"The Practical Mom" YouTuber Kallie Branciforte recently shared how to avoid going deep into debt when buying Christmas gifts. Her family has opted out of overspending on Christmas gifts, with Branciforte telling her viewers that gifts aren't everything.
"Kids don't actually need more gifts," she said in a video. "They need more moments."
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Avoiding Toy Overload
Branciforte said early in the video that her family is saying no to "toy overload" while making Christmas feel "more magical with fewer gifts." It may seem hard to believe for families that are used to a Christmas gift bonanza, but Branciforte brought up a key stat that supports the need for fewer gifts.
"I heard a stat once that said that the average child brings 70 toys into a home every year, which, when you think about it, really quickly, it seems impossible," she said. "But then the more you think about all of the ways that toys enter the home, it’s really not."
The toy overload can result in a cluttered home and turn holiday spending and prep work into a stressful experience. Branciforte's discussion on having too many Christmas gifts highlights that you can pull back on holiday spending without removing the magic of the season.
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Practical Christmas Gift Ideas
Branciforte doesn't buy Christmas gifts just for the sake of it and recommends some ideas for people who want to avoid toy overload without avoiding gift giving as a whole. The first gift she mentioned was Santa's one special gift.
"We tell the kids, ‘Santa only brings one present, so you better choose wisely,'" she said.
She also plans one gift for several categories: wants, needs, clothing, a book, restock gifts, experience gifts, and gifts for the family.
Branciforte mentioned board games and card games as gifts for the family. Restock gifts include things that the children like but have used up, such as crayons and watercolor sets. Branciforte only gives one gift for each category, which ensures they are intentionally picked without creating overwhelm.
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Build Memories
It's fun to open Christmas gifts, but most of those same items lose their value quickly. Gifts end up feeling old after a few weeks due to hedonic adaptations, a phenomenon where the initial excitement of receiving a gift fades.
Instead of overspending on holiday gifts that will sit in the background a few months later, Branciforte prefers to build memories with her children.
"Prioritizes moments over stuff," she said.
Christmas gifts can reflect the desire to build memories. Gifting your family a vacation will produce more memories than the latest smartphone. She also suggested making gift giving more fun with scavenger hunts and entertaining presentations that build excitement.
"Kids need more moments, not more gifts," she said.
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