Mother of Eleven
Gives Holiday Tips
With only a few shopping days left before Christmas, many
parents are experiencing panic trying to figure out what to buy their kids when
there are other demands on the budget this season such as providing heat for the
winter months, gas that is now over $3 a gallon at the pump, and providing
winter coats and sweaters to keep warm.
Many parents are worried about giving their children the essentials; yet
want to still provide their children with a joyous holiday season.
After 38 years of Christmases as a mom who had to budget
every penny, I have come up with some holiday tips and ideas that may spare you
high credit card bills, past due notices from your creditors, and visits to the
doctor because of holiday depression.
All kids love to receive gifts, but they don’t always
remember the big, expensive, elaborate ones for long. What will cause lasting memories and joy for
the years to come cannot be bought.
Instead of falling into the trap of commercialism this year, give your
kids the best Christmas ever while keeping your checkbook balanced.
The following are 10 sure-fire tips to choose from. With just a bit of creativity, you can
personalize each one of these ideas to your children. Remember that kids translate “time” as
equaling “love.” The most precious
moments of Christmas are those times spent together in laughter and enjoyment
of one another. Ask your kids, and
they’ll tell you what really counts!
This year, spend less money and more time together and I’ll guarantee
you that this will be your most memorable Christmas ever. My eleven kids remind me of that every year
when I ask them what they want for Christmas.
The answer is always, “Time together as a family laughing and talking
about the fun things we did this past year.”
Choose an idea or two from this list, and be prepared to
have a most memorable holiday!
- Make a
scrapbook of memories about your child – this will be a timeless keepsake
for years to come! Every child
needs to know that you care. What
better way than to present a picture journal of their highlights of the
year?
- Present
your child with trip certificates.
Be creative. Choose one trip
per month that is a free or almost-free trip to a park, museum, learning
center, play, or sports event. You
can create fun certificates on the computer, and give a crisp five-dollar
bill with each certificate. Then,
follow through and enjoy 12 one-day adventures with your child during the
year. You will create memories that
will never be forgotten!
- Allow
your child to choose a gallon of paint in his favorite color and then give
permission for him to turn his bedroom into a fantasy world. The decorating might not be to your
taste, but your child will love you forever for allowing his room to
reflect his personality. I still
have a bedroom painted with Winnie-the-Pooh and rainbow colored
handprints!
- Buy
your child a pair of warm, fuzzy pajamas and a special book. Present 11 coupons for a book-a-month to
be purchased along with a trip alone with you to a bookstore for the
remaining months of the year.
Snuggle up and read together and enjoy the adventures that only can
be found in good books.
- Buy a
boxful of party items – party hats, decorations, party favors, and
balloons. Then, give a special “I
love you” note saying that you will provide your child with one of the
most fun parties ever. Allow your
child to invite her best friends and enjoy a day of fun and laughter. The party will never be forgotten and
the memories will last forever!
- Give
your child one hand-written gift certificate for $25 per month for each
month of the year. You and your
child can make plans to spend an afternoon together once a month and your
child can buy the item of her choice.
You’ll teach saving, budgeting, patience, and the joy of
expectation. And, you’ll get to
spend time together!
- Give a
blanket, a flashlight, and a canteen.
Include a special “indoor camping” certificate good for six times
during the year. Fix an
old-fashioned tent in the living room and learn how to be a kid again with
your child. Stay up all night
telling scary stories and eating popcorn.
What fun! Mark the dates on
the calendar and watch your child wait in anticipation for each fun night.
- Buy
your child a piggy bank that cannot be broken into. Give your child a voucher for placing
one dollar every day into the piggy bank for the next 365 days. By you giving up a pack of gum or one
cup of coffee a day, you and your child can watch the piggy bank grow to
the large sum of $365. That’s a big
gift coming from just a little sacrifice.
- Fix a
“fun bag” filled with a variety of things such as movie rental tickets, a
pizza ticket, a night out at McDonald’s coupon, a skating pass, a movie
pass, a bowling pass. You get the
idea. And, plan on enjoying some
time together during the year when your child cashes in on each item in
his fun bag.
- Create
a special tradition and begin it the week of Christmas. Maybe it is going out for breakfast on
the last Saturday of every month.
Maybe it is spending time playing basketball or baking cookies on a
certain day of each month. You know
your child, so adapt the tradition to his or her liking. What better fun than spending alone time
with your child? Give your child a
“tradition coupon” and stick to it.
These fun times spent together are gifts that can never get
outdated or will never be taken away or forgotten.
I’ve tried most of these holiday ideas, and I know that they
work. Some of my gifts have not been as
elaborate as these, though. Taking 11
kids to a bookstore once a month was an impossibility,
but I sure did throw many neighborhood parties and made cherished memories for
all of us!
Make this holiday season a time of joyful giving and
living. Don’t get caught in the stress
trap and the financial net of debt.
Relax and give your children what they need most – you!
Clara Hinton
Professional Speaker, Workshop Leader, Author