How to make the holidays more with less, without losing the magic (plus 50 ideas for gifts of experiences instead of things)

It’s the most magical time of the year… and recently I have found myself asking ‘how, exactly, is this magical?’.

Let me ask you this: Did you spend the weekend shopping? Last weekend too? Maybe next weekend as well?

For most of us, that is a lot more shopping then what would be considered normal, and it is considerably more shopping then our time and budget allow for.

But…. it ’s that time of year. The holiday season. The big C.

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, there is a good chance you are either celebrating another holiday that has to incorporate gift giving into its culture, or just part of the ‘festive spirit’ of office parties, BBQ’s (here in the Southern Hemisphere), and gift exchanges.

And while it is a time of year where people come together and celebrate love and family and community…..

Who here finds the holiday season can be a bit…. stressful?

There is pressure on your finances, constraints on your time, and expectations to meet the demands of those around you vastly exceeding what has experienced the rest of the year.

I would like to give a big shout-out to all the parents of young children this time of year. We have it particularly hard, as not only are we likely newly navigating the parenting space, but we are also contending with the dreams and desires of often several other adults who have a vested interest in what goes under the tree, from grandparents to aunts and uncles, teachers and other caregivers, friends…. The list goes on.

I see you.

There is an ENORMOUS amount of pressure placed on parents during the holiday season. Regardless of the approach taken when at home it’s virtually impossible to shield our kids from the expectation that the holidays are about STUFF and lots of it.

It’s in the songs they sing, the events they attend, even in the grocery store.

Just yesterday we walked into our local hardware store and were created by Santa at the door. This lovely gentleman gave our children candy from his sack, and while wishing them a merry Christmas made the statement;

‘I hope you get spoilt with lots of presents under the tree!”

Thanks, buddy. We are just here to get some part so my husband can fix his bike but thank you for reinforcing we should be our shopping for more stuff to spoil our children with.

Okay, that might be a bit harsh – he was kind and friendly, and my children were a bit in awe of this red-suited man who apparent reindeer on the roof.

There is a lot of pressure on parents. We all want this time of year to be unique and magical. And really, most of us do not want a house full of more stuff (or at least I have never met a parent who wants more things to clean up!). No one wants their kids to feel disappointed, so it’s easy to understand why so many parents and grandparents spend weeks leading up to the holidays in shopping malls, attending events, and being constantly BUSY. So very busy.

But here is something I noticed. Most kids, especially young children, really just want us.

Just us, spending time with them.

All those gifts; are they necessary? Not just for the kids – but how many people we feel compelled to purchase for?

What about instead of braving the holiday rush at the shops on a Saturday morning…. we didn’t. What if we just didn’t? All those gifts for friends and colleagues… what would happen if we picked up the phone and gave them a call instead?

As an expat parent, this is a particularly isolating time of year so I can tell you this with complete certainty; friends and family sharing their time are more valuable than any gift they could buy me.

Every time. No exceptions. Unless that gift is a plane ticket so we could be together in person.

(Santa if you’re listening – plane tickets would be a completely acceptable form of spoiling us …. just sayin’ )

Or, that morning shopping. What would happen if suddenly you had that morning free? Like free-ninety-free. You could do anything – so what are you going to do? Take the kids somewhere special? Take yourself somewhere special? Relax and enjoy the company of friends and family?

The thing is, Christmas, the holiday season – it is about a little bit more. It’s about spending time with those you care about. Not stressed with strangers in the mall.

For those with ‘self-care’ on the list of resolutions for the new year, maybe we could start now? Cut out what might not be serving us over the holiday season?

Who’s in??

If you are looking for some inspiration for some gifts to give that are experiences and not ‘stuff’ check out this list below from motherly.com. What’s great is for those who can’t yet get away from a wrapped gift there are some suggestions where there is supporting ‘things’ to complement the experience. Baby steps.

Cooking and baking with the kids makes it on the list below. If you are looking for some holiday inspiration that includes;
– Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
– Cranberry, Hazelnut, and Quinoa Crumble
– Apricot Wrapped in Bacon with Sage
– Salmon Sushi Roll
– Plus eight other deliciously festive recipes

Join our mailing list HERE and get our Healthy Eating on the Go Holiday Pack recipe guide as our gift to you.

50 excellent experience gifts to give—instead of toys
Motherly.com

1. Children’s theatre season passes
2. Gift card to a restaurant for the family
3. Trampoline jump passes
4. Zoo membership
5. Full session for new sport (gymnastics, football camp, etc.)
6. Trip to the bookstore to pick out new books
7. Local + national state park passes for a year
8. Plane ticket to visit someone special (grandma, aunt, etc.)
9. Pass to an art museum
10. Cooking class for kids
11. A farm stay
12. Tickets for child + friend for a local play
13. Pottery making classes
14. Out of country airfare + accommodation (if you want to be genuinely indulgent)
15. Swim lessons
16. Aquarium yearly pass
17. Subscription box
18. A train ride to somewhere they’ve never been
19. Musical instrument + lessons
20. Flower or herb seeds to plant a garden
21. Ballet classes + tutu
22. Ceramic painting class
23. Payment for summer camp
24. A language learning app or software
25. Kid-friendly cooking set for home
26. Indoor rock climbing experience
27. A camera to use for adventures
28. Horseback riding lesson
29. Tickets + gear for a sports team
30. Gift for charity, let the child decide where to give
31. Miniature golf adventure
32. Indoor climbing excursion
33. Mommy + me music classes
34. Tickets for Disney on Ice
35. Passes to the local water park
36. A book bundle
37. Music class gift card
38. Camping gear for a weekend away
39. A hot air balloon ride
40. Subscription to Little Passports
41. Year fees for school
42. Whale watching day trip
43. Materials to build a terrarium
44. Weekend stay at for the family
45. Game night bundle
46. Season pass to attraction (Disneyland, Island of Adventure, etc.)
47. YMCA family pass
48. Movie gift card for the local theatre
49. Volunteer trip (Toys for Tots, food bank, etc.)
50. Donation to future college or travel fund

What sort of experiences is available in your community? Leave a comment and let us know, we would love to add to this list.

Don’t forget to get your gift from us: Healthy Eating on the Go! Holiday Edition HERE.