All I Want For Christmas Is…

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7 Responses

  1. Lizzie says:

    You are so right – they don’t need or want half this stuff.

    Last year my husband and I decided not to give any Christmas presents at all, to anybody! After Christmas we found out that this decision had rather upset one of our two daughters who had given us our first grandchild that year so this was her first Christmas. She (and her husband I think) felt upset that we weren’t even giving their daughter a present for her first Christmas, but we thought it best not to start something that wasn’t going to continue. It upset me that it had upset them, but we are sticking to it again this year. Having said that I think my husband had doubts about our decision.

    I think that our grandchildren (we have a had another one since then) will understand as they grow up that that is just the way Grandma and Gramps do it. As grandparents we know all too well that both these lovely granddaughters will get bought/have already been bought far too much stuff. I have recently been keeping lots of cartons and pots and tubes in a cupboard for possibly being creative with at some point, and when I opened this cupboard the other day my granddaughter was immediately fascinated by the contents! She was also, as a nosy and enquiring crawling baby, very interested in my drawer of saucepans, and given a wooden spoon as well she was happy as Larry!

    When will we all indeed learn that children don’t need half the things they get given, or that we want to give them? I have just finished making my soon-to-be two granddaughter an apron – she already loves helping mummy in the kitchen. I love making her things and hope that they will mean more to her than shop bought gifts.

    • Diana says:

      I am sure your grandchildren will grow up with lots of happy memories of making things and baking things with you! I used to love a saucepan and a wooden spoon when I was little and so did both my children! I cannot quite bring myself to stop giving them things at Christmas and birthdays but this year it is mostly books at least.

  2. Emma says:

    Gosh, I could have written that myself! I totally wish Santa could bring me one of the things off your list. As for presents, we trying to contain the madness by sticking with:
    – Something to wear, something to share
    – Something you need, something to read.
    And a stocking each with small things like farm animals, a nectarine, socks, a pot of play doh, etc.
    Oh, and Just One present from Santa.
    Most of the things are things we would be buying anyway (this year the need is small hands cutlery and the wear is snow boots) but even with that in mind just reading the list it seems like too much!! :eye roll:
    The joys of Christmas!!

  3. Melanie Aird says:

    Our family had a fairly strict Christmas Day timeline:
    Kids up whenever, open stockings–which conveniently contain a book and fruit.
    Mom and Dad up at sensible time, family breakfast and tidy up.
    All gather round the tree, with someone designated ‘Santa.’ Everyone gets a gift, we all open them and show each other. And repeat. We thank anyone who is present for their present. (haha!!)
    Then we tidy up, and enjoy our new gifts for a while, then start getting Christmas dinner ready (or travel to house of person hosting it).

    For decades, I thought this was some sort of mindfulness tradition our family had developed to offset consumerism. Last year, my mother admitted it was because we didn’t get very many gifts, and my parents were trying to make it last longer! I was aware that other friends got more (and more expensive) gifts, but I never felt I was missing out. I truly believe children have lower expectations than parents think.

    • Diana says:

      I completely agree, I think we pass on our expectations to our children as they get older and that makes them want more. I don’t think young children expect or want all that much.

  1. January 2, 2018

    […] changes. After all, what is Christmas all about. Surely it’s about overeating, massive commercial consumption and excessive alcohol. Ok, it really shouldn’t be, but it kind of […]

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