{"id":13292,"date":"2015-11-30T08:16:57","date_gmt":"2015-11-30T14:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/?p=13292"},"modified":"2025-11-07T18:56:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T00:56:16","slug":"mailbag-how-do-you-handle-gift-giving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/2015\/11\/30\/mailbag-how-do-you-handle-gift-giving\/","title":{"rendered":"Large Family Gift Giving"},"content":{"rendered":"

My inbox is backed up, so I’ve been using Mondays to respond to readers’ questions. This week, my Mailbag Monday column deals with large family gift giving. Keep reading to see how our family handles this important tradition at Christmas time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Monday<\/p>\n

Question:<\/h2>\n

Hi, Jennifer.<\/p>\n

What do you all do for presents with such a large family for Christmas? I find that I love giving gifts and want to encourage my kids to give, as well. But sometimes it becomes a burden.<\/strong> I thought you might be able to shed insight.<\/p>\n

Sue<\/p>\n

Answer<\/h2>\n

Hi, Sue.<\/p>\n

When people count our kids, they assume Christmases at our house must be crazy and chaotic.<\/strong> They envision gifts stacked to the ceiling all around our tree. Wish lists as long as our arms. <\/p>\n

They might be disappointed (or maybe relieved!) to see how small scale our gift giving really is.<\/p>\n

\"Large<\/p>\n

What We Do: A Christmas Stocking + One Gift<\/h2>\n

I feel the same way you do about wanting to encourage giving. But I, too, would get a little overwhelmed coordinating gifts for so many. And having to find homes for all those gifts once the holidays are over? That would compound the stress exponentially. We’ve maxed out our limited storage space, as it is.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That’s why, for well over a decade now, I’ve taken a minimalist approach to family gifting. <\/p>\n

How it Works:<\/h2>\n

I fill a stocking for each child and put a single family gift under the tree that everybody shares<\/strong>. Every stocking is different. I fill each one with small trinkets chosen especially for that child. <\/p>\n

\"Large<\/p>\n

The boys might get a T-shirt or a small toy in their stocking, the girls a pair of earrings or a new doll. But most of the contents are consumable:<\/strong> Favorite food items. Gift certificates for a free smoothie or ice cream cone. Band-Aids, Scotch tape. Stationery. Or toiletries that will (eventually) get used up and tossed. <\/p>\n

That spares me having to find long-term extra storage space for lots of bulky items<\/strong> — a plus when three kids share one closet.<\/p>\n

\"Large<\/p>\n

As for the family gift, some years I choose a new game. Some years a book we can read aloud. Art supplies are always a big hit.<\/strong> A few years back, it was a slack line — an immensely popular gift that still sees lots of action.<\/p>\n

\"Large<\/p>\n

Our kids also exchange names for “Secret Santa” gifts<\/strong>. They’ve been doing that for seven or eight years now. That ensures everybody has an individual gift to open under the tree, too.<\/p>\n

\"Large<\/p>\n

Additionally, I wrap the same Christmas books we read every year into 25 packages<\/strong> — a literary advent calendar<\/a>, of sorts. The little ones take turns opening one of those every day throughout the month of December, then we enjoy reading whatever books were in the package together.<\/p>\n

This tradition keeps the tree from looking too lonely with only one or two gifts underneath<\/strong>. The younger kids don’t care that they’re opening the same books<\/a> they opened last year (and the year before and the year before). So it’s a win-win.<\/p>\n

Why it works<\/h2>\n

Several things about our family allow these practices to work well (and make them somewhat necessary):<\/p>\n