Welcome to our 12 Days(Give or Take) of Christmas Gifts!
Are you like me and your kids already have TOO MUCH STUFF and then the holidays come along and they just get MORE STUFF? Plus, most of the STUFF they receive, they are tired of after just a few days and it ends up in the toy graveyard at the bottom of their closet or their toy bin.
I think that we’re a generation of parents who are finally saying ENOUGH to the STUFF! This is why several years ago, we started giving the gift of experiences over things. I’ve found, and my kids would enthusiastically agree, that this has been a wonderful alternative for our family.
The reality is, as an adult, you would likely be hard pressed to list off the gifts you received on your 8th Christmas, but you probably won’t have trouble recalling a trip to the circus, playing Little League, or a family vacation.
As I begin to recall my childhood, I came to the realization that all the things I’d been given were nice but the memories that I treasured were the experiences I’d had with my family. So, gift giving shifted at our house. My kids have generous grandparents and rather than loading up the playroom with more toys, we’ve discussed our plan and gotten full support to do activities similar to what you’ll find below. It really is a win for everyone and something my children look forward to each year. Take a peek, you may find some inspiration as well for gifting experiences in place of things!
1. Online Classes
A Year Of Doodles– I LOVE this concept for so many reasons! It’s like an extracurricular activity that you don’t have to leave home to attend! Stephanie Corfee offers amazing online classes for kids to practice art via doodling. I’ve posted before about some of our doodle projects and I’m a fan of this program. By enrolling in the the classes, unlimited access to the video lessons is given to your family forever, even after the class ends!
There is a new video each month and you can work at your own pace. Everything is geared towards children so it’s easy to set the kiddos up with some supplies(paper, markers, crayons) and a laptop/tablet while you’re busy with something else or join the fun right alongside them! Video art lessons that’ll provide hours of entertainment, encourage creativity, and last for a year, all for $35? This one’s a no brainer!
2. Tickets To Special Events
At some point in the coming months, chances are pretty good that a circus, Disney on Ice, concert or other live show will visit the vicinity in which you live. Tickets to any of those events would be a terrific way to gift an experience. Take a look here, enter the city you’re looking for shows in and you’ll be able to see calendars for the coming year. Also, don’t forget about local fairs, festivals, dinner theaters, rodeos, sporting events, or car races.
3. Annual Passes
This is a favorite in our family. Becoming a member at a local museum or zoo is something the entire family will enjoy over & over again. Many of these memberships are part of a reciprocity program so that even if you’re traveling, you’ll get free/reduced admissions to other museums/zoos around the country. Search for science museums, zoos and aquariums, or history museums/gardens by geographical locale. If you live near a theme park, annual passes are a welcome treat and usually more cost effective than single day admission prices. Don’t forget about water parks and attractions open seasonally as well!
4. Local Eats, Treats, & Places To Meet
Gift cards for ice cream, FroYo, the local food chain with a playground, movie tickets, a round of mini golf, a pass to the community pool, or indoor trampoline park are all fabulous gifts that families will enjoy. These are big helps when there is no school or to reward an accomplishment!
5. Lessons/Tuition/Youth Sports
Families with multiple kids are hit pretty hard when it comes to extracurriculars. Whether it is Summer camp, dance, music lessons, or a sport a child wants to try, the expenses for required equipment and the actual participation fees add up quickly. Although you may not be able to gift an entire year of ballet classes, maybe you could pay for a week of ballet camp. How about chipping in for Summer camp, purchasing some sporting equipment for that young athlete, or helping purchase an instrument a child has committed to? With 4 kids, all with various interests, this would be a HUGE help and expand our options!
6. Special Trip/Vacation
When the kids are old enough to travel well, it can be exciting to change things up and take a vacation to an opposite climate during the holidays or to celebrate a milestone birthday. The adults in our extended family decided to forgo giving gifts to one another for holidays & birthdays and instead take an annual trip together. Those memories are priceless and way better than a cute sweater or random home decor item. Our kids have chosen a trip to a theme park or family getaway over a traditional birthday party several times and we all have those times to laugh over again and again!
I hope to have sparked your imagination and made you think about giving a memory for your next gift instead of a material object. Presents that are fun to experience are so much fun to give & receive!
If you’re looking for some other unique gift ideas check out The Best Subscription Boxes for Kids.
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Do you have any other ideas for gifting experiences?
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The Gift Of Experiences Over Things appeared first on Sunshine and Hurricanes.