15th November, 2016

Can you believe it’s less than 6 weeks until Christmas?!
It’s actually ridiculous how fast this year has flown by.

Lily has a birthday in just under a fortnight, so at the moment I can’t quite think about Christmas.
Past years I have asked the kids to each write a small list of items they’d love from Santa, and every year they would struggle.
I’d like to think that this is because they are amazingly well-rounded children who have no care for STUFF. That they know life is more important than material possessions…but I think the reality is, (as with most children these days) they already have more than enough!

So, last Christmas – I introduced the ‘Four Gift Rule’.
This is bloody brilliant!!
Want. Need. Wear. Read.
They still have a little trouble coming up with a decent list and filling each category, but I tell you what – this is SO good!

Something you want: 
The one item at the top of their wish list.
The crème de la crème.
Something you need:
Maybe your child needs new goggles for swimming, a new beach towel, school lunchbox for the following year or new headphones.
Something to wear:
A new outfit for Christmas day perhaps, sun hat, bathers…
Something to read:
Books. Books. More books.

My kids are serious readers, so they always have a list a mile long of books they’d love. They fill this category first!

Lily is holding off completing her list until after her birthday at the end of the month – but Spencer has finished his and it currently looks like this:
Want: LeBron James or Kevin Durant Jersey (He is basketball mad!)
Need: New shoes (Poor kid has outgrown every pair he owns!)
Wear: Lots of summer clothes size 9 and new boardshorts (Quit growing!!!)
Read: Double Down- Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 11

When I saw that Gem from Arlo & Co. was making these gorgeous tags last year, I knew we needed two sets in our house pronto!
We leave them out for the jolly fat man in a red suit on Christmas Eve and he cleverly ties them to the appropriate gift when he’s delivering gifts to our home.

It’s become a great way to teach the kids about quality over quantity and making sure they remember that Christmas isn’t just about gifts!

Have you started your shopping yet?

Gift tags are available again this Christmas – you can buy them here..
Go on. Thank me later.

Big love,
-Cx