4 Gift Christmas Rule
4 Gift Christmas Rule - Hip2Save earns a small commission at no extra cost through our trusted partners and affiliate links in this post. Pricing and availability are correct at the time of posting. Read our full disclosure policy here. The "Rule of 4 Gifts" is a unique Christmas tradition that simplifies gift-giving for families.
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4 Gift Christmas Rule
Less stress, more grateful kids, and a whole lot more money! Read on to find out what it is. When I became a mother in 2010, I started doing exactly what my mother used to do. For years I thought surplus gift = joy, but I quickly realized it felt the exact opposite to me.
The unconscious habit of Christmas can quickly become obsessive with frivolous presents like "I didn't buy enough", "one present", "I need to get out too", or just passing the hot new trendy toy market. Short-lived. Above is a picture from Christmas 2012. This is just eight months after the birth of our second son.
The gifts were wrapped deep under the tree and everything was for my two boys. My ex and I spent so much money that we couldn't even buy presents for each other, but I remember proudly leaving the last present under the tree, knowing that my boys would wake up on Christmas Day and see their Christmas presents.
Starting The 4 Gift Rule Was The Best Thing I Ever Did For Myself And For My Kids.
Wizard." Deep inside I felt empty and too stressed to make sense financially. I was a very young mother living on one income and knew I couldn't go on. I didn't want to keep it. When you overbuy, you build expectations of yourself and others.
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Almost always, these high expectations put unnecessary stress on you and your finances. I love gift-giving...but what I've realized is that I like gift-giving on purpose. I've been toying with this minimalist idea for years, but I've made up my mind as to why I haven't started yet.
My kids still believe in Santa...Still too young...I'll do it next year...It'll be easier when they're older...etc. Fast-forward to 2017 (yes, 5 Christmases later 😳) and I finally committed myself to the 4 gift rule. There are no excuses. There are no ifs, ands, or buts.
I knew I deserved the stress-free, easy Christmas season that my heart craves every year. More importantly, I wanted my kids to have realistic expectations and a newfound appreciation. Can you imagine the idea of giving your kids only 4 gifts each? If you, like me, are used to the total excess, I know this tradition can come as a shock.
This Is Our Tree From Last Christmas – Year Four Doing The 4 Gift Rule.
But I can't tell you how many times I've seen parents ask what they would get from Facebook or Instagram. Because children already have everything… I also love that it made me think more deeply about every gift I give. I also sometimes include more than one gift.
You do and sometimes it's a bonus gift for all the kids. It's usually a "share gift", a kind of family game. Our children still enjoy Christmas. In fact, they love it the most right now. Last year was the first year since I started The 4 Gifts Rule, I asked my kids where they wanted to celebrate Christmas.
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They celebrate Christmas in multiple homes, among me, their dad, and multiple grandparents. She's notorious for going completely overboard, so her mom (aka her grandma) totally expected it to be her favorite food. And what kid doesn't like that? I was shocked when they told me that my Christmas is their favorite because they get presents they actually want or need and we always have time for French toast casserole.
😭 It's the little things, guys. 🥹 After 4 successful years, I feel more confident than ever in my decision to start this life changing tradition. Helpful Tip: Encourage your kids to list a few different options for each of the 4 gifting rules when making their Christmas list, so you can get some extra ideas for larger families who still want to surprise and want something on Christmas morning.
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do. The 4 gift rule will take a lot of stress off you and your wallet. As you can see, our tree still looks magical with only 4 gifts per family of 5. This new tradition also allows you to splurge on gifts you wouldn't normally buy or buy if you were spending money on other things.
As I said above, I love gift-giving and since there is a minimum amount per person, I can put so much love into coming up with creative ways to wrap and gift them. Above is the hangman game I packed in a big box for my older son last year.
That led him to our basement, where his new bike was waiting for him. Even though this is his greatest gift, it felt like two exciting gifts in one. A year ago, I wrote some funny poems for my son's "gift of giving", which happened to be the biggest gift of the year: a handmade ramp.
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I wrapped each one in a big box and sent them all over the house until the last cigar took them by surprise! Needless to say, it went perfectly with their "wanted gift", the new scooter! 😍 I also love that coming up with creative ways to wrap gifts extends the amount of time they enjoy wrapping.
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With just 4 presents from Santa and a few stockings, things can move very quickly. And in case you're wondering...yes, Santa still comes to our house. 😉 His presence will be in our home as long as our youngest believes, but we keep stockings practical and affordable.
Besides, our youngest has no idea which one is Santa and which ones are from us, so despite the abundance of presents, they are still magical. My sons, who no longer believe, have said that Christmas is no different to them. ✨ Over the past 4 Christmases, we've made so many amazing memories thanks to the new 4 Gift Rules tradition.
Giving gifts" is often my favorite and it's becoming what my kids look forward to most as they get older. We went skiing and paintball and went to the Disney on Ice show with my daughter. These are usually the kind of gifts we want even for extended families, so we can keep our gifts to a minimum.
This year, Grandma went to D.C. with Gaylord. You will amaze them with your trip! Honestly, we enjoy so many experiences as a family and as we get older, I think ours will eventually become a gift of experience. Helpful Tip: Learn more about the gift of experience and why the gift of time is so important to your family.
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