Hi there!

I'm Tracy 

I'm the founder, writer and advocate behind the award-winning blog, Raised Good - a guide to natural parenting in the modern world.

Looking for your village?

SIGN UP

Discover the Lost Art of Natural Parenting

Childhood

A Dozen Gifts To Inspire Simplicity in Kids This Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our home. Our tree is brightly decorated with gifts appearing under its branches.  Fairy lights are twinkling and our garden is a winter wonderland with snow having silently arrived in the wee small hours this morning. Needless to say, we’re feeling very festive.

Experiencing the unique magic of Christmas with my son is a privilege I’m incredibly grateful for; the opportunity to create wonder, to stir our collective imagination and see the world anew through his eyes makes me feel like a child again. As a family we’re crafting our own traditions, savouring family time and slowing down rather than speeding up through the holiday season.

Gift giving is such a beautiful love language, yet as a parent embracing simplicity, Christmas can feel like an idealogical tug of war.

I’m conscious of the ever-increasing influence of our consumer-driven society. Children are easy targets for the trap of materialism, yet the experience of gift giving and receiving can be incredibly joyful and positive. As parents we have the power to limit the number of gifts our kids receive, so we can give them the space they need to appreciate the thoughtfulness and generosity of others. By taking an intentional approach to the type of gifts they open on Christmas morning we can also promote free play, encourage imagination and foster connection within our families.

So, here’s a dozen ideas, with no bells and whistles, no buttons and things the light up; just some simple gifts that may brighten your Christmas day and your year ahead.

1. INTER-GENERATIONAL FREE PLAY

003700_1-2

Whenever we go to Grandma’s house our son loves playing with his dad’s decades old farmhouse. We were so excited to find Melissa and Doug’s Wooden Fold and Go Farmhouse, which is almost identical. My little man is losing himself more and more in free play; I smile from ear to ear when I overhear him creating imaginary situations and talking to his animals in his bedroom. I’m sure this will be a Christmas favourite.

2. GIGGLES, HIGH FIVES AND HAND-EYE COORDINATION

4101-balancing-cactus-510x510-2

Plan Toys was founded in southern Thailand in 1981 and was the first company in the world to manufacture wooden toys from rubberwood. Concerned with environmental stewardship they believe everyone can contribute to a better world by playing sustainably. I love that they use organic rubberwood, e-zero glue, water-based dyes, recycled and recyclable materials, soy and water-based ink in their toys.

We gave our son their drum last year and this year I’m excited about the Balancing Cactus. I imagine it will be a team effort, fostering connection as we balance the brightly coloured cactus piece by piece providing laughs and high-fives along the way.

3. BED TIME SNUGGLES AND EXPANDING OUR SON’S WORLD

9781474921015-big-book-of-sea-creatures-2

We LOVE Usborne! They produce incredibly high quality books with vivid, true to life and fantastical illustrations combined with fun facts. We already have their Big Book of Dinosaurs, a bed time favourite, and even as an adult I’m excited to see what comes next. I find myself constantly surprised as we open the huge fold out pages and astounded by the size and comparative scale of the creatures they bring to life. One of my passions is the ocean and everything it represents; I can’t wait to share it with our son and see what he thinks of the amazing marine animals living in her beautiful watery depths.

4. IMAGINATIVE AND SELF-DIRECTED PLAY

grizzly_bear

 

Our son’s favourite toys are his Schleich collections of animals and dinosaurs; if we’re away from home for an extended period, they are what he misses most! These hand-painted, life-like figures stretch his imagination and have stood the test of time. His grandma, who is infinitely more talented with a sewing machine than am I, recently made us a bunch of lovely drawstring bags to keep each “family” in – we have North American animals, African wildlife and of course, Dinosaurs.

5. PRACTICING GENEROSITY

large-pygmy-elephant-photo-min

We love giving to charities and organizations that protect the wild places we cherish and we want to show our son how important generosity is too. So, at this age a symbolic adoption of a wild animal through World Wildlife Fund seems like the perfect choice.

6. THE JOY OF EXPERIENCE

In a paper published in the Journal of Psychological Science, Thomas Gilovich and Matthew Killingsworth, demonstrated experiences provide more lasting happiness than material possessions, with the memory of experiences growing fonder over time.

We’re lucky enough to live close to some of the most beautiful Christmas lights I’ve ever seen. The canyon, suspension bridge and forest light up once a year mesmerizing young and old alike. We eagerly anticipate wandering around the enchanted forest soaking in the magic of Christmas with our little man. And as every parent of a young child knows, memberships pay for themselves in no time. So, each Christmas we purchase a membership to the park and enjoy it every season with our son.

7. CO-OPERATION OVER COMPETITION

gmc7-1-min

 

What excites me most about the Dinosaur Escape Game is that it’s cooperative rather than competitive; players work together and if they’re successful everyone wins. The older I get the more deluded I become with the competitive nature of our society; as if being successful means we have to be better than somebody else. I love the idea of fostering collaboration, celebrating mutual success and of course, having fun with dinosaurs along the way!

8. PROBLEM-SOLVING AND FUN-FILLED FLOOR PLAY

melissa_and_doug_dino_puzzle

Our family can’t get enough of puzzles. Such a simple way to connect and spend time together, while encouraging memory, problem-solving and hand eye coordination. We received this puzzle last year from Nanna and it’s still in regular use. Observing our son improve every time we repeat it reminds me how quickly he’s developing….wish I could buy something to slow down time!

9. THE GIFT OF MUSIC

glockenspiel-min

We already have a drum and a harmonica but we’re one instrument down to complete our trio. This colourful, wooden xylophone seems like the perfect addition. Its finishes are non-toxic, BPA Free, Lead Free and Phthalate Free. I’m excited to make some music…and have a little dance too!

10. EMBRACING SIMPLICITY 

simple_xmas-min

Christmas is a time of togetherness, family and connection. But too often, in our over-scheduled and hurried modern lives Christmas represents stress, obligation and box checking. But, what if we could slow down and revel in the magic of the holidays with those we love most? Rebecca at Simple as That and Erica of Let Why Lead have taken on the challenge of asking that very question. They’ve created an email course called 12 Days to a Simpler Holiday Season to bring more stillness and cozy time to our festive season. Maybe the best gift we can give our kids is centred, present and calm parents – check it out here.

11. MINIMALIST FORT BUILDING

play_silks

We recently started exploring Waldorf and came across these wonderful silks. I’m excited to build colourful forts with my little man as it snows outside, make superhero capes and play hide and seek.  I love that it will take no space to store and will be light enough for my son to use on his own.

12. ONE OF OUR FAMILY’S FAVOURITE LOVE LANGUAGES

quote-image-xmas-min

 

They say kids spell love, T.I.M.E. And that’s how I spell it too. There’s nothing like time with loved ones. Shared experiences. Creating moments and banking them in our children’s memories. While one love language is gift giving it’s so important to find a balance and recognize what love language resonates most with your child. Our little family thrives on relaxed, fun-filled, agenda-free, quality time together. Over Christmas, the best gift we give each other is to get away as a threesome, enjoy a hot tub in the rain and snuggle up on the wild west coast of Canada where wifi can’t follow.

Wishing you and your family a wonderfully simple and joyous festive season. I’d love to know, what traditions do your family follow? What gifts would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

Hi there!

I'm Tracy

Hi there! I’m Tracy - the founder, writer and advocate behind the award-winning blog, Raised Good - a guide to natural parenting in the modern world. Based in Vancouver and originally launched in 2016, I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response and the global community that’s developed. 

read MORE

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Emily says:

    Great ideas! I especially like the idea of the cooperative dinosaur game and the fort-building silks! Hope you have a Merry Christmas! 🙂

    • Tracy Gillett says:

      Thanks so much Emily and me too – I’m excited to share my son’s gifts too 🙂 Thank you and you have a lovely Christmas as well xx

  2. Janet says:

    Love the list! I’m getting my kids items to get them outside more in the winter, like ice skates, and ice fishing poles.

    • Tracy Gillett says:

      Thank you and awesome Janet! Love it. Its not as snowy ass Alaska down here but we’re getting our fair share of it which is so much fun. Have a wonderful Xmas with your family 🙂 xx

  3. Melissa says:

    My son is 12 mos and we are trying to create a simple holiday. I am sewig him a play tent for Christmas. Next year, we thought my husband, a woodworker, might make him something. We also chose a few books, and will fill a small new woven basket with apples – his favorite snack! He can then use the basket to store toys, and pick berries and garden veggies come summer.

    Our biggest struggle is how to deal with well-meaning grandparents who have already gone completely overboard with gifts. Luckily our son is too young to understand this year, but I worry about the overwhelm next year and beyond.

    • Tracy Gillett says:

      Wow Melissa – sounds amazing! Good on you guys – to have a skill like woodworking would be amazing.

      I hear you on the grandparents. Ours have actually been really good and are evolving with us as we go, asking what we think our son would like and if they want to spend more money we’re asking for one big thing rather than five little things. My mum bought my son an art easel for example this year. If you want to direct them to one of my popular posts about simplicity it may help or reading Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne. Merry Christmas!

  4. Julie says:

    Hello Tracy, I love your list ideas. My son has lots of gifts as he love gifts too much. I am so eager to share my son gifts too. Thank you so much for sharing this blog.

  5. Selina Marie says:

    Thanks for the amazing list. I’ve got plenty of time to go through it and figure out what I’m going to get my kids for next Christmas.

  6. Anirban @ gift ideas says:

    Hi, I have 5 year old nephew and his birthday is almost. Its good that I found your post, and got some nice gift ideas. Really thanks for this amazing post.

fantastic freebies

Help yourself to our

5 Natural Parenting Secrets

That Make Kids Want to Cooperate - No Timeouts, Threats or Punishments Required!

GET IT NOW

5 Myths Surrounding Infant Sleep

That You Can Safely Ignore As a New (or Not So New) Parent

GET IT NOW

4 Practical Tips to Simplify Childhood

& Protect Your Child's Mental Health

GET IT NOW

A Dozen Things Kids Need to Hear More Often

GET IT NOW

@RAISEDGOOD