{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F2dd5e037-eb2f-4e98-a6e0-0460b87bf595","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"Why we don't do the gift of experiences for our kids on Christmas","description":"https://motherhoodsimplified.com/declutteringsimplified (!ereh deifilpmiS gnirettulceD teG)\r\n\nhttps://motherhoodsimplified.com/cyc-podcast (!ereh ediug gnirettulced eerf ruoy teG)\r\n\nWhy we don't do experiences as gifts in our home.\nLearn why as a minimalist family, we DON'T do the gift of experience or time for our kids. We don't follow a set rule of gifts, either. We get them toys, and we enjoy giving them!\r\n\nIt feels weird to give experiences as a gift to my kids.\nI feel like as a mother, time is something I should just give freely to my children. Wrapping it up and giving it as something special feels weird to me. I give my children time and energy all the time because I love and care for them, not because it's Christmas.\r\n\nThe ages of my kids are something that I do consider and for my teens and tweens experience gifts are absolutely something we can consider.\r\n\nHowever my one and three year old don't have the understanding of opening up a zoo pass or museum pass. Even if they do understand it, when they open it on Christmas morning they are going to want to go right then. Obviously that isn't something we can do on Christmas morning.\r\n\nGifts and things aren't inherently bad\nI think we swing too far on the pendulum. We spend the other 364 days of the year overconsuming and drowning in clutter that by the time we get to Christmas it just feels like way too much.\r\n\nImagine you ate dessert all day long. By the time dessert time comes around you are going to want nothing to do with it! The same is true for Christmas gifts.\r\n\nChristmas morning is an experience\nAs kids, waking up on Christmas morning is exciting. You will need to decide what your values are and what you want your traditions to be. To me though, Christmas morning and receiving gifts is an experience in itself. I'll also admit that Christmas morning is an experience I want to enjoy with my kids!\r\n\nThe rest of the year is spent living minimally and well\nThis means my norm is not an abundance of stuff, extra gadgets and messes. When Christmas morning happens I can fully embrace and enjoy it. If you want that too check out the links below!\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\nToy Decluttering 101\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\nLet's get in touch\r\n\nJoin live episode recordings and be a part of our Facebook Community here\r\n\nThe Facebook group is our main hub for decluttering challenges, support and fun!\r\n\nFor media inquiries email krista@motherhoodsimplified.com\r\n\n\r\n\nJoin the Facebook Group here!\r\n\n\r\n\n\n https://motherhoodsimplified.com/how-being-clutter-free-made-christmas-joyful-again/ (How being clutter free made Christmas joyful again)\r\n\n https://motherhoodsimplified.com/handle-gifts-family-friends-home-already-full-brim/ (How To Handle Gifts From Family And Friends When Your Home Is Already Cluttered)\r\n\n https://motherhoodsimplified.com/simplified-christmas-part-1/ (Simplified Christmas Part 1)\r\n\n https://motherhoodsimplified.com/how-to-declutter-before-christmas/ (How to declutter before Christmas!)\r\n\n https://motherhoodsimplified.com/how-to-declutter-so-you-can-have-a-joyful-christmas-full-of-gratitude-instead-of-burden/ (How to declutter so you can have a joyful Christmas full of gratitude instead of burden)","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/70fae105-e50e-4500-a644-b008913276fa/1121959-1587236984283-28f5536307d6e.jpg"}