T-minus 10 days until Christmas. If you don’t have all of your presents yet, don’t freak out. I may have a solution. A Christmas Challenge!

First, let me reassure you that we are probably way behind you on the Christmas thing. We don’t have a tree, we don’t have a single gift, and nothing feels holiday like yet. But it will. I believe we can pull it off even though we are in a foreign country, in a foreign home, celebrating the holidays in yet another tropical country with the lack of snow that forces you into the holiday spirit. But that’s off topic.

As I was scrolling through facebook today, daydreaming of how to Christmas-fy things around here, I came across this post (in french). It put forward a Gift Challenge. The challenge is to limit each person’s gifts to 4 things. Plus maybe a few for the stockings. But that’s it. It got me thinking. This type of challenge is perfect for us, and possibly you too.

Why This Challenge Works For Us

  • How much stuff do we really need!? Yes it’s fun to spoil our loved ones, but a child (or anyone really) can only handle so many gifts before it turns into total overload. The non-stop barrage of gifts turns your home into a destruction zone of boxes and wrapping paper.Too many presents turn kids into present addicts looking for the rush of the next best present. Why instil that in our kids!?

    Instead, why not just put some extra thought into a few things and see how that turns out. Stress gratefulness for the time and thought that went into the gifts rather than the quantity of them.

  • Availability and quality of things. With our traveling we have spent Christmases in many different places, and in trying to spoil each other, we have sometimes felt forced to buy things that we didn’t really need. Or things that weren’t the quality we would usually buy. There is no need to buy things just for the sake of having more presents to open. Again, quality, not quantity.

    If you are in a country where there really isn’t anything you could see yourself buying, go for the laugh factor…like when we bought Baby Arias a squeaky dog toy in the Bahamas because that was all we could find her!

  • Space. On a boat you need room to store all of this stuff. While traveling, whatever you accumulate along the way you have to carry. So think of that. Is it worth carrying with you, in your bags or on your boat or in your home?

  • Money is always a factor. The holidays are a time when we all love to spend a little more than usual. To spread the love and feel the love. But think of your priorities, what is your ultimate goal in life.

    If you are wanting to travel, why not put some of that money you were going to spend on gifts aside and make sure it goes to your travel fund instead.

Instead of going present crazy this holiday season, maybe try the Present Challenge.

The Challenge: 4 Presents for the Holidays

  • 1 present: Something They Want
  • 1 present: Something They Need
  • 1 present: Something They Can Wear
  • 1 present: Something They Can Read
 
 

Although I am late in proposing this challenge, I think it is a good one. Keep in the back of you mind as you count the gifts under your tree this year. We may test it out too. And on the 25th we can all report back on how it went over with the fams!

Some Gift Ideas

   If you are still struggling with what to get that special someone who may fit into one of the above four categories, here are some ideas: Educational and Fun games for kids, Tools that should be mandatory for a boat and home, the top 10 things that make boat life easier (kitchen/bathroom), and the things that helped us while traveling long flights with the girls. If you are still out of ideas, peruse through our Sponsors page, and our SHOP page, there are some amazing companies there that we reached out to because we love their products and maybe your special one will too.

This holiday season make sure everyone puts a little more emphasis on who is around the Christmas tree rather than what presents are under it.
 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!