As the holiday season of giving thanks and also giving gifts to our loved ones approaches, it’s a natural time for reflection on the gifts we give to others and their meaning. With a new baby joining our family this year, my husband and I have had some time to think about ways we might celebrate with him each holiday season as he grows up. As anyone who has raised or is raising children knows, the rapid accumulation of toys and trinkets and treasures is a powerful force that can sometimes be very overwhelming.
One idea that we’ve considered to cut down on holiday excess is the “Want, Need, Wear, Read” gift giving philosophy. Under this approach, parents give four gifts- something wanted, something needed, something to wear and something to read. We’ll augment this approach just a little with the addition of “Give” by adding in a donation or gift of time or service to a charity that we feel honors our son. We’ll give “Want, Need, Wear, Read, Give” a test drive this holiday season.
As wonderful of an idea as this sounds to me, it can be a real challenge to change your gift-giving philosophy with children after doing things many years in a different way. Our teenager will probably be grandfathered in under the old system. That being said, I think the addition of “Give” to our Christmas list for her is something she will love. Charities supporting animals are close to her heart- there are so many in the local area worth supporting.
As you plan your holiday gift giving celebrating family and friends, consider a gift of time or funds to Friends of Great Kids Farm honoring your loved one. We’re exploring ways to commemorate donations made in honor of friends or family and would love to hear your ideas on how we might do just that--send thoughts in an email to info@friendsgkf.org.