Our first no-buy Christmas a success! « Back to Group Discussions

[SomethingAnonymous]

We didn't buy or open any presents on Christmas and the 3 kids still had a great day. Only our 6 year old is old enough to know about the tradition of giving presents on Christmas, and she had a fun day regardless. We listened to music, sang songs, played with toys we already had, played a go fish game with the mismatched socks and gloves from the laundry, my 6 year old and I pretended to open a chocolate shop/factory and made some chocolates. Then we took a nap (the children and I) and when I woke up my significant other had made dinner! No one even asked about presents or mentioned them. I talked to my eldest about my beliefs regarding Christmas. Everything went well. Surprisingly well considering the older 2 children had low grade fevers lol! We had a lot of snow outside, so if they didn't have fevers we would have played in it. Another option I had lined up was watching a movie, but we ran out of time doing everything else!

[mamaUK]

Wow, that is brilliant to hear! We had a very simple Christmas, the children's stockings had no rubbish, just useful stuff like new socks and hairbands and underwear. The most 'fun' item they had each was an Usbourne sticker book. They had a sibling present between them, Lego campervan (£15) and some Lego cops and robbers (£20) but even keeping it very simple, it still added up money wise. I think it was because things like new socks and cute underwear is expensive in the UK. The only other presents they had: youngest girl, boots and slipper from other family members and my oldest girl had two mini Boden tops. We asked for no toys and they happily agreed and let us choose useful gifts.

I think it is very brave what you did in this day and age and I really admire you for it. Giving as little as we did is very much against the grain here in the UK and is almost frowned upon. It makes me so sad what a consumerist world we live in now.

Even though the girls had simply the Lego to share and not a mountain of toys, they had so much fun, especially building the campervan.

[mamaUK]

Also, I freely admit that I bought the Lego because~
a) I knew they would enjoy it.
b) but mostly because I felt pressurised by society to get them a toy, because 'it's Christmas.' I'm not particularly comfortable with that, but it's the truth! They do not 'need' any more toys. They have a very simple play area in comparison to most children today, but it is more than enough. If you scroll down my blog post here http://mamauk.typepad.com/mamauk/2010/12/our-ostheimer-nativity-as-each-christmas-passes-we-are-more-and-more-striving-for-simplicity-in-our-celebrations-we-want.html you can see their toy playroom set up from two years ago, the only thing that has been added is Lego from the past two Christmas's and a folding play frame and pegs.