What I got my kids for Christmas as a minimalist

Christmas is such a joyful time of year, but gifts can be hard! And, if you've been working at simplifying your home it can feel like you're backsliding. In today's video, I give you the lowdown on how we approach gift giving for our kids, encompassing gifts from us, from extended family, and from "the big guy." I've also thrown in a bonus filling of a stocking with consumable gifts that will be enjoyed, but used up for under $30.

HOW I CATEGORIZE GIFTS
Head: Books, learning toys
Heart: Interests, asked for
Hands: Arts and crafts materials
Home: Family activities (e.g., games, memberships, subscriptions)

HOW I CATEGORIZE STOCKING STUFFERS
Food/Treats (e.g., chocolates, candies, baked goods, hot chocolate packets, tea pouches, fruit, chips)
Arts/Crafts (e.g., play-doh, clay, kinetic sand, watercolors, crayons, tempera paints, tape [masking/washi], stickers)
Toys (e.g., bubbles, play silks, accessories for larger gifts)
Toiletries (e.g., toothbrushes, floss picks/floss, bath bubbles, peel-able nail polish, lotion, lip balm)
Winter gear (e.g., hats, gloves, woolen socks)

🎙 MENTIONED

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Music licensed by Epidemic Sound.

[papertownhome]

What are you most excited to give your kids for Christmas?🎄

[sgirlygirl]

The great thing about minimizing gifts is that they end up being so much more thoughtful, IMO. Great job, and I love the categories!

[KarronAngel]

Brilliant video, your description of the toys and ideas is amazing. Companies should be employing you to sell their products. Lots of hugs

[karaperry]

I loved these ideas; where did you purchase those ornaments? I didn’t see a link. Thanks for the video!

[rsnj]

Your daughter might be too young for paper dolls. They can be very frustrating for little ones.

[jackieoconnor]

Great gifts and I love the head, heart, hands, home categories! I can see a lot of people picking that up and running with it. We bought both the book and paper dolls for Little House on the Prairie for my granddaughter when she was around 5. She loved them 😊. Just an observation based on experience with the ornaments in the stockings. We have done a similar thing for years, but we attach an ornament each to the outside of one of their gifts, as obviously their parents fill their actual stockings. We had one year when they were younger when we had a meltdown because one of them received a felt puppy ornament very similar to the one you showed and it was HIGHLY coveted by the other kids 😄😄😄. We learned a lesson and now buy them all something very similar. Some years it’s a variation of little felt mice or it might be car ornaments, etc. It’s just something to watch out for when you end up with a cute ornament that almost looks like a toy 😊. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

[autismenlightenment]

Its the end of september and my daughter woke up and asked for a christmas gift.... i told her i got her a new homeschool gift that she could have instead( a thrifted copy of Grovers alphabet) after she loved reading it from our local library. She crief and said she did not want it😢 her birthday is in february so i hate this mass of gifts all coming into the home over such a short period of time. My daughter is also 3.5 (i realize this was posted last year) and i was obsessed w little house books as a kid. I have thrifted copies of the my first little house abc and numbers! I splurged and ordered a new set of 12 intending to break them up and giving them to her seasonally. Totally leaning in to books! I want to get her the little house coloring book. We have second hand american girl dolls so i am going to get the mary and laura dress set for them. I still have my original kirsten but i lost her sun bonnet. I want to find a sewing pattern for making some. Yes im only really wanting to give her enough to fill a stocking because her birthday will be right around the corner. Ill have to check out the dec 6th st nicks day so that ee can celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas and not have the make believe santa game on the same day. I have told my daughter the truth about the tooth fairy and other imaginary characters because i dont want her to think God is just made up too.

[marybowling]

So I have just recently been reducing the amount of clutter in my home. I would not at all consider ourselves minimalists, but I realize less clutter makes my child happier. So I am thinking ahead to Christmas as I often find bargains ahead if I look early. Very thoughtful gifts. I always buy my son books for special occasions and he loves his books! Thanks. Please consider doing another one of these for this year when Christmas time approaches.

[kateywallis]

It’s Christmas lol it’s once a year ….. smh I’m not saying spoil and get 20 presents but come on .

[mrsbrittanylouu]

Oh you guys will love the Biggest story book It’s been such a sweet blessing to my kids for a year now!! We also love their curriculum!!!

[marywolford]

I can’t remember which video, but you mentioned each one of your kids only has 3 pairs of shoes. Any recommendations for brands of kids shoes that last/are worth the investment?

[kristyleavitt]

Thanks for the kids’ Bible recommendation! I’d like to get that one for our kids when they’re a little older.

[gabberna]

The more "unhealthy" not often eaten snacks in the stocking are such a great idea!

[lindseyheringer]

I love all your stocking stuffers. I stocked up on treats at the dollar tree myself for St. Nick although we're doing it tonight. I feel like it was never clarified which was the actual day. Does he come on the night of the fourth of the fifth?

[sophiem]

One thought might be to consider some of the “boy” toys you mentioned for your daughter. She might love teaching your son how to use them as he gets older. Might also be interesting for your kids to share the same hobby. My (grown) nephew is as manly as they come but grew up sewing with his sisters and his wife now loves that he can fix his own buttons.

Not trying to start a judgy gender thing at all, you guys do you. I just know it simplifies things (and shopping) for my family when we consider the same life-skills type stuff for all our kids until they’re old enough to express a preference.

[kelseysmith]

This was absolutely lovely. We were guaranteed a book every Christmas which was great ( we got books all year round too) but the Christmas ones were always a surprise. Often a brand new author or genre. Very fun to get. This is a sweet, lovely way to do gift giving. Another wonderful video, thanks!

[carolynkatsilas]

I remember when I was a child, I’m 75 now, but we always got in the toe of our stockings and orange every year, what a sweet surprise that was 🍊

[redrover]

Really love your head, heart, hands, home categories!

I have gone overboard this year. I did the 7 gift poem (want, need, wear, read, do, me, family) plus a stocking but it feels like too much

[honorburza]

I love washi take, in getting a pack of sea themed ones to put in my son’s birthday piniata/or pass the parcel game.

[ameliedebazouges]

I am not minimalist but I chose to do like you. I picked a lot of books.