Gifts that don’t clutter
In conjunction with my post on Eco-Friendly, Educational, and Safe Toys:
Originally, we had planned on taking the kids to Disney for Christmas. Even though we live relatively close to The Mouse, the boys have only been there when they were very young, and don’t remember ever being there. They are wanting to go terribly, as is A. After some more thought on the idea, hubby decided against this. He wants to be home around the tree.
This leaves me in a dilemma. While I definitely approve of being home for Christmas, I am in the process of trying to downsize our stuff. Not only is money especially tight this year, but I am sick of them having all kinds of unused, unappreciated toys sitting around.
Oh yeah, the item may be a big hit on Christmas morning, but a month later they don’t even remember they have the thing. This bothers me. I throughly enjoy seeing their faces light up when they open a gift, so in a way, it is as much for me as for them. I think if this didn’t happen we would both be disappointed.
But I can’t. I won’t. My kids won’t be getting as many toys this year as they have in the past. This is easier to explain to A, but how do I handle this with the boys? They still think Santa brings them gifts. While I am really into teaching them to be thankful for what they have or get, and want to instill the value of having less is sometimes more, I am really afraid they may get upset and not understand at all.
As a child, we got ridiculous amounts of gifts. I loved Christmas morning, waking up and seeing the entire floor covered with gifts for us. It was like a child’s dreamland. A experienced this before the boys came along. As an only child and one going through a messy custody battle, she was extremely spoiled and gifts were lavished upon her by people far and wide. We now know this was NOT a good thing. Since there are more kids and grandkids, gifts have really been cut back a lot. She’s been upset by this in the past, but is getting used to it more every year.
I believe this is an important lesson to teach the kids- live within your means, be thankful for what we do have, appreciate and use what we have, simply our lives, and focus on non-material items, like time together as a family. This year may be difficult, as it will be a change from the norm, but each year it will get easier, I suppose.
One thing my kids all really like, and I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t -is time. The gift of time. This is something my kids will be getting as a gift this year. They still will get a toy or two, but I have already purchased tickets for the entire family to go to the circus. (Yes, I know the circus is controversial, please don’t leave me comments on the evil of them. I will just delete the comment. really. I have done my research and formed my opinion on the matter for this time. )
Time doesn’t even have to be as expensive or “big” as the circus. My boys love to bake with me. I might wrap up a few utensils and some chocolate chips for us to do some one on one baking. They would love to spend that time with me, as it doesn’t happen as often as any of us would like.
One of my friends has purchased a few tickets to different performing arts to give to her son. No batteries for any of these. No broken plastic lying around. Just time and memories.
Another gift I always have loved to give (probably no surprise if you read this post), is magazines. Kids love getting mail and magazines are a great way to encourage reading and learning about the world. I even have a few NEW ideas on what to do with those old mags that I plan on sharing very soon, so recycling the paper is not an issue here…. 
Yes, you might have them laying around like a toy, but I would rather books or magazines over the other.
Memberships to the zoo, aquarium, museum, or where ever you like to go are also great gifts. Even a gift card to the other House of Mouse- Chuck E. Cheese is a viable non-toy, laying around cluttering up space, idea. Once again- time with your kids comes into play.
Lessons, or extra-curricular activities also make wonderful gifts. Even if they are only for a few drawing lessons, I am sure they will be greatly appreciated, used and not tossed aside like a week old toy.
The last idea that I have, for the moment, is giving the gift of charity. While it could be volunteering at the soup kitchen or whatever, I know this is not feasible for my family with kids that are so young. I have struggled to find ways to make charity understandable and accessible for my kids, but probably have come up short. The idea of sponsoring a needy child, a sick animal, or something similar might be a great learning experience for them. The gift they would get from that would be educational, emotional and priceless.
Of course, my boys are not regular readers right now, so if I just wrap up a ticket, they may have no idea what it’s for. For the circus tickets, I am planning on picking up a little gift in theme to wrap with it. I am not sure if it will be a bag of cotton candy, a little elephant, or what, but something that will give them a clue as to what is on that piece of paper.
These are a few ideas I have come up with and am guessing there are a lot more out there. I would love to hear your ideas! Please share! If I come up with anymore, I will give an update…
I am thankful for…
The lessons I have learned over the last 10 months about cutting back. Not only ethically have I had a realization about reducing and simplifying, but money has been especially tight. Through all this, though, as a family we have learned a lot about budgeting money and evaluating those things which are truly important in life. I see the damage overabundance can cause and also realize we were heading in that direction. I am so thankful for our wake up call and this opportunity to teach our children.
This post is a part of the Blogging Chicks’ Carnival and Don’t Try this at Home’s Christmas Shopping Carnival.
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20 Responses to “Gifts that don’t clutter”
November 1st, 2007 at 12:32 pm
i really like you’re ideas. They’ll be formulating in my mind. I’d like to use a few- like maybe museum membership, play tickets.
I would’ve never thought about making a ccoking gift for them. Thats a really great idea!!!
November 1st, 2007 at 1:54 pm
We have imposed a gift limit on the grandparent. And we have asked mainly for things like books, art supplies, and lessons (or equipment to go with lessons, ballet shoes, baseball bat, etc). A little grumbling, my my kids are just not into toys…
November 1st, 2007 at 2:14 pm
We ask for lessons too. With a large family this is something that quickly destroys our budget. I also ask family to choose ‘disposable’ gifts since we’re so short on space. In the past they’ve gotten ‘a special day’ from their aunt - where they go to the zoo or a movie or the beach. There’s no gift like the gift of time.
November 1st, 2007 at 3:15 pm
I totally agree with you about useless toys just lying around, forgotten about, and collecting dust…and my kids are only 1 & 2 years old! This year, I have resolved to only buying them creative gifts. Crayons and coloring books, sidewalk chalk, etc. They LOVE that kind of stuff and use it often. I love your idea of buying tickets also. I’ll have to try that once the kiddos get a bit older and I trust them to sit thru a performance or movie.
November 1st, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Great ideas. Toy overabundance is something that we’re working on around here, as well. That being said, my kids will still get some new toys, though mostly board games, for the holidays this year. We’ve done the ticket idea, and gift of activities in the past, as well, which my kids have enjoyed.
November 1st, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I get so fustrated at the toys too. I have no clue what to get Caleb for Christmas or his birthday (both December) however he does not want toys–he wants expensive Nintendo DS or Wii or whatever they are. He just got last years game boy last year for Christmas…is this like a yearly upgrade thing? I hate to dissapoint him but I don’t think I will be getting that. I have found that gift cards are a great idea for him but your boys are still littlier. I would get him gift cards for a movie rental, ice cream, and the one just to be nice-Toys R Us. It does get fustrating when things get wasted (like toys). Anyway….have a great evening!
Lyns
November 1st, 2007 at 9:28 pm
We’re cutting back this year too. Same thing…no money…too many toys around the house that are never played with. It just gets old.
November 1st, 2007 at 9:44 pm
http://nablopomo.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=997435%3ABlogPost%3A48318
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:56 am
I think that’s a wonderful idea. We always talk about making homemade items or just something that has real meaning instead of the endless spending. It’s really hard to cut back though.
You know, even little coupons books might be nice. Take a picture of the park and promise to take them there, or a hiking trail or whatever they like to do. Something else might be a cheapy digital camera to keep memories in digital form. I’ll have to think on this for my teens though…
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:29 am
Love your thanks. And this whole post. Rock on, chica.
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:10 am
For charity - I have my 3 yr old pick out some of the new toys and especially stuffed animals and we donate them. Many like-new stuffed animals are needed by rescue workers or doctors going overseas. Boxed toys are always appreciated! But I think it’s good to have her pick from her bounty rather than go out and buy a new toy. It shows her to give of her things.
My rule is one toy per person for kids. They can buy her clothes or books or whatever but only one toy, and not all those end up in our home when she chooses her favorites! Also, we buy her only one toy ourselves. And I don’t let price dictate the toy - this year it’s $60, so don’t feel you have to spend hundreds.
I feel the same way you do. Great post.
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:32 am
What a great idea! We always have the problem of trying to come up with ideas to give as gifts for my in-laws (who have 5 young kids). Tickets are a great idea because I know they throw our stuff away after a month or two.
Last year for Xmas my parents gave us a tow-behind bike trailer as a family gift. (I have two littles myself) We have used that trailer so much and every time we used it, I told my kids, “Isn’t this a great gift??” No extra toy clutter and hours and hours of family enjoyment (plus, when the kids outgrow it, we can sell it!
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November 2nd, 2007 at 9:33 am
[…] Did you know that by being thankful you can save money. Pretty easy, huh? It’s a trick I’ve learned and use on my kids quite a bit, especially the older two. Sometimes they get the case of the gimmies and wants. As I mentioned yesterday, we aren’t into giving in to those demands. […]
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:37 am
this is a great list. i actually like that gift of charity idea for grownups too…especially for mother’s day and father’s day…i try to find organizations that fit with the person’s personality. like there’s an organization that donates shoes to children who need them. perfect for a mom with a shoe fetish! another great one is heifer international — check it out at heifer.org, you can sponsor an animal for a family to raise.
November 2nd, 2007 at 4:16 pm
You have some wonderful ideas. I like the magazine gift; it keeps on coming, and it doesn’t clutter up the house on Christmas Day. The tickets are fun, too. We’ve put tickets in the stockings or wrapped them creatively. You could wrap the circus tickets with a box of circus animal cookies, for example. It all adds to the fun without adding much $$.
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I’m giving my kids magazines this year too. I like the cooking idea. I never would have thought of that, but I think I just might do it. They both love to cook.
We’re going handmade this year. Except for a few new toys for the kids, all the presents in our entire family have to be handmade - either by ourselves or by a “local” aritsan. I put local in quotes, because I bought a few things online from handmade sites like etsy.
November 12th, 2007 at 10:46 am
I love the idea of gifts of time. And I hear you on cutting back! Thanks for the great ideas.
November 12th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Nice to see someone else thinking on the same lines this year. Last year, we were pretty flush (ha! more so than this year but that’s another story) so we signed up to adopt-a-family through our church and shopped for the things they needed. It wasn’t easy for the little guys to shop with me for toys that weren’t for them but they could get in the spirit of it when I talked about other kids needing toys too. And since we are “Santa people” I explained that even Santa needs help–he can’t possibly make ALL the toys for EVERY kid, and so we said we’d help Santa out since we were so grateful for all our blessings this year and a nice way to show it is to share those blessings with others.
Well. The boys (then 3 & 1, so really the 3 year old) totally grooved on the idea of directly helping Santa. He felt like a deputy elf and couldn’t wait to tell everyone those toys weren’t for him but a kid who wanted them and he was helping!
Clearly that’s not quite on your radar for this year, but tuck it away for the future, maybe, and meanwhile, the organizers of such things always need the gift of time, too, coordinating all the presents and getting them where they need to go. Something to think about that won’t cost as much cash but can still teach the lesson.
Hooray for you and all the best to you this holiday season.
November 13th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
This is such a well thought out list of ideas. I love it. I can see you are a great Mom because you are really thinking about the big picture of life and not just one day of excitement.
My godson received a memory book from his aunt last Christmas and he couldn’t stop writing in it. She took a binder and decorated the outside with his name and stickers. Inside was colored looseleaf and then sections she had made on computer paper such as My Thoughts, My Family, Places I have Gone, Things I Do Well, Things I Want, Dreams, etc. She gave it to him with a few packages of stickers, colored pencils and colored markers. He spent most of the day filling it up with pics.
November 14th, 2007 at 5:11 pm
These are all wonderful ideas!
Thanks for sharing.