One of the main things I try to keep in perspective is the difference between a cheap mindset and a frugal mindset. To me, a cheap mindset focuses on making decisions based on spending as little as possible, thereby potentially acquiring inferior products and/or services. On the other hand, a frugal mindset focuses on being intentional about prioritizing spending; you may end up with fewer things, but what you end up with is quality.

Our family strives to carry over a frugal mindset to Christmas shopping and gifting as well. In order to do that, we try to stick to the 4 Gift Principle, where each kid gets 4 gifts: something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR, and something to READ. This means our Christmas looks small on the surface- the bottom of the tree isn’t bursting with presents, and gift opening on Christmas morning takes less than 10 minutes. But the gifts we give our kids are well thought out- it’s stuff we know they want or know they will enjoy for more than one day. We just feel that it isn’t necessary to buy items that won’t be played with often in an attempt to fill out the bottom of the tree. (Plus, our kids are extremely lucky because they also receive gifts from grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins at Christmas.)

If you’re thinking about adopting this 4 gift principle, or already do it but are a little stumped on what to gift in each category (like I often am), I’ve listed a few item types (rather than specific items) for each category.

Something They WANT
This “wow” item is what we use as our Santa gift.

• Toys (or Crafting Supplies if you have a crafter)

• Riding Toys: Bikes, scooters, skates, etc.

• Electronics: Gaming systems, system games, tablets, etc.

Something They NEED
This is always the most challenging category for me, but I’ve learned that the “need” gift doesn’t have to be lame. It can be super fun! Just maybe not as flashy as the “wow” want gift.

• Sports Registration or Equipment: Sign them up for soccer, basketball, dance, etc., and wrap whatever equipment is needed as the gift to open.

• Experience Gifts: Annual memberships, certificates for “a night out with mom/dad,” etc.

• School Necessities: Headphones, tablet, new backpack, etc.

• Family Board Games

Something To WEAR
We fudge this category a little because we usually give them more than one item of clothing for Christmas. This gift is usually a combination of the following:

• Pajamas

• New Shoes and Socks

• Complete Outfits

Something To READ
This one is fun! I usually choose one seasonal book to add to our growing Christmas book collection, and then one or two age-appropriate books I think they’ll enjoy. If you’re stumped on what kids are reading these days, go check my Recommended Reading post from the summer, which was guest written by a former teacher and mom to kids who love reading.

Having a set framework for Christmas gifts helps keep me from going overboard or getting overwhelmed during this season that can be stressful. And I think reasonably limiting the amount of gifts my kids receive helps them be more thankful for what they do receive, and me and my husband get joy out of seeing them actually enjoy the gifts we intentionally bought for them. And a great bonus is that my house doesn’t get overrun with toys and clutter!