TIPS: 15 Tips for Commercial-Free, Fun-Filled Family Holidays

November 1, 2017

If you want to make this year’s holidays more meaningful, memorable, and rejuvenating for your family, these 15 tips will help you opt out of the commercial hype and create a truly special celebration for your kids. Whether your family includes toddlers, elementary-aged children, or young adults, we have ideas for you. Less stress, less stuff, and way more connection and fun—what’s not to love?!

6. Make a family plan for your best holiday yet At dinner or another family meeting time, take this five-minute assessment from the University of Northern Iowa’s Reclaim Your Holidays. It will give you an opportunity to talk together about what you liked and didn't like about last year's holiday. Then, you can use what you learn to outline a holiday season that’s just right for your family. 7. Set limits to preserve essential time and space to fully enjoy the holidays Too often around the holidays, calendars become overbooked with events and to-dos, leaving little downtime to truly relax and recharge. And our homes end up overflowing with presents, adding to clutter instead of calm. Use New Dream’s Simplify the Holidays Calendar to build free time into your holiday schedule, and try using the “Four Gift Rule” (want, need, wear, read) as a fun way to set limits on material gifts in your holiday celebration. 8. Put down those screens! Use that extra time off from school and work to savor being together instead of in a constant state of digital distraction. Here’s how: Make sure all holiday meals are free of screens.

Designate certain days during the holidays—or all of them!—to be screen-free for the entire family.

Power down tablets and phones and put them away (research shows that just the presence of a phone distracts from face-to-face conversation).

Use the time you gain to cook together, sing, play games, and start new family traditions.

Added bonus: less screen time = less exposure to ads for holiday toys = less nagging and less making the holidays about “must-have” toys. For loads of tips on unplugging, check out CCFC’s Children’s Screen Time Action Network. 9. Plan holiday activities that foster connection Plan a slow, simple time with your child exploring a special interest, suggests Simplicity Parenting coach Christine O’Brien. If you have a sky lover, consider a cloud-watching date. Learn about the types of clouds from an inspiring book and go for a walk to take photos or draw pictures of the clouds you see. Or if you’ve got a fairy fan, use your creativity and tiny found objects to transform a potted plant into a fairy garden! For more ideas and resources, check out Simplicity Parenting. 10. Create a "GiveList" and prioritize giving over receiving Flip the idea of a traditional registry or wish list on its head to create a GiveList on SoKind, where you and your kids offer to share your talents and generosity with family, friends, and neighbors. Does Mateo make a fine volunteer dog walker but doesn’t have a dog to walk? Or perhaps Bella would like to teach a younger friend how to play a song on the recorder. You’re pretty good with a camera, and family portraits are in high demand! Add these to your GiveLists, and watch community blossom around the holidays.