There's a fifth BONUS option I've heard of: Someplace to be. You can change it or call it “The Five Gift Rule for Christmas”. You see, we followed the rule of 4 gifts for our first minimalist Christmas and it was a big failure. From a new winter coat to school supplies or sports equipment, this category of gifts revolves around practicality.
Giving children something they need teaches them to be grateful for the things they have. The feeling between Thanksgiving and Christmas (maybe even between Halloween and Christmas) where you try to do it all: decorating, baking, shopping, cards, wrapping, movies, Christmas trees. And opening the conversation to this option before Christmas Eve will avoid uncomfortable moments of surprise and disappointment on the part of your children on Christmas morning. Plus, if your baby and little ones aren't used to having a fully loaded Christmas tree yet, now is a good time to start a new family tradition with the feeling that fewer meaningful gifts are better to give.
This is one of the most important gifts, as it will ensure that your child's Christmas is happy and bright. The rule of 7 gifts is definitely something to keep in mind this year if you want to start a new Christmas tradition that keeps things simple and stress-free during the holidays. The most common way to follow the rule of 7 gifts is to give each child 7 gifts from specific, predetermined categories. I come from a family with 3 siblings and when I grew up I was spoiled with lots of toys and gifts on Christmas morning.
As stated earlier, 4 gift ideas for Christmas were a great starting point, but they needed some tweaking. Instead of appreciating every gift and feeling the thrill of opening the presents, they had set a record by tearing off all the gifts under the tree in record time, not paying attention or even saying “thank you” for what they had received. However, if explained beforehand (this means they receive thoughtful gifts), older children and teens may be prepared to adopt it; it could even become a family tradition that is carried into adulthood with much lower monetary limits for each of the “usual” gifts. The previous version was so popular that I decided to create a new and fresh version of the 5 Christmas gift rules for this year.
