5 Gift Rule Ideas For Adults
5 Gift Rule Ideas For Adults - Hip2Save may earn a small commission at no extra cost through trusted affiliates and affiliate links in this post. Prices and availability are accurate at time of publication. Read our full disclosure policy here. The Four Gift Rule is a unique Christmas tradition that simplifies gift giving for your family.
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5 Gift Rule Ideas For Adults
Less stress, more grateful kids, and a lot more meaning! Read on to find out what it is. When I became a mom in 2010, I started doing exactly what my mom did, overbuying the kids. For years I thought that an abundance of gifts = happiness, but I quickly realized that it was the complete opposite for me.
Christmas can quickly be taken over by frivolous gifts, unconscious habits of "I didn't buy", "just one more gift", "need to fix it" or simply falling for the hot new fashion toy. The market only wants its joy to be short-lived. Above is a photo from 2012.
Christmas - just 8 months after I had my second son. The presents were packed so deep under the tree and each one was for my two boys. My ex and I spent so much that we didn't even get to buy each other presents, but I remember the pride of putting the last present under the tree, knowing that my boys would wake up to a "magical" Christmas.
Starting The 4 Gift Rule Was The Best Thing I Ever Did For Myself And For My Kids.
Deep down I felt empty and so stressed because of the financial burden. I was a very young mother living on one income and I knew I couldn't afford to continue like this. I didn't want to continue it. You see, when you buy in bulk, you create expectations for yourself and others.
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Almost always, these high expectations cause unnecessary stress on you and your finances. I love giving gifts...but I realized that I love giving gifts intentionally. I've been toying with this minimalist idea for a few years, but I've come up with every excuse why I can't get started yet.
My kids still believed in Santa Claus...there aren't enough of them yet...I will do it next year...it will be easier when they are older...etc. Fast forward to 2017 (yes, after 5 holidays 😳) I finally committed to the 4 gift rule. there are no excuses.
There are no ifs, ands, or buts. I knew I deserved the stress-free and simple Christmas season that my heart longs for every year. More importantly, I wanted my children to have realistic expectations and a new sense of gratitude. Can you imagine the idea of giving only 4 gifts to each of your children?
This Is Our Tree From Last Christmas – Year Four Doing The 4 Gift Rule.
I know this tradition may come as a shock if you're used to going completely overboard like you used to, but I can't tell you how many times I've seen parents on Facebook or Instagram asking what to even get their kids because they already have everything...🤔.
I can say that starting this tradition was very liberating. I also love that it has made me think much more deeply about each gift I give. Sometimes I also add one extra gift - something you do, and sometimes I add an extra gift for all my kids - a "sharing gift" which is usually a family game of some sort.
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My kids still enjoy Christmas. In fact, they like it best now. Last year was the first year since the 4-gift rule went into effect when I asked my kids where they liked to spend Christmas the most. They spend Christmas in several houses between me, their dad and several grandparents.
I expected them to say that my mom (aka grandma) was their favorite because she's known for pushing boundaries...and what kid doesn't? I was shocked when they told me that my Christmas is their favorite because they get gifts that they really want or need and we always have time for our french toast stew afterwards.
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😭 It's the little things guys. 🥹 After four successful years, I'm more confident than ever in my decision to start this life-changing tradition. Tip: Encourage your child to write down a few different options for each of the four gift rules when making their Christmas list so that they're still surprised on Christmas morning and you'll have extra ideas you might want to use.
get them too. The 4-gift rule will take the pressure off you and your wallet, and as you can see, our tree still looks just as magical because there are only 4 gifts for each of the five people in our family. This new tradition can also allow you to give a gift that you wouldn't ordinarily be able to buy if you were spending money on so many other things.
As I shared above, I love giving gifts, and since there is such a minimal amount for each person, I can definitely put a lot more love into the packaging and come up with creative ways to present them. Above is the hangman game that I packed in a big box last year for my oldest son.
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Those words led him to our mud room where his new bike was waiting for him. Although this was his biggest gift, it really felt like two interesting gifts in one. A year ago I wrote my kid some fun poems for a "gift of sharing" which was their biggest gift that year, a handmade ramp.
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Wrapping each one in a big box, I sent them around the house until the last song surprised them! It goes without saying that this went perfectly with their "I want a gift" - new scooters! 😍 I also love that finding creative ways to wrap presents extends the time you can enjoy unwrapping.
Things can move pretty quickly with just 4 presents and a few stockings from Santa. And in case you're wondering...yes, Santa still comes to our house. 😉 His presence in our house will last as long as my little one still believes, but we keep the socks practical and affordable.
Also, my youngest never knows which is from Santa and which is from us, so it's still magical despite the abundance of presents. My sons, who no longer believe, have even told me that Christmas has never felt different to them. ✨ We've had so many wonderful memories over the past 4 Christmases thanks to our new 4 Gift Rule tradition.
The "gift" is often my favorite and is quickly becoming the one my kids look forward to the most as they grow up. We went skiing, played paintball, and also took our daughter to enjoy the Disney Ice Show. We usually ask for such gifts from the extended family as well, so that we can continue to give as few gifts as possible.
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