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Christmas is coming up and I am finding myself yet again wondering what to get the kids. A few years ago I seen a Santa gift idea floating around on Pinterest and Facebook. It read, “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.” I thought that was such a great idea for keeping gifts to a minimal and decided to do this each year for my own kids. This will be our 4th Christmas implementing this “system” as I call it. This is the first year though that I am trying to live a more minimalist lifestyle and choose gifts more wisely. In the years prior, I would wait until last minute and draw a blank. Then I’d end up over purchasing things for the stocking and grabbing items without putting much thought into it. I did not want that happening again so I have come up with a list of gift ideas the minimalist family may enjoy. We personally have or have had each of these items. I would not recommend anything I did not love!
“Something You want”
This is the gift your child will probably be the most excited for. I may be wrong, but it is definitely the favorite in our house! If I am buying a toy I try to pick ones that are educational and/or encourage imagination.
Manhattan Baby Stella Doll
We bought this doll for Wren’s first birthday. It is soft, cuddly and comes with an adorable magnetic pacifier. The clothes and diaper are all removable. Stella is probably Wren’s favorite toy!
Picasso Magnetic Tiles
Wyatt’s cousins have a set of these and they have so much fun building together. The list is limitless on what can be created with these tiles. I bought Wyatt his own set for Christmas this year and I can’t wait to see his face when he opens it!
Strider balance bike
I’ll admit I had never heard of a bike without pedals until a friend of mine mentioned it to me. I researched them and found many benefits. We bought this bike for Wyatt 2nd birthday. He is 3 now and can balance very well! I see no problems adjusting to a pedal bike without training wheels.
“something you need”
Gift ideas for this category can be pretty random but it just depends on what your child is needing at the time! If you cannot think of anything needed sometimes an experience gift works out well. Everyone needs a good vacation sometimes or even a trip to the movie theater could be fun! This year Wyatt needed a replacement seat for his bike and Wren needed another all in one cloth diaper for when Mimi or Daddy babysits!
“something to wear”
Obviously, these will be clothing items but that can range from many different items. If your child does not need any new clothing, look into dress up clothes!
Sayoyo Soft Sole Moccasins
These are my absolute favorite shoe for babies and toddlers who are just learning to walk. They have a soft sole which is the closest shoe to being barefoot and great for balance! I bought my first pair for Wren at a consignment store and then seen how affordable they are on Amazon. You can’t beat it for the cost and quality!
Flipeez Hat
These hats are the absolute coolest, or so my 3 year old believes! They have a bubble you can squeeze to make the hands go up and down. Wyatt loves it and sometimes I find myself playing with it too.
skip hop toddler backpack
Although this is not a clothing item it is still “something to wear” so I’d say it definitely fits into this category! I bought one of these bags for Wyatt right before Wren’s birth and filled it with a few things. I gave it to him at the hospital when he visited so he would feel special too. He now brings it to church with him!
“Something to Read”
This is my favorite category! We visit our local library and check out books from there but it is also nice to have a few of our own. I can’t tell you how many times I have read certain books over and over. The kids never get tired of it!
The beginner’s bible: Timeless Children’s stories
We have a few different children’s Bibles but this one is my favorite! It has many different stories and explains in a way a young child can understand.
dragons love tacos
This is an adorable book! Wyatt laughs the whole time we read it. They even have a squeal which is just as great.
touch and feel books
These are more geared towards babies but I have found that toddlers love them just as much! We have several varieties of these.
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