How to spend a minimalist Christmas with kids

Having a minimalist Christmas has become a goal of many parents worldwide, especially following the Covid-19 pandemic. And for parents who are not quite ready to take minimalism to the extreme this festive season, there still seems to be an interest in downsizing the overall experience of giving gifts and celebrating with family. 

But why would someone want to go the minimalist route?

The reasons are plenty. For many families, they want to take away the materialistic focus of the festive season and try to redirect attention to themes such as generosity, kindness, peace and joy. A minimalist approach also helps to limit waste during this special time of the year, which typically involves large amounts of disposable plastic and packaging. Many of the toys and gifts given during Christmas don’t last for very long after the festive break and end up in landfills where the earth bears the brunt of widespread consumerism. 

With so much pressure on families to spend money during the holidays, it can really help to take a step back from all the noise and realize that the magic of Christmas is not in the amount of presents one receives but in the time spent with loved ones. 

Fortunately, it’s much easier to minimize Christmas gifting and activities than it is to go big with gift giving. Here are a few tips on how you can spend a minimalist Christmas with kids while still embracing the spirit of Christmas. 

The Four Gift Rule

The guideline here is simple - give the kids something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. There is so much room for creativity with this technique but the point is to have an idea of exactly what to buy without going overboard. 

Also think about how you’re wrapping gifts. While conventional wrapping paper is cost-effective, it can lead to a lot more waste, especially with kids that love ripping their gift wrapping open! Why not go the alternative route and wrap their gifts in a reusable furoshiki wrap? This way their gift wrapping can be used to wrap other gifts in future or for various other arts and crafts. 

Give the Gift of Experiences

The gift of experience is something that keeps on giving long after the time that the holiday season ends. Experience gifts also don’t take up space and don’t cause clutter, which is always a plus. There are many options to consider from museum memberships to theatre tickets, sports game tickets, art lessons, travel… The list is basically endless. 

Take the focus off opening gifts on Christmas morning

Instead of talking about opening presents on Christmas morning like a big event, keep the conversation about other things. Christmas can be whatever you want it to be so think about creating new Christmas traditions that prioritize spending time together over gifts. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Make Christmas cookies together

What’s better than some home-baked cookies? Get the family together in the kitchen and make magic by getting the kids involved in the baking and decorating. Keep hands safe from heat with our double oven mitts and our flower power pot holders. And don’t forget that you can eliminate condensation on cooling cookies with our handy dish covers. 

• Do a puzzle as a family

Nothing brings a family together like solving a puzzle, right?

• Play board games together

Just make sure that your team is rock solid when the 30 Seconds comes out!

• Have a Christmas scavenger hunt

Make the kids work a little for their gifts.

• Watch a Christmas movie together

We love the idea of cozying up on the couch with some snacks and watching a good holiday flick. 

Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you have a plan! Also don’t forget to talk about the new traditions enthusiastically with the kids!