![\"PresentsVsExperiences_1mb.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/3295812\/PresentsVsExperiences_1mb.jpg\")
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For the last couple of years, my husband and I have made a conscious effort to give our boys experiences as Christmas gifts instead of toys. We don\u2019t do this to be mean, we do this because we think experiences are much more valuable than a house full of toys. I would MUCH rather give them an experience that we can do together as a family, than bring another action figure or talking dinosaur into the house that they\u2019ll play with for a week\u2026and then toss aside in their bedroom or playroom.<\/p>\n
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Now, we know there\u2019s absolutely no way we could ever have a toy-free holiday, and I\u2019m definitely okay with them receiving toys they\u2019ll actually use. We have weekly game nights in our house, so board games are always welcome! They both read before bed every night, so books are a wonderful gift! I\u2019m also okay with video games and Lego because they actually play with those things. (And we play video games WITH them!) But I\u2019m done buying toys for the sake of buying toys. I\u2019m more interested in getting them a couple items that are specific to their actual interests, and then gifting them experiences instead.<\/p>\n
I know this might be difficult for some households because let\u2019s be honest, a one or a two year old probably isn\u2019t going to understand that they just got tickets to a waterpark or a zoo instead of an actual physical toy they can play with. But older children will understand, and they\u2019ll appreciate it. It gives them something to look forward to. <\/p>\n
So, if you\u2019d like to give your children more things they can \u201cexperience\u201d rather than fill your house with a bunch of toys this Christmas, here are some ideas your kids will probably love!<\/p>\n
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Sporting Event<\/strong> \u2013 Maybe you have a local sports team, or maybe you live within driving distance of the Rogers Centre. Think about buying tickets to a local hockey game or a Jays game and enjoy a fun, family day out. It\u2019s a great experience, and if your kids are sports fans like mine\u2026they\u2019ll LOVE it! <\/p>\n Waterpark<\/strong> \u2013 There\u2019s a couple indoor waterparks within 2-3 hours of our house. Last year, we booked an overnight stay at a hotel that included passes to the waterpark. Our boys LOVE waterslides and swimming, so this gift is always met with giant smiles and cheering!<\/p>\n Concert<\/strong> \u2013 Last year, my mother-in-law bought us all tickets to go see a Tim Hicks concert! (my 9 year-old is a HUGE fan!) There was 10 of us in total, and we all went out to dinner together before the concert and had a blast!<\/p>\n Movie Tickets<\/strong> \u2013 Cineplex gift cards are ALWAYS welcome gifts at our house. Our boys \u2013 and my husband for that matter \u2013 are big movie fans, so these will never go to waste. We usually save them up for a movie we all want to see. It makes for a fun, family date night.<\/p>\n Zoo\/Amusement Park<\/strong> \u2013 Wrap up tickets to a nearby zoo, amusement park, museum or local annual event in your community.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For most families, this will be likely be a work in progress. But it\u2019s something I think a lot of families \u2013 at least quite a few that I\u2019ve talked to \u2013 would like to implement. After all, kids don\u2019t really need more toys, do they? Sure, they might want<\/em> them, but you know what I think they\u2019d want even more? Spending time with YOU. By giving your child an experience this Christmas, you\u2019re really giving them your time.<\/p>\n In my opinion, that\u2019s worth more than any toy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For the last couple of years, my husband and I have made a conscious effort to give our boys experiences as Christmas gifts instead of toys. We don\u2019t do this to be mean, we do this because we think experiences are much more valuable than a house full of toys. I would MUCH rather give<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-722","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-mom-moments"},"yoast_head":"\n