Would you like to be able to replace giving gifts with giving experiences at family Christmas gatherings?
Let’s face it, Christmas gatherings and gift giving typically go hand in hand.
However, many parents are trending away from stuff and towards experiences.
They are weary of trying to figure out what to do with all the gifts that their kids will not remember and will hardly ever play with.
Unfortunately, a lot of what we spend on Christmas will end up as donations, or worse, trash.
Is there a way to replace giving gifts with giving experiences and retain the fun of the family get-together?
Based on my family’s experience, the answer is absolutely yes!
Years ago, my siblings and I decided to forego any kind of gift exchange between adults.
However, gifts for kids seemed almost mandatory.
At that time, there were a minimal number of kids in the family.
Fast forward a few years and we have been fruitful and multiplied.
Currently there are a total of twenty kids aged fifteen and younger.
Our Christmas celebration is wild, loud, and wonderful.
However, no matter how you split it, purchasing gifts for twenty kids is expensive.
Last year, as a group, the decision was made to try something different.
Collectively, we decided to replace the gifts with an experience.
The experiment was a resounding success.
We now consider it a new tradition and never anticipate going back to drawing names and exchanging gifts.
If your family would like to replace giving gifts with giving experiences, trust me, it is possible to retain the fun and flavor of Christmas without exchanging Christmas gifts!
What should you consider when planning a group experience?
In our experiment there were no intentional criteria.
However, we inadvertently stumbled on a few key things to consider when planning a group experience.
Make the experience adaptable to a wide range of ages.
Often at large family gatherings there will be a wide range of ages present.
The goal is to enable everyone present to participate.
Pair the younger members with an older helper if someone is too young to participate without help.
The choice of an experience needs to be engaging.
Active participation will have a larger impact and be more memorable than passively watching, or listening to, another person.
Choose hands on activities that encourages moving and talking.
Make your experience fun.
Having fun as a family or group is a great bonding mechanism.
Kids may not remember exactly what they do from year to year, but they will definitely remember if getting together with family is fun.
There are many ways to replace giving gifts with giving experiences, even in a group setting.
With absolutely no experience backing us, our family decided on three experiences for our Christmas gathering: making a craft, playing a group game, and making a snack.
Making a craft
A craft gives everyone something to take home and is a tangible memory of the time spent together.
Select a craft that can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.
Last year, my niece Emily led us in creating a string art picture. Kids and adults both joined in the fun.
This year, I am in charge of the craft part of the evening.
Not being quite as crafty as Em, I opted for prepackaged sand art ornaments.
The ideas for crafts as an experience are almost limitless.
Playing a group game
Ever hear of a Saran Wrap Ball?
It checks all the boxes when it comes to a group experience.
The kids loved playing, and the adults loved watching.
It would be easy to incorporate the adults if your group so desired.
Choose a group game which is quick, easy, fun, and adaptable to a wide range of ages.
The louder and wilder, the more fun it will be!
Making a snack
Making a snack is pretty much like making an edible craft.
Last year my niece taught us how to make hot chocolate bombs.
Look for easy to make snacks that can be bagged up and taken home.
Have Ziploc bags ready for transportation of the snack to home.
Some things to consider when planning an experience for a group.
Keep in mind how much time you have. If you provide more than one experience, estimate how much time each experience will require and plan accordingly.
There will be some expense involved in purchasing supplies. Decide who pays for what and how that’s going to happen.
If there’s someone who doesn’t want to participate, that’s ok. Let them enjoy the gathering on their own terms.
Explain to kids ahead of time what will be happening, especially if they are used to receiving gifts. It’s a great time to explain the true meaning of Christmas.
These are simply the things that worked for our family.
The ideas are basically limitless and should be based on things your particular group will enjoy.
With very little planning, and very minimal expense, it is possible to replace gifts with experiences at any Christmas gathering.
And I am willing to bet that the memories will last a lifetime!
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