When my kids were little, we embraced the magic of Santa Claus. Christmas morning meant lots of presents to unwrap, some from mom and dad, and plenty from Santa. Still, we valued giving our kids experiences, as well. When grandparents and other relatives asked for holiday gift ideas for our kids, we’d always suggest things like a membership to our local zoo or movie theater gift certificates — gifts that would provide us with time together as a family instead of sending more stuff into our house.
Our gifting style changed when my kids stopped believing in Santa. Sure, we’d give our kids a few actual presents to open on Christmas morning, but we also upped the emphasis on choosing experiences over gifts. From cruises to road trips, we started turning our focus to what we could do together to create memories over the holiday season, away from material things.
We give our kids experiences, but they still get a few things from their wish lists
My teenagers are now 15 and 17, and while they look forward to the items from their Christmas list that do end up under our tree, they also like finding things to experience together as a family. And it’s not always the gift of travel we bestow upon them; there’s also magic and memories to be found in the things we do together at home.
As my kids have gotten older, they’ve begun to appreciate our holiday traditions, such as assembling gingerbread houses, hopping in the car to see Christmas lights, and going to a holiday-themed theater production together just as much as they appreciate a new pair of sneakers or a video game on Christmas morning.
Travel is one of the experiences we most love giving our teens
Still, travel remains a gift we love giving to our kids over the holidays. This year’s holiday trip was a trek from our home in Florida to New York City, where we stayed in a hotel within walking distance of Central Park and Times Square, saw a Broadway show every night, and ate some seriously good NYC treats all over the city.
In past years, we’ve gone on a 10-day cruise around the Caribbean and taken a 3-hour road trip to spend a few days exploring Miami. Wherever we go and however we get there, traveling helps us tuck away cherished memories of time together, and hopefully, it will teach my kids how important it is to experience the world with people you love.
We also consider holiday-season day trips part of our kids’ Christmas gifts
Living in Central Florida, we have lots of great day trip options, too. Often, we go on the same adventures every single year, like heading to Universal Orlando to see their Grinch-themed holiday stage show or taking a drive to do an airboat ride (a very Florida way to see nature, waterways, and yes, alligators). On these trips, we often let them bring a friend or partner along for the day, teaching them to choose time together with the people they love over spending a lot of money on gifts.
In fact, I was touched this year when my son was telling me the things he’s planning to get his girlfriend for their first Christmas together. Sure, there were some very sweet presents in the mix, but he also asked for my help in presenting her with the gift of an experience they can do together after the holidays. Seeing them pay our family traditions forward in their own ways is pretty heart-warming.
I’m so happy my family simply enjoys being together over the holidays
My teens truly seem to love our family tradition of focusing on experiences more than presents during the holidays. Not only has it built us a treasure trove of memories (and family photos) throughout the years, but it’s given them a solid foundation of understanding that life isn’t about getting the next big material possession on your wish list; it’s about experiencing everything life has to offer with the people you care about most.
As a mom, I love seeing my kids open the gifts I’ve picked out for them on Christmas morning just as much as the next parent. Still, I’m OK with there being fewer presents under the tree as long as I know we truly enjoyed one another’s presence during the holiday season.
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