Each year we give our kids 3 gifts each, so these are the gifts we are giving our kids for Christmas this year. This year, they are 13, 11, 9, and 4.5 years old!
Every year, we give our kids three gifts each – something they want, something they need, and something spiritual.
A lot of people we know do something similar with 4 gifts: want, need, wear, and read or some other variation.
We started this tradition when our firstborn was a baby. Some friends of ours had 2 children at the time, and she was pregnant with her third when I was pregnant with our first. They did this with their children, and we loved the idea so much that we adopted it ourselves.
Our kids have never known any different, so there hasn’t been an issue with complaining (at least not yet). It also helps us to limit the number of gifts and to keep them intentional and helps us not to overspend .
Our family also explains Santa Claus in such a way that we focus on the story of who Saint Nicholas really was and what he did. We have also instituted other traditions that our children love. We use Star from Afar, celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6, and commemorate El Día de los Tres Reyes (3 Kings Day or Epiphany) on January 6.
Our kids do get more gifts from other relatives, but the last couple of years, we have put some of that money into a travel fund that we will eventually use for a vacation, experience, etc. We have just decided that we don’t need more “stuff” in our home, and our kids have really enjoyed the trips we have taken and still talk about them all the time, including our 5 year old.
You can check out what we gave our kids the last few years here (for some reason we are missing 2018):
- 2013 Christmas
- 2014 Christmas
- 2015 Christmas
- 2016 Christmas
- 2017 Christmas
- 2019 Christmas
- 2020 Christmas
- 2021 Christmas
What are we giving our kids for Christmas in 2022?
Without further ado, check out what we are giving our kids for Christmas this year!*
(* Please keep in mind that some of the prices may be different since we purchased our items. I have noticed that some items may be currently unavailable or have inflated prices.)
Something they want:
The kids can choose one item that they really want, and it can be anything from a toy, clothing, or other activity they are interested in.
Our girls have been in love with LEGO (on Zulily <– check for discounts) for years, and they are often what they ask for. They not only build with them but create entire words and stories about the characters.
At one point, Will even mentioned to our oldest that he assumed she wouldn’t want a LEGO set for Christmas this year, and she responded, very incredulously I might add, that she didn’t know why he would assume that. In fact, she absolutely still wanted and enjoyed LEGO, but she wanted a more challenging set.
This year, our oldest daughter wanted this LEGO Disney Castle (on LEGO.com) set ever since she saw it. She still loves LEGO but has gotten to the point where she wants more of a challenge. (Note: This set is being retired and is almost impossible to find at this point. We also didn’t pay full price for it.)
All of our kids will play with LEGO for hours on end. Right now, I think we have enough LEGO to build our own town, but our middle daughter asked for the LEGO Friends Main Street Building (on LEGO.com).
LEGO, LEGO, and more LEGO…But, I really don’t mind because they provide hours of entertainment and creativity for them. They are also one of those things that we will probably keep for our own grandchildren should we eventually have them. Our youngest daughter has started to build bigger sets, so she wanted something bigger. When she saw the LEGO Friends Shopping Mall (on Zulily <– check for discounts).
Little man has also started to get into building blocks. I love that it promotes imaginative play, but it also help build his motor skills. This year, he’s really into Paw Patrol, so I went on a search to combine his two wants. We found these Paw Patrol MEGA BLOKS sets that were perfect!
Something they need:
Our kids truly don’t need anything at this point; however, there are a few things that could qualify. It is also important for us to nurture the interests of our children, so sometimes “needs” can take a different form in the gifts we are giving our kids for Christmas. You can check out our past posts above to see what kinds of things we have given.
Our daughter mentioned wanting her own luggage instead of having to use our suitcase or a little duffle bag. I found this cute World Traveler carry on and cosmetic bag set on sale (plus I had an extra 20% off), and as an added bonus, it’s her favorite color, rose gold.
Our middle daughter and youngest daughter share a room, and while they decorate their respective sides of the room individually, they typically have matching bedding. I loved the colors in this aqua comforter set (on Amazon), and it goes well with the rest of their decor.
If you have children, you know how fast they grow and go through shoes. Little man has outgrown all of his tennis shoes right now, so he needed some new ones for every day use. I also didn’t want to spend a lot since they will be outgrown quickly and will be used for playtime. Even though he doesn’t play Minecraft, he still loves the characters, so these were perfect.
Our son has also hit a growth spurt and outgrown all of his footie pajamas, and he said he wanted to some more. And while it is technically two different items, I found these cute dinosaur ones. Since we try to keep the amount spent on each child the same, it worked out to add the PJs to his need.
Something spiritual:
This is perhaps the most difficult area to buy for, but it is an area that we want to foster with what we are giving our kids for Christmas. Sometimes it involves more applicable items like devotionals or a new age-appropriate Bible. Other times it involves something more whimsical that can still have a little lesson to go with it.
The tween/teen years are upon us, and we know this is a delicate yet important stage in our oldest daughter’s development. We want her to grow in her relationship with God and understand who He says she is.
Sometimes the spiritual part of our 3 gifts can be difficult without repeating things. This year, we were so excited to find these Simply Be subscription box. They look like so much fun, and I think our older two girls are going to love them. Subscription boxes are a great gift, and there is usually something to fit any interest. We included a few in our 2021 gift guide on the non-toy page.
We also found a InJoyBox for Kids subscription box that we think our younger daughter will enjoy as well. They love getting stuff in the mail, so I think she will have fun with this.
Our son was a little difficult to buy for in this area because he cannot read yet, so many of the traditional gifts don’t apply. And even though we read to him, we wanted to get him something that he could do himself. Plus, we have several children’s Bibles and story books that we use. Will found this Noah’s Ark themed Operation game and this Noah’s Ark Don’t Rock the Boat board game. I had no idea that these existed, but I think he will enjoy them.
For more spiritual gift ideas for your little ones, check out our post on 65+ gift ideas to foster spiritual growth.
Our Dog
This year, we are getting our dog a subscription box as well. I am not an animal person, but I love our labradoodle, and I think that she will really like this BarkBox. It is filled with toys and treats that are your pet is sure to enjoy!
Stocking Stuffers
In addition to the 3 gifts we are giving our kids for Christmas, we also stuff their stockings with smaller non-junk stocking stuffer items. This year, this will include fun socks, scrunchy scarf hair ties, non-toxic fingernail polish, a box of band-aids, FRF bath bombs, candy, bubble bath, and other items from this list.
Family Gift
This year we are also thinking about finding a gift that the family could enjoy together. We haven’t made up our minds yet, but are thinking something like an idea box, board game, book series, TV/movie series, Amazon Prime Video, or other activity that we would all like to do.
If you need more ideas, check out some of the gift lists in our Ultimate Gift Guide.
This is what we are giving our kids for Christmas, but what are you getting your kids this year? Share in the comments!
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