Consumer season is upon us. We have three contented children. We have all the bicycles we need, all the musical instruments we need, all the video stuff we need, and more lego than we should have.
My relentlessly manipulated brain feels compelled to 'do the christmas thing', but everything I see looks like essentially useless crap. I don't know what to do.
Please help me.
3 years ago 路 馃憤 thatsredadcted, cobradile94
Cant go wrong with STEM related educational stuff, and cool looking books.The world is becoming ever-more complicated technologically and just in general. Kids now adays need as much exposure to new concepts as possible, see what sparks an real interest. simple things like a hobbiest grade microscope with prepared slides, a telescope, a raspberry pi educational kit like the crowpi that helps teach the fundimentals of computers and electronics, An art or photography book to inspire creativity. Most of The Wooden Books publications are also awesome gifts to kids and beautifully illustrated too. 路 3 years ago
I get it. Eventually you do run out of stuff to buy. Even as a kid I started feeling like the presents were wholly unnecessary. Stuff I didn't really need or want bought by people who didn't really know me. I felt more or less the same about the gifts I was buying. It was all guilt and obligation. I just do gift cards now, at the gatherings where presents are still expected for whatever reason.
Do things together. Make cookies and give some to the neighbors. Walk/drive around and look at Christmas lights. Watch some Christmas specials. Play some games. Talk about it with each other, if you haven't. Figure out what would make a good Christmas for all of you. 路 3 years ago
I'll go against the grain and say you should just embrace the consumerism 馃槇. It's only once a year after all. As an adult I've stopped caring about gifts, but as a kid there was always something cool and new to discover. Maybe use it as an opportunity to introduce some new hobbies. 路 3 years ago
we don't do this present thing at all. if we need a sledge we buy it in October, if we need bikes, we buy them when we actually go out to use them. toys are the same. we buy them when there's an actual need. this whole birthday Xmas present stuff distracts family on a day they actually do spend time together, so we decided to not hold off anymore 路 3 years ago
Spend time doing something special with each child. That is more precious than anything else you can give them. 路 3 years ago
We have this thing where we bank our "Big Gifts" and "Small Gifts" for when we need them.
Big are more expensive, for things like birthdays and major holidays and small are for name days, valentine's day and what not. We're using them throughout the year when we find something we need or want, but won't buy for ourselves.
Sometimes, if either of us want something really expensive we use like one banked and one incoming.
It takes out time pressure AND gift indecisiveness. 路 3 years ago
A tabletop game? 路 3 years ago
Hand-crafted, or consumable is the way to go, if you are going to go with gifts. Sweets or fruit from shops, or home cooked stuff. Alternatively, tickets to events, if COVID allows. 路 3 years ago
find friends and simply echange lego or something similar? give away something in order to get something? 路 3 years ago
You have my empathy. 路 3 years ago