Three Ways to Help Children Not Be Materialistic at Christmas

When my children were young, I struggled with something very common lately.  I wanted my children to feel loved,  and I loved watching them open gifts.  You would walk into a store and find something cute and want to buy it for your child.  Eventually, at Christmastime, there were huge piles of gifts under the tree.  My light bulb moment was when I watched my children open the gifts.  They would rip off the wrapping paper, examine the gift, then throw it down to move on to the next gift.  After all was unwrapped, they would load up their bounty and carry it to their room.  Sometimes I found gifts months later still unused and in the Christmas bags.  I started to think there had to be a better way to give my kids wonderful gifts without over-doing it.  This is when I had some very effective ideas.  

1) Give three gifts per child.  I buy one big gift that they really want, one medium gift, and one small gift.  Sometimes, one of the gifts is a new outfit with shoes in a box.  At other times, it is a box of snacks they love.  At first my children were resistant, but I had a simple answer to their complaints.  It is Jesus' birthday.  He only got three gifts, and you are not better than Jesus.  They never complained again.

2) We find a family and help them for Christmas.  Sometimes we sponsor a child by buying Christmas gifts.  This year, we helped a young couple with small children by putting together a wedding for them.  My children helped me decorate, bake a wedding cake, and cook.  When your kids are helping others, it's hard to think about themselves as much.

3) Have family time where you focus on relationship, not stuff.  We like to have the kids put away the digital devices, and we pull out games, cards, or simple play music and sing.  By talking and spending time together, we are putting the emphasis building relationships, not acquiring as much stuff as possible.  

After eight or nine years of this method, my children no longer bombard me with gift requests.  They are considerate.  They only pick one item that might be bigger.  I don't even have to ask them to keep it to three items.  But the most amazing thing is that they have become amazing givers.  They want to help each other and are putting others above themselves.  Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!