Gift Guide for Kids

Click here to see my Christmas Gift Master List.

The funny thing about kids is that they actually seem to need less in order to do more.

Have you ever seen a child’s creativity shine through when they get their hands on that Amazon box you were about to throw out? How about when they’d rather make music with their fork and dinner plate than on that little wooden music set you got ad-pressured into buying? I’ve been there and done that, so for the last few years I’ve been paying extra attention to what my kids actually need vs. what they might say they want. I’ve complied a little list to help you get started when it comes to Christmas shopping for the little tikes in your life.

Since we had children, my husband and I have tried to stick to these very simple gift-giving principles:

1. Something they want.

2. Something they need.

3. Something to wear.

4. Something to read.

Does this mean that my children only get four gifts from us every Christmas? Of course not. But, if we were to decide that we REALLY needed to cut back, these are still the principles that we would go by.
At this point, our children are learning to ask for things following these principles as well.

Here’s the guide:

WANT:

• toys / games

• trips

• experiences

• electronics & accessories

NEED:

• clothes, jackets, underwear, socks, etc.

• shoes

• school supplies

• blankets, pillows, & other household items

WEAR:

• clothes - something they’ve expressed interest in (ex: character shirts)

• shoes (ex: bedroom slippers, slides, etc.)

• jewelry

• body spray / cologne

• headbands / claw clips / other hair accessories

READ:

• audible / kindle gift cards

• physical books

• magazine subscription (with a parent’s permission)

Perhaps you were expecting something more complicated, but it really is this simple. You could choose two things from each category. Or maybe a singular, more expensive item within each category.
You may also notice that the categories can overlap a bit. This is a win/win because if you know your child needs a new coat, but they’ve got their eye on a big ugly Minecraft one that they really like, you could technically get it for them guilt-free because it still falls under one of your preset categories. There are definitely ways to get creative within this model, and I’d love to know if you try it out and what your results are. If you attempt this this season, please send me an email and let me know!

Helpful hint: this can be even more fun to do for some of the adults in your life, like a spouse or best friend ;)