Christmas time
This year we did something different, and boy did our kids think we were terrible. We decided this year was about experiences and not physical gifts. We told the kids that we would let Santa still bring them a gift, but mom and dad were not going to traditionally wrap gifts and have things under the tree this year. We told grandparents and family, please do not buy our kids gifts. You can send them tickets or passes or books but nothing else. And everyone actually paid attention! This was one of the best Christmas days we can remember. It was so much fun telling the kids what we had scheduled for them to do and have trips to look forward to.
We also had a scavenger hunt on Christmas day after they opened Santa gifts. We told them that we had to build another shop for a water storage tank for the new house. We told them it had to be high off the ground so that gravity would help the water get to our new house. We just built a huge shed for this a few months back and have water tanks, so they totally believed us. They complained regularly that they didn't think it was fair that we kept building things for the house and not for them. On Christmas day we made them follow a long scavenger hunt running around the yard. The last clue took them up the ladder to the "water shed" and they read a poem: Roses are red, violets are blue, your parents are liars, this is a treehouse for you. It took them a minute before they understood that we were building them a huge treehouse!
We also told them they got to learn to snowboard after the new year with the Morrison's. They were very excited to spend time in Sun River with their cousins and super excited to go to the mountain for the first time.
We still did our gingerbread houses, zoo lights, and lots of other fun Christmas activities. But this year really was amazing. No running to stores to find gifts and so constant asking for gifts from our kids. I think we are onto something we will continue for sure.
We also had a scavenger hunt on Christmas day after they opened Santa gifts. We told them that we had to build another shop for a water storage tank for the new house. We told them it had to be high off the ground so that gravity would help the water get to our new house. We just built a huge shed for this a few months back and have water tanks, so they totally believed us. They complained regularly that they didn't think it was fair that we kept building things for the house and not for them. On Christmas day we made them follow a long scavenger hunt running around the yard. The last clue took them up the ladder to the "water shed" and they read a poem: Roses are red, violets are blue, your parents are liars, this is a treehouse for you. It took them a minute before they understood that we were building them a huge treehouse!
We also told them they got to learn to snowboard after the new year with the Morrison's. They were very excited to spend time in Sun River with their cousins and super excited to go to the mountain for the first time.
We still did our gingerbread houses, zoo lights, and lots of other fun Christmas activities. But this year really was amazing. No running to stores to find gifts and so constant asking for gifts from our kids. I think we are onto something we will continue for sure.
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