Christmas Gift Ideas 2022

This was for 4 children plus our nephews and family.

If you have been around a while, you know we fostered in Colorado for 3.5 years. I quickly realized we wanted to give our kiddos a fun Christmas that wasn’t overwhelming. Also knowing with reunification as the plan, the kids can only take so much with them when they go.

So we started following the 4 gift rule plus a Santa gift and stocking.

1. Something you want.

2. Something you need.

3. Something to wear.

4. Something to read.

5. Santa gift (small and unwrapped)

6. Stocking- a few small usable/consumable items.

This year we only have a 2 year old in our house but we are trying to be realistic and meaningful with Christmas gifts.

Here is the round up for this year in our house:

1. Toddler helper stand

2. PicassoTiles (This one will likely be the Santa gift)

3. Mrs. Potato Head

4. Water bottle (Stocking item)

5. Sweatshirt (I haven’t gotten one yet)

6. Book (I haven’t picked one out yet)

This year was a little bit easier for us after living in a camper for 8 months, Hadley doesn’t have an over abundance of “stuff” at this point. We were able to pick out some things that we knew she would love and actually play with to replace some of her baby toys. Try to think of what toys can go or be put away in storage before adding new things into your home!

This was for 3 kiddos, our nephews,and family!

However, I am also very pro experience gifts! One year we did magazine subscriptions for our nephews and my sister did magazine subscriptions for our big girls! It was such a fun thing for the kids to do all year. My parents did craft boxes for our big girls one year and even did a cooking subscription for one of my nephews! Movie tickets, zoo tickets, aquarium tickets, etc are all great ideas for gifts that don’t add “stuff” to your house.

I mentioned I really like to do just a couple of consumable items in our kiddos stockings. Stocking ideas we have done in the past:

• Socks (kids go through so many socks, am I right or am I right?!)

• Toothbrush

• Toothpaste

• Flossers (they make some really cool ones these days!)

• Crayons

• Play-doh (I am not talking about the big sets…. simple small little container that’s like 50cents!)

• Fruit snacks

• Hairties

Remember, your Christmas doesn’t have to look like everyone else. You do Christmas how you want to do Christmas and what you can afford. Your kids don’t need to have EVERYTHING. Do Santa or don’t do Santa, there is nothing wrong with either! (We have opted to do Santa because it was never our place to tell our kids in foster care that Santa wasn’t real). Christmas doesn’t have to be big and expensive. Create the memories, those will last long past the presents they outgrow.

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