The BEST Way To Simplify Christmas Gifts
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Years ago when we started fostering, we had to sit down and figure out the best way to do Christmas with the kiddos in our home. Foster care is so complex and we knew we wanted to have a fun Christmas but also without the overwhelm of extreme gift giving. So enter- our 5 gift plan.
Something you WANT
Something you NEED
Something to WEAR
Something to READ.
And then I don’t know if you have heard but Santa brings one gift per child unwrapped. The Santa gift is usually on the smaller side too.
Stocking with some basic items.
We’ve pretty well stuck with this rhythm long past the first year of fostering. It has created a nice way to keep Christmas fun but also reasonable and also something I can plan ahead with too! This year I am changing things up and instead of something to wear, our kids are getting a joint gift of art supplies. You could easily switch one of these things for something to do (think tickets for a game, play, a pass to the museum etc).
Still feeling stuck? Here are some ideas to get you thinking (things we’ve done in the past or are doing this year):
Something you want: a toy they’ve picked out, something they’ve been saying they wanted, etc. This has been a camera, American girl doll (or off brand if they are little, Target and Walmart both have great versions!), a talking dinosaur, a remote control car, a princess dress with crown, a basic racecar set, a tonka dump truck, a longboard, a Yoto Player (Yoto Mini is also a great choice!).
Something you need: Think practical here. What is something that they could really use that may make your own life easier. Duffle bag, a new backpack, new shoes, library bag, new art supplies, a new coat.
Something to wear: coat, shoes, pants, hair items, hat, gloves, etc.
Something to read: the obvious choice here would be a book. However we have also done a Yoto and Yoto cards for this too (HIGHLY recommend the Yoto, we use them daily in our house and it has been worth every single penny). Magazine subscriptions also work great!
Santa gift: I realize this is a very family specific thing if you do Santa at your house or not. We do. But Santa is kept basic here. Some things Santa has done at our house: a Bluey House (that we got 2nd hand), barbies, a bead set, a sewing kit, Tonka truck, set of cars, etc.
Whatever Christmas looks like in your house, there is nothing wrong with coming up with a rhythm to simplify what gifts look like! Stay tuned for a separate post for stocking ideas!