In the end, all presents either get well loved and then discarded, garage-saled, or given away to friends or family. It might be shortly after they're given, or not until later on in college or adulthood, but sooner or later it happens to everything. That is unless you give experiences as gifts instead of stuff and things.
Give Experiences & Ditch The Stuff And Things
From my own childhood, I have very few things from my youthful days. A doll and some books and a few small keepsakes, but for the most part, the majority of the toys and other assorted items I was given, have long since been passed on to either someone else, be it the trash, thrift store or friend or family member.
Some of the trinkets I remember fondly, but most it takes a family picture to jar my memory as to their previous existence. Some of the memories that have stood out the most however, aren't the things found under the Christmas tree come December 26th. In fact, they aren't even things that can be put into a box, they're the adventures, places and sights that I saw with other people.
The Children's Science Museum in St. Louis when I was 10, the lake where I first learned to water ski and the long hour I spent watching Pinocchio through my fingers at the movie theater because the whole idea or a wooden boy, just freaked me out (and don't even get me started on the whale!).
This year, especially if money is short, try giving experiences to the children (or even adults) in your life. Make arrangements for an outing or afternoon excursion, take them to somewhere new, or even a tour of the tall buildings in your city! You could come to clean house for new parents or cook a meal in for an entire family. Those are the things you remember most when you grow up, the people you were with and the love that you felt as you discovered something new or viewed something for the first time.
There's many suggestions for whole family gifts back in this previous post, but we'd like you to chime in with some of your best "experience based" ideas. They can be those which you have previously given or those in which you'd love for someone to give to you!
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
(Image: Flickr Member Mark and Marie Finnern licensed for use by Creative Commons)
Comments (12)
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We get a membership to a conservation zoo and wildlife park from my parents each Christmas. The membership helps to support the good work they group does AND we get to visit anytime we want to for a year which is fantastic.
From my husband's parents we get gift certificates toward trip to a family resort we visit each year. It is something we could not afford without the gift and the kids (and us parents) enjoy it so much!
Both gifts are so much better than a bunch of different toys etc that are often broken or forgotten about. Less stuff and wonderful memories!
view wallaby's profile
I've been begging my mom to do this for years, and she's finally giving in. Instead of the elaborate birthday parties she's insisted on for my daughter in previous years, we're doing the Polar Express train ride with just her cousins in attendance.
Last Christmas instead of purchasing gifts for each other, we used the money we would have spent toward a family vacation to Mexico. It's amazing how much more enjoyable the holidays are when not dealing with the stress of finding gifts for every member of the family or finding a place to fit all of the newly acquired stuff.
view jbix's profile
last year my sister sponsored an animal at best friends animal sanctuary as a gift to my husband. she chose an older pit bull that closely resembled our own pit bull. the dog was actually one of the few that were safely rescued from michael vick's property. since we are strongly opposed to animal abuse, this gift was greatly appreciated by our entire family. i loved the idea of it, and he loved that he didn't get more "stuff" that he doesn't need or want.
view malcolmsmom's profile
A small investment on the micro-loaning site "Kiva" is great for an older child who can use the experience to learn about investment, money, and development.
I've given gift certificates for one-on-one knitting lessons to budding knitters.
Spa treatments are great.
Swimming lessons, or membership at an indoor pool to help those of us in wintery place not go crazy.
I'd love to receive tickets to local theater.
Experiences are great.
view wrencrain's profile
I'm taking my soon-to-be-4-year-old to Disneyland. That should be ok!
view acwink's profile
Throughout my childhood, and especially in those crazy teen years, my father was constantly commanding me, " Make Memories!!" I thought he was a bit crazy, but now I completely love him for his wisdom. He always pushed me to spend money on trips and adventures rather than buying things. Make Memories!
view thefayga's profile
When I was growing up, my brother and I had a choice between a birthday party or a field trip. We could go to the zoo, a baseball game, the Belmont horse race park, a museum, or sometimes a weekend trip to Washington DC, Amish country in Pennsylvania, etc. (these, of course, are places we went!). Every year, until the end of high school when it wasn't cool anymore, we chose a field trip, and we still reminisce about our experiences. This is something I plan on doing for my children as I'm sure they will chose a new experience over stuff!
view jamiewood's profile
During the winter holidays my grandparents and my mom would always take me persimmon picking in the woods. It is one of my fondest memories now and I would have traded that giftsfor that outing every year. Also, driving around with all the family in a caravan with a thermos of hot cocoa looking at the pretty "holiday" lights...pretty much a "free" present for little kids.
view ILovePersimmons's profile
money is tight for us right now and space is tight as well in our little house. so my parents and my ILs are each paying for a session of lessons for my 3 1/2 year old daughter (gymnastics and swimming). They are both things she loves doing and are things we may have to cut out otherwise.
view Leigh Anne's profile
it's odd how many people talk about the "events' they get/receive rather than give
view Julianna's profile
Julianna - I have given "experience" gifts (Theatre tickets, movie tickets, Tickets to visit the RSS Discovery (the ship that Captain Scott took to the Antarctic) and various other things including charity presents you can buy on behalf of people at Oxfam and World Vision.)
These things were very individual to the person though, which is why I didn't mention them. I think that experience gifts all work best when fine tuned to who is receiving them. :)
I know WE think the things I mentioned we have received above are fantastic and when asked if we want them again we say "Yes please".
view wallaby's profile
we try to do something in between... with 8 nieces and nephews under the age 20, who live in Maine and CT (we are in Virginia) Christmas/birthday shopping can get complicated, especially on a budget. So... I call up each sister-in-law and ask what the kids are interested in and try to give them something that encourages the interest. One likes to knit, so some beautful yarn, the next wants to be an architect, so I called a builder I know and asked for blueprints to give the kid. So on and so forth.
Our baby is 7 months old but as she gets older I'd like to teach her that "things" come and go but experiences stay with you forever. Hopefully we can blend that together with a few "things" that nurture creativity and free thinking. My parents would get us a few of the items we were pining for, or that one big ticket item we couldn't live without, or we'd have to find the ornament on the tree that contained a secret present - usually a ticket to our next family vacation.
That said, I remember the necklace I recieved as a present when I turned 16 - its a great memory. It doesn't have to be one or the other!
view mellow yellow design's profile