A few thoughts for your Black Friday.
1. If you're reading this you must not be out shopping. I'm not either - even if I wanted to, my husband forbid it. He's good at keeping my consumer tendencies in check! This year we're spending the day with family that we didn't see yesterday, but in the future (when they don't make it in) we plan to do our own Green Friday instead.
And have you heard about Shop Small Saturday? I love the idea of supporting your favorite small businesses instead of the overcrowded big boys!
2. Here are several great ideas for clutter-free gifts! I love gifts like this. Last year we got my brothers tickets to their first NBA game. Last month we got my mom a trip to the theater for her birthday. For Christmas we're giving my mom and grandma homemade vanilla extract. And when Miriam is old enough, we're seriously considering asking the grandparents to pay for horseback riding lessons as one of her gifts. Wouldn't that be cool?
What are your favorite clutter-free gifts?
3. Have I mentioned that we really don't want a house overflowing with stuff? Some of it is fine, but we're terrified that since Miriam's birthday and Christmas are within a couple weeks of each other, our house is suddenly going to explode with it. But this article reminded me that saying "Don't buy her plastic junk!" can be a bit offensive.
Whoops. We've said loudly and frequently that we don't want too many toys, but I don't think we've said it tactfully or charitably. It's hard because gift giving is neither my husband's nor my love language and sometimes we forget just how important it is for other people! So this is a reminder to myself to allow other people to express their love for her (and us) without wondering how quickly I can donate it.
4. Speaking of excess, we're having a second full turkey dinner today. I plan to go into another food coma and sleep for the rest of the weekend. See you next week!
I always wanted to keep a clutter free house. Unfortunately, with the addition of children, clutter is sometimes simply unavoidable. But perhaps you will be able to be more vigilant than I am! I think i am just too tired some times to deal with it.
ReplyDeleteAs for clutter free gifts...this year, we got ourselves and four of our five kids (don't need one for the baby) season passes to our local amusement park! It's the "big" gift, even! And we'll be heading out for the park every weekend or evening or whenever we need something to do with the kids all summer next year and we won't have contributed to the clutter or the toys in our home. But with large families and lots of aunts and uncles, we'll still enough of that anyway. :)
Love the idea of a Green Friday. I'm not going to be shopping; I'm actually going to have to work today. It may be the first time I've ever worked the Friday after Thanksgiving, and I actually have a fairly full schedule. If I wasn't working, I'd be hiking. No competitive shopping for me!
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents always got my brother and I too many toys and other junky gifts for Christmas (they also got us a lot of nice gifts, but even too many nice, classic gifts become overwhelming!) - something that I'm hoping to avoid with my own children. My mom said that she doesn't want to do that to me and will just get a few nice gifts for the baby for Christmas, but I know her and I know she loves to buy gifts so I'm a little wary...
ReplyDeleteGifts are my love language, I love to give and receive them, but I spend a lot of time thinking of gifts that are useful and I appreciate gifts that were truly thoughtful much more than ones that were simply purchased just to purchase.
I love the idea of non-clutter, experience gifts, but they always seem to be fairly expensive (or at least, more than I would like to spend). The best one I've bought was a movie theater gift card for a family member who is impossible to shop for, and who loves to go to the movies. I would love ideas of less expensive experience gifts!
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I'm good about requesting "clutter free" gifts, but I am a big fan of clothes (for my ever fluctuating body shape since having kids) or other things that I need/could use around the house.
ReplyDeleteFor our nephews we give them an ornament and a savings bond each year. Each boy has their "theme" (i.e. Santa or Snowmen) and while it is technically material, it is a collection they will take for their own Christmas tree. My Godparents started an ornament collection for me, and I could easily decorate an entire tree in angel ornaments.
We've done hotel/get-away gift certificates and comedian tickets for our parents... Its like gifting them dates which they probably didn't get too many of when they were raising us!
Oh man, I hear you on clutter. I am utterly horrified at how many toys we own. We've tried nicely and not so nicely to request less toys, but the grandparents love buying them so we are much less vocal about it than we used to be. As the kids get older I can see my-inlaws being very on-board for contributing to lessons or something of the like; great idea!
ReplyDeleteWe decided that was a fight we didn't want to perpetuate and just cycle out many toys after they have been enjoyed. Some we save for later and many do get donated. One of my grandmas gives so many gifts that I had to just acknowledge her generosity and do what we needed to with the item. Unfortunately the problem is compounded if you have more kids, but it helps to keep them all in one place so you are fully aware of everything you own and not tempted to cave when your child is begging for a new toy (even though they know your policy is not to buy them).
ReplyDeleteClutter free- concerts! I asked for tickets to the Civil Wars concert in January. Restaurant gift certificates for couples are great. Coffee shop gift certificates for college students are great.
ReplyDelete