Let’s face it, giving gifts can be challenging. It doesn’t matter who they are for, it is stressful. Everyone stresses over it, whether it is not knowing what to give someone, or if you have enough money to get the things you want. Here are a few ideas to help take some of that hassle away.
Give experiences – do the kiddos already have everything they need and then some? Give the gift of experiences this year. Plan a day trip to the city, host a family game night, go see a local play or choir performance, save up for a special weekend getaway and do that as their present. There are so many experiences around to make memories, doing some might not even cost anything or will cost very little. They will remember the memories long after the toys are gone.
Doing things for others – go caroling around the neighborhood, plan a family volunteer adventure, adopt a local family and shop for them together, serving the homeless at a local shelter for Thanksgiving. The gift of helping others is a gift for all, the satisfaction of knowing you are giving back and helping other.
Limit Giving – if you do a big get together with your family, suggest that you do a white elephant game instead of buying for everyone. This will help your budget, but it will also add a lot of fun to the day. You will enjoy seeing all of the excitement from your family when you see how much fun playing this game can be.
Shop All Year Round – every time you go to the grocery store, pick up an extra gift card to set aside, get what you can afford, $10-25. You will be surprised how much you have when the holidays roll around.
It is very easy to get caught up in the gifts and lose sight of the fact that the holidays aren’t about the stuff, they are about the people. In the end you and your gift recipient will be happier with experiences over things, with more small gifts than with one big one, and with chances to spend a gift card together, turn the trip into an experience.
The holidays are a great time to focus on family and goodwill to all. No matter what you celebrate, remember it and build great memories. If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember that on Christmas day you’ll have the magic of seeing children open gifts, be able to engage in good conversation with friends and family, enjoy some delicious home-made food, give and get lots of hugs and kisses and enjoy one of the merriest times of the year.
Happy Holidays from Cameron Pediatric Counseling!
