Most parents (and grandparents) would tell you the same thing. We all want to give our kids a better life than the one we had. There’s no shame in that. Where many of us fall short is in defining what that means. We forget what it was like to be a kid and what truly matters to them. It’s not the XBox or new iPhone they have on their Christmas list. Sure, they may want it, but they’ll get over it if it’s not under the tree on Christmas morning.
What kids want is easy enough to give. They want us. Our time, our attention and our love. There’s no better time to show them that love than during the holiday season. Loving your kids costs nothing. I’ve got some ideas on how you can show them without breaking the bank:
Holiday Road
My wife came up with an idea for us each Christmas called “Holiday Road.” Everyone gets decked out in holiday themed pajamas, we make hot chocolates to go and head out in the family truckster to drive around and look at Christmas lights. My oldest daughter looks up holiday trivia on her phone and fires off one question after another. Along with trivia, we listen to Christmas music and everyone comments on their favorite lights, houses and/or neighborhoods from our night spent together.
The whole event lasts no more than two hours but our kids look forward to it every year. It’s one of our holiday traditions. Apart from the gas needed to drive the car around and the $4 spent on a box of hot chocolate, it costs nothing but our time and engagement.
Holiday Reading
We’ve all watched that scene in a movie where the family gathers around grandpa so he can read them a story, each child laughing and having a grand old time. Cheesy right? It doesn’t have to be.
Why not take some time out of your day or night and read a holiday book to your kids? There’s no need to make a fire and break out the peppermint bark (although that would certainly add to the ambiance). Pick a book, preferably one with more than one chapter, and read to your kids each night. Here’s a crazy thought, do this instead of watching TV to unwind. You’ll be amazed how quickly both you, and them, get relaxed and ready for bed. You may even look forward to what becomes a yearly tradition. 
Cookies/Crafts
My daughter recently asked me if I could make cookies with her over the holidays. If there’s not a grill involved, any sort of cooking is normally off the table for me. This isn’t going to stop me from attempting to make cookies with her. She’s of the age where she actually wants to spend time with me. It won’t always be this way. I need to take advantage of this time while I can.
Buying a sleeve of prepackaged cookies and placing them on a cookie sheet is both cheap and easy. Again, my daughter has no idea the entire day will cost less than $10. She doesn’t care. All she cares about is spending time with her Daddy, “baking” cookies.
You can perform a similar activity with crafts as well. There’s a reason most teachers shop at the dollar store. Sure, it’s cheap, but it’s also that kids are clueless and have zero concept of money. They just want to have fun being active with their friends and classmates. You can use the same logic at home. Head to your local dollar store and pick up a cheap craft. Pop on some Christmas music and voila, you’re creating a magical experience that will be lodged in the memory of your child for years to come.
Too often we think our kids want to see the Biltmore Estate, Disney World or some other holiday destination. The truth of the matter is, this is usually a break for the parents. It removes us from our mundane and stressful lives complete with work, soccer practice and other parental duties.
To be sure, these destinations can be fun and no doubt they’d create memories for your kids as well. They’re also pretty expensive and provide no added value other than what we may perceive to be happiness through material possessions or experiences. Regardless of where you are and how much you’ve spent to get there, without the gift of your time and attention, it’s all meaningless.
The holidays are a time of giving. Give the ones you love the best gift of all.
You.
