I am a minimalist. I also have four kids, three of whom are not minimalists (the other one is three weeks old, so I’m not sure about his aesthetic yet). My olders love their toys, books, art supplies, random bits and bobs they’ve accumulated from birthday parties or the dentist’s office, school crafts… an endless array of things that are meaningful to them. C’est la vie!
However, we are six people in a four-bedroom house–and Eric works remotely, needing a full-time office space–so space is limited. To this end, and given our generous extended family, we realized a few years ago that we needed to cut back on gifts (both given to our own kids, and things we all receive). The stereotypical American Christmas is focused on the presents, but we needed and wanted something different.… Read More »
This is my favorite halfway-DIY Christmas gift that’s always a hit with my kids. Every year I make them memory books of their year, one per kid, and then I order them during 
We had our first snow a couple of weeks ago in Minnesota, so it’s safe to say that winter is on the way. How better to celebrate than by reading all the little kids winter books? (Non-lyrical Christmas music is allowed in our household, but nothing truly holly jolly until after Thanksgiving… idk why, it’s just the rule!)
Christmas is just around the corner, and I’m already thinking about gifts for the boys. We use the “want, read, wear, need” system: four gifts per child. Plus a few things in their stockings (including some healthy treats to eat). I’m keen on tech-free toys as I feel that nothing replaces hands-on play experience.
The holidays are busy enough for everyone. Then you have kids, and 97% of December is spent putting on jackets and boots, packing up snacks and sitting in the car rushing from activity to activity. By the time January arrives, it feels like you’ve completely missed the holidays with all of the busyness.