Buying Christmas gifts for your kids are tricky. You want to give them a one-time, big-time gift, but you don’t know what. Then if you want to give them small gifts, you don’t know how many.
It’s important to teach our kids to be invested in what we give them. We can do this if we give them something meaningful and sensitive to their wants and needs. Teach them how to value things by going for quality over quantity.
Christmas gifts: Quality over quantity
For families that enjoy gifting more than one Christmas gift to each kid, continuing with this practice can negatively affect how your child develops.
Giving a lot of Christmas gifts lets them get used to quantity instead of quality, and this can make them forget what you gave them. In fact, having too many toys has a negative effect on kids. Eventually, a lot of these gifts will end up ignored, unused, or in the trash by the end of next year.
Christmas gift
How to select Christmas gifts?
Start with a budget
Save yourselves from the stress and extra expense of buying too many gifts for your young ones. Who has the time to go 12 Gifts of Christmas on their kids? And in this economy?
Set a Christmas budget and once you do, make sure you stick to it. Not only should you teach your kids about spending wisely, but you should teach yourself as well, especially in one of the most expensive holidays of the year.
If you have more than one child, make sure the combined monetary value for each of your child’s gift is equal. We don’t want them griping about these after they open gifts when they discover that the other kid’s gift is cooler than the other’s.
If you’re shopping for Christmas gifts for your kids, you can even ask your eldest child to help you shop for gifts for their younger siblings, they might have some useful advice for you, too! Same goes for each child when you need to buy gifts for the eldest and the other siblings.
Well, pat yourself on the back for making a selective and smart decision on buying Christmas gifts for your kids.
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The Three Wise Men
There’s a way in which you can guide yourself into choosing the right Christmas gifts for your kids to avoid wastage and keep your child’s gift-opening spree in check. Do this by limiting your gifts to three gifts per child and be guided by these three categories:
- Something they want
- A thing they need
- Something to read
This list is modeled after the gift of the Three Wise Men in the Bible story. The first one represents the “gold” present, or a child would and treasure, like a toy. The “frankincense” present is something that will be used in one’s spiritual life, and since this refers to inner growth, it can be a book. The “myrrh” present is something for the body, like clothes or shoes, but can be any necessity, really.
It’s less stressful this way, and it’s more meaningful. So next time you’re getting Christmas gifts for your kids, use this as a guide to avoid overspending and spoiling your children too much!
Christmas gifts ideas: 12 meaningful gifts you can give your child
1. Personalized Storybook: A custom story featuring your child as the main character or the protagonist encourages creativity and makes story time a unique opportunity for bonding.
2. Nature Exploration Kit: Promotes an active, healthy lifestyle by encouraging outdoor exploration and igniting curiosity about the world.
3. Craft supplies for DIY projects: Encourages children to express themselves creatively and finely while honing their fine motor skills and producing original artwork..
4. Board games and puzzles: Enhance social and cognitive development by encouraging collaboration, strategic thinking, and social engagement.
5. Educational Subscription Box: Monthly surprises with educational activities provide continuous learning opportunities in a fun and engaging way.
6. Musical Instrument: Playing a musical instrument can enhance one’s appreciation for music, promote self-expression, and potentially aid in cognitive growth.
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7.Memory Jar: A sentimental keepsake made by writing down and gathering special recollections over the course of the year and putting it together in a jar.
8. Cooking Set for Kids: Offers meaningful family time, fosters a love of healthy food, and introduces fundamental cooking techniques.
9. Stargazing Kit: Encourages a love of science by arousing interest about astronomy and the wonders of the universe.
10. Personalized Growth Chart: A kid’s growth shown visually on a personalized growth chart, which serves as a concrete milestone tracker and a keepsake for the youngster.
11. Family Adventure Day: Plan a day filled with activities chosen by the child. This fosters a sense of autonomy and creating lasting memories.
12. DIY Science Experiment Kit: Sparks an interest in science through hands-on experiments, making learning enjoyable.
Mommy and daddy, keep in mind that personalized gifts that offer the chance for shared experiences are frequently the most meaningful.
Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore
Updates by Jobelle Macayan
Needs ideas for what to give to your kids? You can check out these gift giving ideas on Pinterest.