4 Tips to Control Gift-Giving Chaos This Holiday Season

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‘Tis the season to be jolly, right? Well, it’s also the season to be broke if you succumb to the tempting abyss of buying every shiny toy in the store for your little humans. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m all for spreading joy and cheer, but there’s a thin line between creating a winter wonderland and turning your living room into a toy store avalanche.

As the snow starts to fall and the festive tunes start playing on a loop, the pressure to outdo Santa himself can become overwhelming. Here’s a guide to navigating the treacherous path of holiday gift-giving without turning your home into landfill fodder.

Let’s Talk About Balance

Let’s talk about balance – a concept that seems to vanish like the last slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Sure, your kid may have dropped hints about wanting a life-sized, animatronic dinosaur that can recite the entire periodic table, but do we really want our living room to resemble the set of Jurassic Park?

Remember, moderation is key. Instead of the behemoth dino, opt for something more manageable. Maybe a book about dinosaurs or a toy that doesn’t come with its own soundtrack, complete with roars that wake the neighbors.

When Salt was little, he actually asked for a dinosaur toy that was as big as he was. It roared and made noises. And then it was over. Poised for the landfill.

At some point, Starlie asked for a giant teddy bear. She received it. Why? I still don’t know the answer. but I do know that thing is still in my house, years later. Every time I walk past it, I whisper to myself, “WTF?” This is Starlie’s bear.

Let’s discuss the concept of restraint, a virtue as rare as a quiet night in a house with toddlers. Restraint during the holidays is hard. I get it. I mean, I still have a 6 foot stuffed bear in my house. I keep it as a reminder to practice restraint.

The bear is my reminder to keep it simple in all things in life.

Avoid Tech Overload

The tech race is real, and your kid’s wish list may look like a Silicon Valley inventory. Yes, the latest gadget may have more processing power than your first computer, but does your seven-year-old really need a device that can calculate the meaning of life? Save the digital enlightenment for a later age bracket.

Toddlers with a bunch of high-tech gadgets aren’t going to be smarter than the kid who plays with mud. Actually, the kid who plays with mud knows how to play. It’s open-ended. It’s sensory. It encourages creativity. I’d opt for mud over high-tech. I’m not suggesting you pile dirt in your living room. You get the picture.

As an educator of young children, I typically opt for toys that encourage creativity and open-ended play. While I may have temporarily lost my common sense and bought a 3-foot roaring dinosaur and a 6-foot bear, for the most part, my kids played with stuff that had staying power.

Practice restraint and don’t fall prey to the idea that your kid has to have the latest tech gear. Let them play. Let them be little humans and explore with their senses. Save the tech gear for when they’re older.

There will be plenty of time for your little ones to ignore you while their eyes and hands are glued to their devices later. Don’t rush that.

Rediscover Classic Entertainment

Unleash the charm of simpler times. Board games, puzzles, and coloring books are like the black and white movies of the toy world – timeless and, unlike the latest gadgets, not susceptible to planned obsolescence.

If you get a new board game and sit down to play with your kids, I promise you will both enjoy it. Think time together over tech. We used to have Family Game Night every Friday night when the kids were little. The kids, now in high school and college, still talk about how fun that was when they were younger.

Even now, as they’ve grown, when they’re home for holiday or summer breaks, we still play games together. The time together can’t be replaced by the avalanche of material goods under the tree.

In a world obsessed with the next big thing, there’s something oddly comforting about the classics. Board games, puzzles, and simple toys are the unsung heroes of childhood. They don’t need a software update, and they won’t mysteriously disappear into the abyss under the couch.

Quality Over Quantity

Quality over quantity should be your mantra. A carefully chosen, well-crafted toy will outshine a sea of forgettable plastic playthings.

And let’s face it, if you have toddlers and young children, the allure of shiny, plastic toys will fade as fast as our New Year’s resolutions. If you want to make them happy, save yourself a small fortune and wrap up what they really want instead.

Exercise caution and resist the urge to buy every toy within arm’s reach. Remember, quality over quantity. A well-chosen, thoughtful gift will have a more lasting impact than an army of forgettable trinkets. Your home will thank you, and your kids might actually appreciate the effort you put into selecting something special.

Avoid being knee-deep in an avalanche of unloved toys, with your wallet cowering in the corner, weeping.

So, there you have it – a survival guide to steering clear of the holiday gift-giving madness. Embrace the power of restraint, sprinkle in a dash of creativity, and watch your holiday season evolve into a seamless flow of joy, steering clear of the chaos of incessant electronic beeps and boops. Happy gift-giving! May your living room remain a haven of peace and not a battleground of discarded wrapping paper and forgotten toys.

Share your tips for controlling the chaos during the holidays in a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

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