Think Outside the Box this Christmas

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Christmas is now only eight weeks away. Sorry for any stress I just caused you. For the next two months it’s toy commercials all day long and a mailbox full of toy catalogs. This year you’re likely to meet one parent at soccer practice or the next PTA meeting that follows the four gift rule. This means each child receives something they want, something they need, something they can wear and something they can read. I’m not that disciplined, but I totally get it. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and re-think gift giving.

So let me tell you a story. A couple of years ago Santa brought our family a tent. Santa probably doesn’t get many requests for tents and no one here asked for one. I can’t remember what the girls asked for that year but I’m sure it was either Barbie or American Girl related. Each girl still got her “big” item from Santa but off to the side was a big box with a bow on it with a tag indicating it was for the whole family. The kids were excited but also a little confused at first. We all helped to open the box and saw what was inside. “It’s a tent!,” the girls happily screamed. That’s when I replied, “It looks like Santa wants us to get outside and enjoy some family time. That’s pretty cool.”

By the end of our Christmas dinner we had already come up with a list of places to visit where we could camp. You know what? We use our tent year after year, and it has given us so many happy memories. Plus, it still looks great despite how often we use it. I’m sure the toys they got that year didn’t fair as well. Barbie’s hair is probably matted. I bet she’s lost every accessory she came with, and it’s possible she’s lost a limb or her head.

Christmas can easily get out of control. Especially when it comes to buying gifts. My kids don’t need every single item Toys R Us sells. I also can’t afford every single item Toys R Us sells. Do tons of toys even make kids happy? Probably initially, but it fades quickly. In fact, even I’ve been known to sink into a post-gift opening depression. All of that work leading up to Christmas morning and it’s over faster than I run through the perfume section at Macy’s. FYI…I hate perfume. So how do you ensure the happiness of Christmas morning lasts longer? I think it goes back to the story I told you about the tent.

Gift Giving…Five Happy Campers Style

I remember a few years ago reading an article about how vacations promote happiness. The writer explained how vacations bring happiness three different ways. First, you’re happy planning the vacation and looking forward to taking it. Second, you’re happy actually being on vacation. And third, you’re happy looking back at pictures from your vacation and sharing memories. That’s how I feel about the tent and our camping trips. That’s how I feel about really anything fun we’ve done as a family. I’ve realized happiness comes from gifting experiences or gifts that can be used together as a family. That’s a big part of why I love Christmas.

Sometimes I think kids just want time with their parents and getting help with long division doesn’t count. We often think they want all of the toys in the world when sometimes they just want to hang out as a family. Okay maybe not teenagers, but our kids are still young enough to think we’re cool. Especially when it seems we’re always doing homework, running to and from after-school activities or working. So we’ve started doing Christmas a little differently in our house. Don’t get me wrong. They still get a few toys they’re hoping for. Santa tends to bring those items. While Kris and I tend to give them things they need for something fun we’re going to do the following year.

Since I know we’ll be doing a lot of hiking next year in the southwest, we’re planning to get them each a nice pair of hiking boots. As a family we’re still using luggage Kris and I had when we were in college. The suitcases don’t roll well anymore, the lining has ripped in spots, and we don’t have enough pieces for everyone. So the girls will each get a suitcase this year too. These are things I need to buy anyways, might as well let them open them as gifts. This saves us money at Christmas so we have more money to spend on trips throughout the year. People probably think I’m lying when I say the girls have asked for snowshoes.

This same practice can be used for extended family too. Do you have relatives asking for ideas on what to get the kids? If you’re like me you start to run out of ideas. Last year I suggested to one of the girls’ uncles that he could get them trekking poles. I think he thought I was joking and didn’t seem too excited about buying them. I think he changed his mind when he saw how excited they were. Plus, I know it makes him feel good to see the pictures of the kids still using the poles.

Final Thoughts

This post isn’t meant to turn you into a lover of all things outdoors or tell you you’re doing gift giving all wrong. I’m not that type of a person. I’m just here to say Christmas gifts can be unique. They can be practical. And if you’ve been wanting to get your family outdoors, maybe this is your opportunity to surprise your kids with an adventure. Just remember adventures don’t have to be expensive. Although the memories are sure to be priceless.

Holiday Gift Ideas:

• fishing pole
• sleeping bag
• binoculars
• National Parks Annual Pass
• tent
• hammock
• flashlight
• headlamp
• membership to local children’s science museum
• hiking backpack
• reusable water bottle
• sled
• snow pants
• boots
• trail map
• book about a place you plan to visit
• compass
• fishing lures
• fishing license (if required for age)
• journal
• small magnetic board game for road trips
• puzzle books for road trips

Five Happy Campers’ Top 5 Christmas Traditions

• Christmas Tree Ornaments – I am totally one of those people that groan a little when I start seeing Christmas decorations in the stores mid-October. But I’m also probably one of the first people on our street to have our Christmas tree up. Since we collect ornaments from our trips I’m always eager to see them again and reminisce. They make great souvenirs.
• Christmas Treats – I love making Christmas treats. My thighs and backside hate me for this. Here is the recipe for my go-to holiday treat. They are so easy to make. You’re welcome 😉

Nut cups (I know…I need a better name. Taking suggestions in the comments.)

To start, melt together 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels and 1 cup peanut butter morsels in a double boiler. Next, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and mix. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup peanuts and stir until the peanuts are coated. Then let the mixture cool for a minute or two. After, use a teaspoon to distribute the chocolate-y goodness into small candy baking cups. Sprinkle with finely chopped peanuts to make them look fancy. Place them in the refrigerator to cool. Store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Don’t worry about a shelf life since they won’t last long.

• The Nutcracker – Our girls’ other love is ballet. Every year we look forward to watching them perform. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without it.
• Tacky Lights – Our Christmas Eve tradition involves driving around northern Virginia looking for the craziest, tackiest Christmas lights displays. Some of the houses would give Clark Griswold a run for his money! We usually start by checking out Holly’s Tacky Christmas Lights. Then we set a route and plug the addresses into our GPS device.
• Our Dinner – We splurge on our Christmas dinner since we eat sloppy joes and pasta all year. I think we really look forward to this meal because we don’t have it any other time. I make a beef tenderloin roast, mashed potatoes, green beans and dinner rolls.