tranum

My beauty operator told me how they do Christmas with their 2young children so I want to share it.

Reverse Advent. Instead of getting a piece of candy each Advent day, the kids pick a non perishable food item to put in the family “Advent Box” each day and it’s delivered to the food pantry on the 24th.
(teaches sharing)

Four Gift Rule: Kids get 1)something they want. 2)something they need. 3)something to wear. 4)something to read.

Her husband often works over Christmas so on a free weekend prior to Christmas, a package comes at the door (from Santa) to open with Dad. New pajamas, hot chocolate, popcorn and a movie to enjoy with Dad. How sweet.

sewbizgirl

Love those ideas. Great family traditions.

willferg

I especially love the Four Gift Rule!

GEMRM

Really great ideas and thoughts here, thanks for sharing how they celebrate Christmas.

lynnie

wonderful idea, love hearing new twists on old traditions

Geri B

Great Christmas tradition for that family......seems like that should be the rule of thumb......I will have to pass that along to my gd...a mom now who over buys. Childs bedroom looks like it has up chucked with all the "stuff" in it!

Watson

Great traditions that teach kids to share with others.

Our tradition has always been that the kids get one "big" gift...a toy or something that they were asking for (within reason) to open Christmas day, a stocking that is on their beds when they wake up Christmas morning,a pair of special pyjamas to open and wear Christmas Eve night and a boardgame for us all to play on Christmas Day.

Now that they are grown, they still get a stocking and PJ's, but now they get some money in a gift card to buy their own "toys".

Watson

quilterpurpledog

When our 3 sons were young, Santa brought each of them one gift, mom and dad gave them one gift, they each got a stocking with little items such as match box cars, new crayons and candy and fruit. When the oldest figured out the Santa thing, he got to help be Santa. The most fun year, in that respect, was the year the two older ones got to be Santa together for the youngest one. We always did lots of games and family stuff. Meals were just ordinary so that I didn't miss out on the fun-no one cared about a fancy meal anyway. We also gave an amount of money to charities that serve others because we certainly were comfortable in life. I really like the idea of the reverse advent idea above.

Judith1005

What a wonderful tradition to start with their children. I can only imagine the adults they will grow up to be!!

Onebyone

Yes, every parent need to set rules from the child's first Christmas! It's too hard to change when the kids get older.
My two children got one gift each from Santa unwrapped under the tree Christmas morning. After the youngest turned 8, no more Santa gifts. The wrapped gifts usually about four each were from DH and me. I always gave a leather bound book. By the time the kids were 18 they each had an impressive book shelf. We never gave needed every day items as gifts, they got those during the year as needed. On Christmas Eve the kids opened one present and it was always new pjs. The grandparents always gave a nice birthday gift to each one and was okay with no Christmas presents. Every other year we chose an angel from the town's tree to provide Christmas for the child named on the angel. Now that I am a grandparent I do what my DDs request when it comes to Christmas presents for the grands while they are young.