By Cherie Lowe
Three years into parenting, I was introduced to a mysterious and dangerous truth. It’s an ancient secret passed from mother to mother, father to father. In the late hours of the night, in the quiet hours of the morning, in the moments when no one is watching or paying attention, it happens.
Toys multiply like rabbits.
En masse, brute force they cover every inch of livable space in your home. Legos, pointed puzzle pieces, and toy trucks all lay in wait, wanting to inflict pain on your bare feet in the middle of the night.
You know you and your spouse never purchased this many toys. It’s really a mystery how it came to be that they were flowing from the rooms of your children into every other room of the house, including the kitchen and bathroom.
And then it happens. December 25 rolls around and you’re faced with the dilemma of purchasing even more toys or being labeled as an abusive parent when the kids can’t come up with anything when they return to write a “What I received for Christmas” essay at school.
OK, OK, so maybe I’ve gotten a little too hyperbolic. But any seasoned parent will tell you to keep it simple when it comes to kids and toys. This can create problems at Christmastime, though.
Grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and even you long to give good gifts to your children which is a very good thing. But excess can create problems that extend beyond mere storage challenges, reaching into the heart and psyche of a child. These strategies might help you right the ship, keeping the toy overload from sinking you.
Limit the number of gifts
In the early years of parenting, a dear family friend shared that she and her husband only bought three gifts for their sons. Drawing significance from the three gifts given to the infant Jesus by Magi, the couple had decided to put limits on their gift giving. We adopted this for our daughter’s very first Christmas and have continued to give only three gifts and a stocking to our girls each year.
We chose to break down the gift into three categories: a book, a piece of clothing and an awesome toy or electronic. You don’t have to use three as your designated gift number — yours could be 2 or 5 or even 10. Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read. Limiting the number of gifts you give to your children helps you draw a line around what you bring into your house.
Skip the cheaper toys
Anytime the Queen of Free encourages you to spend money, you might pause to scratch your head in disbelief. But when it comes to holiday gift giving, the dollar store or section might not be your best bet. Especially stay away from the seasonal toys. No one wants to color with Rudolph crayons Dec. 26, and I don’t care if it was only 99 cents, the Santa Claus yo-yo will end up in the trash before you can sing “Auld Lang Syne.”
While it can seem like a good way to stay on budget and it’s easy to get caught up in the spirit of the moment, skip the cheap plasticy items.
For stocking stuffers, focus on a mix of practical and whimsical items. Purchase the character toothbrush you wouldn’t normally buy. Splurge on the sugary box of cereal your child loves (only if you’re actually buying a toothbrush). Bubble bath, nail polish, fun socks, jewelry and collectibles might be a good fit. I’m not saying you can’t buy anything from the dollar area, simply that you should shop wisely considering which items you’d rather not step on in the middle of the night.
Give an experience
When you recall your favorite Christmas past, I doubt you think of the toys you received or the specific presents under the tree. My guess is that you remember the traditions you upheld with the people you love dramatically more. For this reason, consider giving an experience to your child. Your gift could be as pricey as a membership to a museum or as affordable as baking cookies together. Spending time together always trumps spending money on toys.
Subscription gifts
Last year, our then 13-year-old daughter came to us and declared she didn’t really need any gifts. She had all of the electronics, craft supplies, and big kid toys a girl could want. For her awesome toy gift, we bought an Uppercase subscription for a few months. Each month was like Christmas all over again. She received a book, hand selected for her reading tastes along with a few reading goodies. From magazines to crafts to makeup to science experiments and more, the subscription industry has grown by leaps and bounds.
Take a trip
Some years, we opt out of our gift giving tradition electing to travel at Christmastime instead. Vacations make great gifts for the entire family. Whether you travel near or far, a dip in the hotel pool and pizza for dinner clean up much more easily than a basket full of toys.
Ask for lessons
Doting grandparents often love to express their emotions through toys. Consider asking for gift certificates or cash to use toward lessons, classes and more. Gymnastics, the violin, karate, soccer _ there are so many fun skills to learn.
Thinking outside of the toybox requires creativity and resolve. But once you choose to pare down the numbers of toys coming into your home, their reproductive rates drop. Your feet, closet space and maybe even your kids will someday thank you for your dedication to keeping things simple.
Greenwood resident Cherie Lowe and her husband paid off $127,000 in debt in four years and now live debt-free every day with their two kids. She is the author of “Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.” Send questions, column ideas and comments to [email protected]
