Stocking Fillers for Kids
Christmas can be an incredible time, it is the season of goodwill and giving, yet for many families this aspect of ‘giving’ can turn into a crippling emotional pressure to “give” particularly to their children. We live in a world where kids always want the next best thing; wherever you are in the world – it is human nature to want the best of everything, and this consumerism can come at a very high cost; both financially and emotionally.
Something you can do, to ease the financial burden this Christmas, is to provide stocking fillers for all your family, in order to bulk out their collection of gifts. These small token gifts can make people feel special, because let’s face it, kids and grown ups both enjoy the prospect of opening loads of presents on Christmas morning… most people in the Western World want to feel special at Christmas time, and for many their definition or measure of this, is related to the context of receiving tons of gifts; but realistically, particularly if you have a big family, the budget can only stretch so far.
This article offers five cheap ideas that can help you pad out your kids Christmas stocking:
LEGO
Lego is a great educational tool that kids seems to love. If you’re looking for advice and inspiration, LEGO Ways provides some fantastic instructional books, but for most kids, playing with LEGO is an intuitive and creative process they can get lost in for hours on end. LEGO itself can be quite pricey, particularly if you’re buying it as a special kit, but there are plenty of secondhand deals to be found on places like eBay that will allow you to pack out the stocking this Christmas.
HOMEMADE GIFTS
There is no rule that Christmas gifts should be bought from a shop, indeed, some of the most meaningful and thoughtful gifts are homemade. These homemade gifts could include clothing such as a hand knitted scarf, a special photo album, or even edible treats like cookies and cakes.
EDIBLE TREATS
The previous idea touched on edible treats which can be a great way to bulk out the Christmas stocking whilst providing instant gratification, which lets face it, we all enjoy. Back in Victorian times, children would receive a clementine and display the gratitude that children today just about muster for an XBox or Playstation. Food is a very personal gift that captures the love and care you have for your child. Chocolate truffles, homemade fudge, and basically anything else that your dentist doesn’t recommend seem to the biggest hits (with all the family).
EXPERIENCES
The gift itself does not have to be a physical present; it could be an experience such as going on a picnic to their favorite park or spending a whole day doing their favorite activities such as feeding the ducks or having a snowball fight. At the end of the day, one of the most meaningful and appreciated gifts you can give your child is the gift of your time – often times, parents compensate for their lack of ‘presence’ within their relationship by buying fancy gifts; when often, what kids really want, is their mommy and daddy to spend time with them.
STICKERS
There’s always some fad or another that sticker companies manage to propagate, or at least, cash in on… yet, stickers have stood the test of time, in that they have been around for a very long time meaning they are not a fad like Pogs or Tamagotchi’s. Find out what your kid is most interested in and help them build their sticker collection… it’s an inexpensive way to socially engage your child and show them that you care about their interests.