Anyone else starting to stress out about Christmas?
Am I the only person getting sick of buying plastic toys that never get played with?
As a child I remember getting a lot of Christmas presents, but I don’t really remember what they were. Just lots and lots of lovely parcels to rip open. Very exciting at the time but unfortunately I remember very few of the actual gifts (poor me I know).
What I do remember from my childhood are experiences. Things like hanging my freshly washed dolly clothes on my own little washing line in the garden with my mum. I remember visiting Windsor Castle and trying to make the guard laugh with my sister. I remember going to see a magician, being taken on exciting days out, and mum patiently trying to teach me to knit time and time again. What I remember most is spending time together.
Things fade and break and most kids gifts end up discarded, stored at the back of cupboards, or on their way to the charity shop or car boot sale.
Memories however, last forever.
Collecting moments and not things is really precious, so we are working on some gift vouchers for the kids for Christmas which they can redeem when they wish. I hope they provide some special memories they can cherish for years to come.
Here are a few ideas (and favourite memories from this year).
Unusual days out
Make up or facepainting lessons
Hire a boat
Iceskating
Cocktail classes at home (non alcoholic)
Craft sessions (create something amazing together)
Wild swimming
Climb a mountain together
A trip to the beach
Teach a new skill
Sleeping under the stars
Trips with friends
Music lessons
Horse riding
Try a new sport
Home cookery lessons (they choose what to cook)
Pottery session
Just a few ideas. I would love to hear some of your ideas for home made gift vouchers for the kids.
Have a fabulous Christmas.
Read my latest guest post at We Love Brighton on Sussex gift ideas.
Inspired by the 1 Million Women campaign for a waste free Christmas
a field somewhere 
I love this idea!!! We hate the amount of waste that is associated with Christmas. This year we have just brought one main present for the kiddies and then their stocking bits. As you said they hardly ever get played with anyway. I really love the idea of the gift vouchers! Thank you for sharing on #ThriftyThursday 🙂
I love this! It is so true that the memories are worth more than the things and I hate the influx of plastic that Christmas brings. Lovely photos of so many adventures too 🙂
oh my, what a fantastic idea! my two are probably a bit young this year to appreciate the memories over the plastic tat but I may well try and replace some of the tat with vouchers 🙂 some fantastic ideas too – love the facepainting and pottery.#countrykids xxx
Some great ideas there. My kids inevitably have long Christmas lists but the toys never stay played with for long. They’ve always enjoyed experience type things more (we did a mother/daughter cookery school lesson) but they do like having something to unwrap too.
Goodness! I so want summer back so I can do so many of the things here! I am so happy to say that we did lots of the ones of the list but still not enough. Can I confess that we dont have enough money to buy material things for Christmas this year and hopefully the time we spent together the whole year outside is enough for my son to compensate for the lack of material gifts. #countrykids
It’s not all about stuff. My kids love ripping the paper of gifts from Santa on xmas day just as much as the next kids. But they also understand that Santa shops at car boot sales and charity shops too. He’s trying to save the world too!
You couldn’t be more right – plastic toys that never get played with! I love this idea. I am with you on the fact that memories are the things you cherish most and you’re suggestions are a perfect way to make those childhood memories and bond the family tougher #countrykids
What a great idea, I love this idea, it’s cheap and will help to give the kids something they’ll remember forever instead of something that will end up lost, broken or forgotten. Thanks for linking up with Country Kids.
Fab ideas. I couldn’t agree more x
This is such a fantastic post and so many wonderful ideas. You are so right. I remember experiences more than things. It is why I was so chuffed when Grace asked to sponsor a snow leopard via the WWF. She wanted to help an animal and wasn’t really bothered about much else. Thank you for linking to #PoCoLo Great to see you again 🙂 x
Thanks. Lovely to read all the #pocolo posts and congratulations on the big number! X
Made me thing of your comment. My kids are now the proud carers of a baby llama! Their cousins in Australia adopted him for them for Xmas. Not quite sure where we are going to keep him! Happy New Year. x
what a super idea!
I’m with you on this, I can’t bear all the plastic and the wastefulness either! My son will turning two in January and we’re clubbing together with his grandparents to get him his first balance bike and some books. Things that will actually get used again and again, I hope. For my nephews I’m doing the “give moments” idea too – there’s a childhood museum near where they live, and so I’m planning on taking them there.
Lovely gift ideas, not only for Christmas!