Disclosure: This is an unsponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.
I LOVE taking my kids to fun places and experiences!!! SO much so that last year we made it a part of our 5 Christmas Gifts (want, need, wear, read, DO). We have had such a fun time that we added that to other gift times, special trips or adventures for (A)’s communion, and for the kids’ birthdays.
One of the issues with such fun is that pretty much EVERY place you go makes you exit through a gift shop. Smart planning on the part of the event, but often a nightmare for parents. My newest suggestion is that you plan in advance with your children either a budget, or small item that they collect. So either “you have $5 to spend” or collect pencils, magnets, pins etc.
In this fashion, I’ve started our own tradition. When we go places my kids know that USUALLY we aren’t going to purchase souvenirs, as the memory and the experience is enough. This year though I’ve started breaking my own rule. When the kids aren’t looking I purchase a Christmas Ornament.
My plan: Our elf Marvin usually brings things, “Missions” for the kids to do during the month leading up to Christmas.
Missions include: Donate new toys, decorate the house for Christmas, go through your old toys and send them back to Santa, adopt a needy child or family and go shopping for them, watch a movie (on dvd), read a Christmas themed book, play a board game, make cookies and co co, go look at Christmas lights, even tickets to a Santa Breakfast (like our RNYM one). This year he’s also going to bring an ornament every few days and ask them to sit down and reflect upon the great time we had. This will facilitate more family conversation, bring up the great things we’ve done together, and also fill our tree with more than just any ornaments. These ornaments will represent the memories we have made together, and some day, my kids will want to start their own trees, taking with them their favorite ornaments, that represent our famous adventures.
Ornaments range from 9-$20 depending on where you are but will last a lifetime and spark conversation yearly while we decorate the tree together. I’ll let you know how it goes, but I am beyond excited to see what they think <3
