The Dollar Store Gift Idea That I Am Borrowing (and think you should borrow it too)

Hannah sent me a text.

(How many decisions in my life do I make based on texts that I receive?  I don’t want to know.)

She had this link and said, “You should do this.”

The website she sent me to was written by a mom of many who explained how her family created a tradition years earlier when her children were much younger.

She and her husband wanted to teach their children to think about what their siblings and family members would like for gifts, to foster their relationships, to know the preferences of their family members and to provide an opportunity for all of the kids to purchase presents for their many siblings without exhausting the family’s resources.

Enter The Dollar Store.

You should read the article.  This is totally her idea. 

I am simply taking her suggestion.

Years ago we tried something like this – you know, go to the Dollar Store and let the kids pick out presents for one another.

This year I gathered the kids in the car and explained the idea: We are going to the dollar store.  Think about what your family members like.  Make your purchases.  Take them home and wrap them.  These will be the presents we can open on Christmas Eve.

It’s just the Dollar Store – right?

But you guys.

It was just like this blogger shared in her original post.

It was some kind of sweet.

Especially for Otto and Piper who felt some real authority and empowerment in their young lives.  Green basket in hand, they wandered the aisles, pondering and considering, laughing and exchanging items.  And – yes, there were a few goofy purchases, but, surprisingly, there were a lot of actually great finds.  (And funny reminders of how the kids see one another.)

Since the shopping kids don’t read this blog, I can share with you that Otto found a gigantic calculator for Mosely – to help with her math.  London bought Bergen a Barbie doll.  I’m not kidding.  Attached to the doll is a note that encourages Bergen to use the doll in any manner he may see fit — catch it on fire, toss it in a tree.  Yes, that worries me a little.  I even get the pleasure of having a few surprises under the tree for me this year – an unexpected bonus for a momma who adores surprises.  (Let me clarify – happy surprises. I love happy surprises.)

One random happy surprise was that Hannah happened to be in the some shopping center when I sent her back a text saying I was going to be putting her shared idea into action.  And so she joined us for the shopping excursion.

When we got home they had just as much fun escaping to various rooms and wrapping and labeling their surprises.  Our Christmas tree has never had so many gifts under it before.  (That math multiplies out quickly when you have six children,one son-in-law and a grandson.)

I just loved entering the school room to see a barefoot, blue jean clad Otto sitting apple-sauce-criss-cross on the wooden floor taping and wrapping and trying to spell his siblings’ names correctly.  A little smile across his face as he explained why he bought each item for each person and reminding me not tell them about their surprises.

This is a fun tradition you can begin this year – this week – with zero effort and minimal cost.  (Especially minimal if you have, say, two children!)

It certainly was made a little easier with the aid of Hannah wandering the aisles with a couple of the kids.  Because they were so excited about the idea, the kids were great about agreeing to not look in one another’s baskets.  At the check out I just explained what we were doing to the cashier and the kids stood by their purchases and grabbed their bags and lined up as we checked out without seeing their siblings’ purchases.

Happy shopping, friends.