, but I feel it will cut down on the excess.
Read: I got this book for the 6 month old. Good chewing material. Then a couple of these books for the 2 year old. I loved these growing up and I hope he does as well.
We decided that we will also do some little things for the stockings. So far I have a few squishy lizards and little things for each boy. Not anything expensive.
So that's the plan. I'll let you know how it goes. What are your traditions? How does your family do gifts?
5 comments:
We tried to do only 3 gifts (like the wisemen - to have some Biblical reference)and we stuck to that last year but of course once the gifts started rolling in from friends, aunts, cousins, grandparents, etc the point was kind of gone. What can you do, right? So we will continue our tradition and hopefully be able to bring meaning to it that day we are together as a family. Aaron and I usually do small sweet surprises and get out less than $100 or so for each other (we are resisting the urge to not do presents for each other because its fun to think about each other during the holidays and it always disappointed me as a child for my parents to do this). This year I bought Gus 2 books (Corduroy and Goodnight Moon), a laughing cookie monster small enough for him to carry around, and a Little People rocket set that goes to another one he has and loves. Stockings are the most fun and he will probably appreciate those the most. I have found the Dollar Store and the $1 bins at Target awesome for this area!
Nathan and I have learned that we only need to get 1 or two things for the girls because there are so many aunts and grand and great grand parents that lavish us with gifts. It used to be TERRIBLE. Nathan was the strong man that he is and told my poor Grandma that she should only get each child one thing and anything extra, we would not let them open it. It broke her heart and may seema a a little harsh, but those Grandma's can be hard-headed sometimes. :)
Good for Nathan! That must have been a rough year. E spent about 10 mins throwing things out and going through stuff. I was impressed. When family asks he's very brave and just tells them!
Stac- love, love, love the $1 bin for stocking stuffers. It's where I got the lizards. E and i are just doing fun stocking stiffers because you're right. it help make things fun:)
We sort of have the opposite problem: no one gives our girls much of anything. Not really anyway. Jeff's folks really just aren't that "into" babies. Mine, well, they're not involved at all. It's either a couple books (many of which we already have), or clothes (they don't care about clothes). We started to realize that A needed some things to play with and that we had next to nothing. How crazy is that?
I think we'll limit it next year more, but this year we're getting a crawler-type structure for the yard, probably a little play kitchen and some play food items and the fridge phonics.
We also always opened jammies on Christmas Eve. I love that tradition!
I just happened on your blog while doing that next blog thing at the top of blogger and loved your stories. We did the same thing you are doing. Our boys learned to appreciate the reasons why even if others were not following our rules. Now they are grown and setting their own rules and we get to be the excess. I love your stories and your purpose for your blog. It's great to have Christ and live it for our kids!
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