If your home is anything like mine, then trying to flow the stem of ‘stuff’ that comes in through the front door with the kids is a daily challenge. I’m no minimalist, but the buzz around de-cluttering makes me want to live more simply. And with Christmas just under a month away, I’m trying to develop an approach for a clutter-free but festive season!
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One option is something I’ve seen online the past few years. You give recipients something to wear, something to read, something they want and something they need. Although this feels a little rigid, I think it could work. It covers the key areas, is practical, but also ticks off something from the kids’ wish lists!
Another angle, which might prove especially useful for relatives wanting to buy gifts for your kids, is an event or experience gift. Tickets to the cinema, trampoline place or zoo are bound to be appreciated – and how much fun would it be if the cousins used their tickets on the same day. Consider, too, school holiday tennis camp, or a contribution to a term of music of swimming lessons.
We want to make sure that our boys grow up excited by the prospect of giving at Christmas time, while still being conscious of contributing to other people’s ‘stuff’. I’m planning a baking day a little closer to Christmas. The kids can help me mix and cut out Christmas cookies, then go to town decorating them once I've baked them. Some simple packaging, and they’re bound to make beautiful gifts that relatives will be thankful to receive. Kids artworks, collected throughout the year, can be used to wrap small gifts, or cut up put in a frame.
We’re hoping that we can have a meaningful and exciting Christmas, without too much waste.