Four Gift Challenge – Want, Need, Wear, Read
As a mom of two young children, the holiday season in our family has typically been a time of wonder, excitement, fun and of course, busyness and increased levels of stress. I seem to arrive at the same place each year when it comes to buying gifts for our children. One side of me wants to buy everything that my kids beg for in the plethora of flyers that arrive at our home on an almost daily basis, another side of me wants to set very clear limits on gifts so that our children learn the most important aspects of the holiday season like spending quality time with loved ones and taking time to relax and enjoy one another’s company.
I recently came across a blog post (http://moneysavingsisters.com/4-gift-christmas-challenge-want-need-wear-read/) that provided a creative solution to gift-giving during the holiday season that I think is worth considering.
Here’s the idea: each child gets four gifts (in total) that fall into the following categories:
- Something they want
- Something they need
- Something to wear
- Something to read
While this may mean a big change for a lot of families, there are definite benefits to this idea, such as:
- Decreased stress and pressure associated with the holiday season
- Less time spent shopping=more quality time with family
- Children will be more thankful for what they do receive and remember each gift
- Emphasizes the truly important aspects of the holiday season (family, quality time) and challenges materialism
- Money saved (which could be used to help those in need at this time of the year)
My family will be taking this challenge this holiday season, and I would encourage you to do the same!
Sources:
http://moneysavingsisters.com/4-gift-christmas-challenge-want-need-wear-read/
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/want-need-wear-read-limiting-g-103660
http://creatingcontentment.com/holiday-to-do-list/
Rebecaa Fitt-Ajewole is an Intake Worker in Clinical Services at Carizon Family and Community Services.
