It's that special time of year when we debate if the holiday music started too soon and if it's okay to still be eating leftover Halloween candy. Along that time, we also start dreading thinking about our shopping list for all our loved ones. When it comes to the pint-sized humans, it's amusing how they receive gallon-sized gifts, #amirite?
The holidays are different this year now that I'm a parent, it's so hard for me to not go overboard! Of course, I still want to see the excitement on my little girl's face, but I don't want to spend the rest of the year un-teaching extreme consumerism. We have an imperfect list of holiday tips and gifts from our family to yours. This list is NOT filled with affiliate links.
The 4 Gift Rule
Something you want, something need, something to wear, and something to read. I remember as a kid counting how many packages had my name on it - that was the metric for how special I was. How silly is this? It didn't matter what the gift actually was or what it cost, it was just a numbers game. So I'm interested in the 4 gift rule, and also using this for everyone. We tried this (loosely) last year as a family, where we also group gifted for a larger item for someone. This ensured we received a quality gift, but also received some things that we actually needed. I swear this is the only way my husband can make sock gifting seem romantic!
The Gift of Time
In years past we've served a meal at a shelter, this year we'll host a cookie decorating party for our neighbors. The cookies we make will be shared with our postal worker Tom and other hard working town members.
A Special Outing
Each year we try to make a memory with our niece by treating her to a date with her Aunt and Uncle. We've seen Star Wars at the fancy movie theater and tried out an Escape Room with her cousin in years past. So try setting a date where you explore the museum, cheer on a local team, or show off those skills on the ice rink. Wherever you are, there are tons of activities you can do where you spend time making memories. And hey, there's nothing wrong with a little souvenir from the day.
College Fund
Okay, this might not have the wow factor that other gifts do upfront...but just wait for that first tuition bill to hit and the delayed WOW factor will be worth. It.
BabyList notes that, "Contributions to a 529 education savings plan will pay off at graduation-the money is invested and grows until it's needed for tuition, fees and room and board." Not sure where to start?
Scholar Raise makes it easy to sign up (and share your plan!), and accounts for parents are always free.
Age-Based Subscription Gifts
- Literati (0-12 years) Trying the 4 Gift Rule but want to stretch out the reading section a bit more? Literati curated books and sends them to your child on a monthly basis. With the way we read in our house, I like how we can keep our stories fresh and then make a donation to the free kids library at the park when we outgrow the book.
- Monti Kids (0-36 months) Anyone else here a former Montessori kid?? Monti Kids uses materials and toys designed by educators. The toys even come with videos, research and tips.
- Learning Beautifully (3-9,9+) So I actually met the founders on the Path train coming back from NYC because they were carrying these cool and different looking toys. These tactile experiences teach computational literacy, all without screens!! TL;DR: Computation is understanding how logic, abstraction, representation, and patterns exist in the real world. I have been fascinated by their ability to capture the foundational concepts, such as binary numbers, Boolean logic, and programming, in simple wooden toys. Bonus points, all the toys have been tested in Montessori classrooms.
The holidays, just like parenting, are unique to every family. So whether it's time, budget, family values, religion, physical space or personal preference - I hope this list is helpful to your family this year.
Happy Holidays!
Ashley Byrne
