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My children are only 2 and 4 years old and I am already a witness to the commercialization of Christmas. Both my kids are excited about Santa; but more specifically, they are excited about what they are getting from him.
Last night at dinner, my son told me he wanted Santa to bring him a Nintendo DS. Once I got over the initial shock of his request (he is only 4), I asked him to explain what exactly a ‘DS’ was. I wanted to see if he actually knew what he was requesting. His answer: a phone. Just as I suspected, he has no idea what a Nintendo DS is and is merely repeating what he heard at school.
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The focus and overindulgence on material goods are exactly why many parents dread Christmas. That is why, this year, I want to focus on traditions instead of gifts.
My kids each get one gift from us and one gift from Santa. Plus, they receive a stocking filled with dollar store items, such as puzzles, colouring books, a few chocolates and stickers. From their grandparents they receive one gift and from their great-grandmother, money towards education. This is enough. I do not want to encourage excess. Instead, I want them to appreciate each gift they receive and learn what it feels like to give to others.
I have intentionally involved them in developing the gift list with questions such as “what do you think Aunt Eugene would like this year?” I want them to stop and think about other people’s likes and interests without focusing entirely on their own. We baked cookies and delivered the goodies together this year because I wanted them to see how effective simple gestures are and how easily you can make someone else happy if you show that you thought about them.
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We are focusing on creating traditions surrounding the holidays so that it becomes less about the gifts and more about the memories and the time spent together as a family. Leading up to the Christmas, we decorate the house together, listen to Christmas music, sing carols, bake cookies, and partake in Christmas-themed crafts. On Christmas eve we plan to see the lights on Parliament Hill, while on Christmas day we will open gifts, enjoy a big breakfast and host dinner for our extended family.
If you are looking for ideas, here are some holiday traditions you may consider for your family:
- decorating the house (inside and out)
- baking
- wrapping gifts
- singing carols
- visiting family and friends
- attending a Church service
- staying up late
- watching Christmas movies
- sharing a meal together
You don’t need lots of money to have a happy Christmas. This year, your kids can enjoy the holidays, have fun and know that they are loved. They don’t need gifts for that, but perhaps a few traditions instead.
What are your special traditions over Christmas?
MM
Celebrating Christmas with two teenagers (17 and 14) is certainly very different then it was when they were toddlers. What has surprised me is that commercialization is less an issue now then it was when they were younger. They understand better the seduction games played by stores and ads, and are much less blindly tempted by them. For the last couple of years, neither of my children have actually asked for gifts, and it was through much prodding on my part that I was finally able to suggest a few things they may enjoy! So there is hope ahead MM! As for traditions, we have carried the same Xmas tradition for 17 years now… Each child gets a new pair of PJs on Xmas eve! And considering that teenagers almost live in pyjama bottoms nowadays, this long held tradition holds even more value to them these days!!
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