7 Gifts to Give Children at Christmas

Have you ever heard of toy hangover? Kids may not recognize it, but parents sure will.

Toy hangover occurs the day after Christmas or a birthday when kids are walking around dazed and confused after consuming too many toys in a short period of time.

Instead of dazed and confused, parents feel stressed and overwhelmed.

Where is all this stuff going to go?

I came across a toy hangover cure I’m going to start this year. It’s an easy solution to how to shop for children at Christmas (or birthdays) so you end up with quality instead of quantity.

You are limited to seven gifts for each child. Don’t freak out on me. Having a limit is a good thing.

By having a a set limit, it forces you to think very carefully and thoughtfully about what those seven gifts will be.

These seven gifts are from the parent(s)/Santa. If you feel like you’re being Scrooge-ish, just remember your kids will receive additional gifts from family and friends.

There is a more important reason than preventing toy hangovers as to why I want to decrease the amount of Christmas gifts my kids receive. I don’t want the primary focus of Christmas to be gifts. Yes, gift giving is a fun holiday tradition but it’s not the reason for the season.

I can tell my kids that over and over and hope it sticks or I can show them through my actions. I want to de-emphasize receiving Christmas gifts while emphasizing other things like spending time with family and helping those in need.

Here is the list of gifts to get children at Christmas and not all of them are even “things.”

Seven Christmas Gifts

1. Something they want
   Ex. A big ticket item
2. Something they need
   Ex. Item for a hobby or athletic sport
3. Something to wear
   Ex. Something not usually bought
4. Something to read
   Ex. Book, comic book, magazine subscription
5. Something to do
   Ex. Tickets, camp, lessons, experience for them and a friend
6. Something for me
   Ex. A keepsake, photo album or letter to your child
   
7. Something for family
   Ex. Family membership pass, board game, trampoline, family outing or trip
   

On the surface, seven Christmas gifts may not seem a lot but if you really take time to think through this list, it’s perfect.

Remember – only you can prevent toy hangovers.