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When the holidays roll around each year, we all feel the pressure to give our children a magical, memorable Christmas. Sometimes, that means we end up putting a ridiculous number of gifts under the tree. I mean, we all want to see those little faces light up, right? But if you think back to previous Christmases, how many of those gifts were played with for a day or two and then cast aside? How many were broken within the first week? (I\u2019ve lost count with our youngest!) So, wouldn\u2019t it be better to give our children fewer, but more thoughtful, gifts that they\u2019ll REALLY<\/em> love and appreciate?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After chatting with many friends and family members, I noticed we\u2019re all looking for ways to scale back the number of gifts we buy for our kids. Whether for financial reasons, to reduce clutter in the house, or just simply because they don\u2019t NEED<\/em> all that STUFF!<\/p>\n My sister-in-law showed me \u201cThe 4 Gift Rule” for kids at Christmas that she saw online. I had come across it as well and we both agreed, it’s pretty awesome! The concept is simple:\u00a0<\/p>\n One thing they WANT.<\/p>\n One thing they NEED.<\/p>\n One thing they\u2019ll WEAR.<\/p>\n One thing they\u2019ll READ.<\/p>\n I like this idea because not only does it have a fun rhyme (I\u2019m a sucker for all things catchy!), but it helps to keep spending under control and teaches our kids that Christmas isn\u2019t all<\/em> about presents.<\/p>\n Stuck on what you would buy in each category? Here are some ideas for each to help you get started!<\/p>\n WANT<\/strong> \u2013 Think of this as the BIG item. Maybe they\u2019ve been asking for a new bike or a giant doll house. Or maybe they want that big Jurassic World Lego Set and you\u2019ve been patiently waiting for it to go on sale, but it hasn\u2019t yet (hypothetically speaking of course\u2026). This item is that ONE<\/strong> thing they really want. The one item that will make their face light up!<\/p>\n NEED<\/strong> \u2013 Giving kids something they need can also translate to, well, a ‘boring’ gift. But it doesn\u2019t have to be! Think sports equipment they need, like cool hockey socks, tape or a new stick! Or maybe something related to a hobby, like a new art set for a budding artist, an apron for your little baker, or maybe some picks for a guitar lover.<\/p>\n WEAR<\/strong> \u2013 Clothes can also be considered a boring gift, so make this one something you wouldn\u2019t normally buy them. Maybe it’s a new hoodie or a pair of jeans from their favourite brand name. A jersey of their favourite sports team or player. Funky socks, sweet slippers, or cozy jammies!<\/p>\n READ<\/strong> \u2013 We love encouraging reading in our home, so our boys always unwrap something to read at Christmas. Our oldest loves reading and has a book wish list \u2013 Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter etc. Our youngest isn\u2019t as in love with reading as his brother, but he\u2019s shown interest in graphic novels. So, we keep this in mind when picking out books. If they aren\u2019t ready for books yet, try a fun magazine subscription! Or maybe a Kindle if they\u2019re a little bit older. Whatever gets them reading!<\/p>\n Four gifts this Christmas. That\u2019s it! With just four gifts to buy for each child, it gives you more time to enjoy all the things that matter most this holiday season.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When the holidays roll around each year, we all feel the pressure to give our children a magical, memorable Christmas. Sometimes, that means we end up putting a ridiculous number of gifts under the tree. I mean, we all want to see those little faces light up, right? But if you think back to previous<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-177","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-parenting","7":"category-seasonal"},"yoast_head":"\n