With Christmas looming, it’s easy to get caught up in the consumerism aspect of this holiday season. With stores putting out their best Christmas displays and holiday music, who isn’t tempted to get into the spirit and start buying presents for their loved ones? And maybe a couple of extra presents for themselves?
The easiest ploy to get sucked into during the holidays is the idea that we must fulfill our kid’s entire wish lists. The holiday madness keeps us believing that we need to top ourselves every year in order to give our kids the most magical, memorable Christmas yet.
But more people are turning to the 3-gift Christmas rule than ever before. Studies suggest buying fewer gifts for your children – or three each, to be exact – is all they need. After the third, studies show they become more enthralled in opening the presents than what’s actually inside. Buying an overload of gifts, studies show, is not only a waste of your hard-earned money but your kids probably won’t remember half of what they received.
The good news is this gift-giving strategy will save you time and money while teaching your kids to be more appreciative of every present they receive. Every parent can put their own spin on the 3-gift rule. One mother suggests making one of three gifts a toy they’ve been begging for or a game they’ve been dying to play and the other two gifts something small.
Mom blogger and personal finance expert Lauren Greutman uses categories for her 3-gift rule: something they want, something they need and something they wear while adding a fourth category for a Christmas Eve gift, something they read.
“Limiting the number of gifts given to three or four,” says Greutman, “really makes me focus on choosing quality presents that convey my love without breaking my budget.” To see her full strategy in utilizing the 3-gift rule as well as the benefits, you can check out her website www.laurengreutman.com.
Find ways to incorporate the 3-gift rule in a way that suits your family. There are so many ways to make this holiday special outside of the gifts, and the 3-gift rule is a great way to keep the real meaning of Christmas in perspective.
