Any minimalist parents here?

[EcoMama]

How are you doing christmas this year?

We don't do clutter in this house. The children have toys but they are culled every few months and anything they don't play with anymore goes to charity.... usually in exchange for one toy they can choose from said charity shop. They have 3 ikea boxes each in their rooms and a couple of bigger toys like dolls house & a farm.

We haven't sorted through toys for a couple of months, we'll be waiting until middle of Novemeber when birthdays are well and truly out of the way.

I find that at the age of 3 & 7 their interests have been the same for a while.
My eldest has been in to dinosaurs, cars & trains for the past 3 years & star wars and lego the past couple of years. He has enough of these toys that he still plays with daily. I don't want to get rid just for the sake of buying newer/different versions.
My dd has just got in to dollys but her birthday is next week and she'll be getting a highchair and potty for her dolly.
She is getting her 1st bike this christmas and they'll both be getting a few more books.

Usually we buy something they want, something they need, a craft & a book. dd's bike comes under something she needs.

I don't see the point in buying just for the sake of it, a constant battle throughout the year we have with mil who tends to go overboard. I've asked her to put together a craft box for them both as they have one each year and it needs replenishing. I know she won't stick with just that and it'll make me really cross if she buys them lots of crap she sees as she's browing toys r us and couldn't resist.

So I need ideas for her to try and steer her away from piling our dc and house with too much.

Also, ideas from santa! I'm thinking of season passes or days out, maybe to a show or something?

I'm also trying to think of crafty stuff that I can make for other relatives. Any ideas?

 

[LDC]

I'm quite minimalistic too, I don't want to set the bar that dd will get a shed load of toys every year because that's not going to happen and with her birthday exactly four weeks before Christmas it all gets too much.

I also do a cull and sell her toys on (I say we are making them available to other boys and girls, this year I'm attending a nearly new sale in December and will be selling them there) because it gets overwhelming.

My dad and my in laws sound the same as yours.nthis year I asked my dad to buy her a doll which she had wanted and then I've asked him to out money in her bank account.

I understand that they want to give her something, because a four year old doesn't appreciate or care for money, but them just buying her things is a waste and doesn't get used. I'd rather they put the money into her account to buy a car when she's older!

Xx

 

[c1403]

I'm not minimalist as such but I am sick of toys so this year have gone down a more educational route.

Their main 'toy' present is Playmobil. Dd2 also getting a bike. Other gifts include binoculars, microscope, orchard toys board games, books such as how your body works, how things move. I've also got bug boxes and flower press. So I'll still have clutter around just more things we can all do rather than toys stuck in a toy box

 

[EcoMama]

Money is good. My ds is starting to appreciate money now, so will be good for teaching him how to budget if he wants to buy something after christmas.
the past years, if they've ever got money I've used it towards day out.

Yes c1403, I'm currently looking at the natural history museum website at bug kits & binoculars. My ds got a pair of junior leki hiking poles for his birthday and loves them I think he appreciates stuff he can use outdoors more.

 

[tulip girl]

Money is good. My ds is starting to appreciate money now, so will be good for teaching him how to budget if he wants to buy something after christmas.
the past years, if they've ever got money I've used it towards day out.

Yes c1403, I'm currently looking at the natural history museum website at bug kits & binoculars. My ds got a pair of junior leki hiking poles for his birthday and loves them I think he appreciates stuff he can use outdoors more.

I'm afraid my house is like an explosion at Toyrus due to generous parents/aunties etc, but I'm just as bad.

Some other ideas could be; telescope and space books; planter, garden tools and voucher for garden centre to make their own garden (you could even add some mini fairy figures for your little girl?) Bird table or mini beast house?
Or ask everyone to club together to get a bigger toy for outdoors? House/swing set/ trampoline?

My MiL every year also buys an oxfam gift or similar that donates to less fortunate. It changes every year, and you get a card that states what you have donated and she usually wraps a small toy with it (so if it's chickens she's donated that year she'll wrap the card with a little toy chicken!) My son always appreciated this.

 

[.Mrs.B.]

My in laws are like this, from them we have recieved a rocking horse, trampoline, giant teddy, electric quad bike and the list goes on. They must think we live in a mansion.
I get mine one gift from Santa and one gift from us then a stocking. That's literally it but each year we have still had a car full of toys from family.
I like the idea of days out vouchers, but I know how much our family love giving the kids toys so I'll probably have to compromise.

 

[.Mrs.B.]

Money is good. My ds is starting to appreciate money now, so will be good for teaching him how to budget if he wants to buy something after christmas.
the past years, if they've ever got money I've used it towards day out.

Yes c1403, I'm currently looking at the natural history museum website at bug kits & binoculars. My ds got a pair of junior leki hiking poles for his birthday and loves them I think he appreciates stuff he can use outdoors more.

I'm afraid my house is like an explosion at Toyrus due to generous parents/aunties etc, but I'm just as bad.

Some other ideas could be; telescope and space books; planter, garden tools and voucher for garden centre to make their own garden (you could even add some mini fairy figures for your little girl?) Bird table or mini beast house?
Or ask everyone to club together to get a bigger toy for outdoors? House/swing set/ trampoline?

My MiL every year also buys an oxfam gift or similar that donates to less fortunate. It changes every year, and you get a card that states what you have donated and she usually wraps a small toy with it (so if it's chickens she's donated that year she'll wrap the card with a little toy chicken!) My son always appreciated this.

That is such a lovely and thoughtful idea.

 

[BabyHill]

After completing konmarie this year we are trying to keep things quite low key re presents this year too, I wouldn't say we're minimalistic but I'm trying to steer gps towards an experience day with the kids. So for ds' birthday this year one printed out a map and activities for the safari park they were taking him to and the others the same for an annual pass for their favourite farm park, two amazing gifts the kids love and will remember. Dd was taken to the zoo and a huge soft play for hers. I'm huge on experience gifts, not everyone is x

 

[Pearls18]

I'm tempted to ask family for money to put towards merlin annual passes for them or some kind of activity like that, or money for an activity like karate would be great but I probably won't because I think people like giving toys, so tricky.

 

[EcoMama]

Money is good. My ds is starting to appreciate money now, so will be good for teaching him how to budget if he wants to buy something after christmas.
the past years, if they've ever got money I've used it towards day out.

Yes c1403, I'm currently looking at the natural history museum website at bug kits & binoculars. My ds got a pair of junior leki hiking poles for his birthday and loves them I think he appreciates stuff he can use outdoors more.

I'm afraid my house is like an explosion at Toyrus due to generous parents/aunties etc, but I'm just as bad.

Some other ideas could be; telescope and space books; planter, garden tools and voucher for garden centre to make their own garden (you could even add some mini fairy figures for your little girl?) Bird table or mini beast house?
Or ask everyone to club together to get a bigger toy for outdoors? House/swing set/ trampoline?

My MiL every year also buys an oxfam gift or similar that donates to less fortunate. It changes every year, and you get a card that states what you have donated and she usually wraps a small toy with it (so if it's chickens she's donated that year she'll wrap the card with a little toy chicken!) My son always appreciated this.

The oxfam gift sounds lovely. Unfortunately my mil wouldn't be in to it. But I'm going to look in to it myself.
The kids love gardening and a bird house is a fab idea. thank you

 

[EcoMama]

My in laws are like this, from them we have recieved a rocking horse, trampoline, giant teddy, electric quad bike and the list goes on. They must think we live in a mansion.
I get mine one gift from Santa and one gift from us then a stocking. That's literally it but each year we have still had a car full of toys from family.
I like the idea of days out vouchers, but I know how much our family love giving the kids toys so I'll probably have to compromise.

Yes, we've had a slide but no garden, an easel, a rocking horse, and a toybox, which is now used as a lounge side table! I know she means well but she just can't help herself. It really annoys dh!
pil live 3 hours away so we warn them beforehand that we will have our bikes in the boot so it can't be filled with presents! We still end up with boxes in the footwell!

 

[EcoMama]

I'm tempted to ask family for money to put towards merlin annual passes for them or some kind of activity like that, or money for an activity like karate would be great but I probably won't because I think people like giving toys, so tricky.

I'd love to get dc a merlin pass, but we live nowhere near one!

 

[SpringerS]

The kids love gardening and a bird house is a fab idea. thank you

If you like the idea of a birdhouse and even 'jazzier' version would be one of the ones you get with a webcam. That way you can all have a really great view any nest being built and see the eggs laid and the chicks hatch and mature without ever having to go near the birdhouse.

 

[EcoMama]

Wow springer! Off to google :smile::

I really want one of those wildlife night vision cameras which you attach to trees!

 

[DanielleM]

I try and get rid of unused toys but we still seem to have too many. We recently decorated Jacobs room and got rid of a load so it's not too bad at the minute. I'm trying to rein myself in for Christmas but his birthday is 4 weeks after Christmas also

 

[lau86]

Whilst not 'minimalist' I would buy far fewer presents than what we do, it's hubby that's the problem!

 

[EcoMama]

Oh lau, I have no problems with dh. He'd cancel christmas all together if he could!

 

[highhopes19]

I'm not a minimalist at Christmas but I really want to be we kept daisys birthday presents to a minimum but family and friends did get her loads and the day after her birthday my living room resembled an explosion at toys r us.... luckily i have managed (only just) to find homes for it all.

My problem is i see things and think how much they would love it.... but in reality after xmas day it probably won't be touched again x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I am definitly more about thought/feelings than a physical items. We try and make stuff xx

 

[EcoMama]

I am definitly more about thought/feelings than a physical items. We try and make stuff xx

We make stuff too. For relatives. Food hampers go down well.