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Simple Gifts for Christmas 2021

I have always loved to give my children a bunch of Christmas gifts.

I never bought expensive gifts though.

I cringe when I see what other parents are buying and spending on Christmas every year.

Keeping our Christmas celebration affordable, but memorable has always been my focus.

My goal in keeping Christmas gifts simple was to teach my twelve children to be happy, content, thankful, and even excited about the small things in life.

I thought it would be fun if I shared some of the simple gifts I have always given to my twelve children for Christmas over the years.

This isn’t for everyone. I have noticed that many families would consider the Christmas gifts to be stocking stuffers.

The only things my children have ever received in their stockings were a few Little Debbies and juice pouches.

Simple Gifts for Christmas 2021

#1 – A Coffee Cup

One of my favorite childhood Christmas memories was the time Ma gave me a Snoopy cup.

I can still see that cup.

It was a totally white coffee cup with a black Snoopy on it.

I loved it!

That’s probably where my love for All Things Snoopy comes from!

To this day, I still give all 12 of my children a nice cup for Christmas all because I loved my Snoopy Christmas gift so much.

Now, I am not talking about a fancy, expensive Yeti cup filled with a Dunkin Donuts gift card.

I am talking about a simple cup.

Don’t gasp, but many times they would get a fancy Christmas cup that I picked up at the thrift store for a quarter!

#2 – A Deck of Cards

Whenever I ask my twelve children what they would like for Christmas, they inevitably ask for a deck of cards.

Yup, they always ask for a simple deck of cards!

They are super cheap and always fun.

The kids could play many card games together, or simply go off and play by themselves.

I still buy my playing cards at Dollar Tree. They sell two decks of playing cards for one buck!

Does your family play cards?

#3 – Board Games

Yahtzee!

Our family is the game-playing type of family.

It’s probably not a big surprise that a family of twelve children plays board games!

We love all kinds of games!

I love how the entire family gathers together and enjoys each other’s company while playing board games.

Anytime we have tried video games, the results just aren’t the same!

People tend to get a little more grumpy during video games.

Does your family still play board games in this virtual-loving world?

Head over here to read about some of my family’s favorite board games.

 12 Amazing Games to Give for Christmas

#4 – Movies

I have always tried to give each one of my children their very own movie each Christmas.

Go over here to read about the types of movies my family has always enjoyed getting as gifts.

12 Amazing Family Movies to Give for Christmas

We also have certain must-watch Christmasy movies that we love to see year after year.

Does your family have to watch the same Christmas movies every year?

Which are your family’s must-see Christmas movies?

12 Amazing Family Christmas Movies You Must Watch in 2020

#5 – Warm Socks

The older you get, the happier you are to get socks for Christmas.

There’s a popular saying that says, The older you get, the happier you are to get socks for Christmas.

Well, I don’t know about the older part, but everyone in my family has always loved to open up a fuzzy, warm pair of new slipper socks on Christmas morning.

Does your family like to get socks for Christmas? Do you like to get socks for Christmas?

#6 – A New Book

Have you ever heard of the Christmas gift-giving challenge – Want, Need, Wear, Read?

The idea is to only give each one of your children four gifts on Christmas.

Want, Need, Wear, Read

Want – Something they want.

Need – Something they need.

Wear – Something to wear.

Read – Something to read.

Do you use this system at your house?

Maybe this year is a great time to have a little less screen time and a little more reading time.

Are you planning to include books in your gift-giving this Christmas?

#7 – Outfit

Who doesn’t love to get a nice new outfit for Christmas?

I always hit the clearance racks to buy my children each a new outfit for Christmas.

You can easily pick up shirts for $1.00 or even 50 cents on clearance.

The outfit doesn’t have to be fancy.

Actually, if you prefer to give fancy outfits, then consider hitting up the after-Christmas and after Easter sales for next year’s Christmas gifts.

You will score fancy clothing at rock-bottom prices!

My kids love to just get a new shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

You will find me going through the clearance section all year long!

#8 – Hats and Gloves

We live in the North Country where it seems to stay winter a lot longer than it stays summer.

I honestly believe there are only two seasons up here – winter and get ready for winter.

That is why my family is always happy to open up new hats and gloves on Christmas morning!

I typically buy all of my hats and gloves in early spring when they are marked down as low as a dime each.

#9 – Pajamas

I love the idea of Christmas pajamas because they are practical, but still so much fun.

I really enjoy seeing my social media feed fill up with holiday pictures of family’s all dressed in matching pajamas!

Does your family get special Christmas pajamas?

Do you have the entire family’s pajamas match?

Check out this article, 12 Best Pajamas For Christmas to Buy Now

#10 – Snacks

If you were to ask my children what they wanted for Christmas, you would hear things like, chocolate milk, Little Debbies, Pringles, Caprisun, thin mints, chocolate-covered cherries, and candy bars.

The excitement at getting things that seem so mundane to many probably comes from the fact that my children grew up on homemade food way more than processed foods.

You always consider something a treat when you don’t get it often.

Giving snacks is part of our simple Christmas.

I, personally, think having chidlren that get excited over a single Little Debbie is way better than them expecting a $500+ cellphone!

#11 – Sleds

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas at the Foote house without new sleds for everyone.

My kids love to be outside all of the time. It doesn’t matter if it is spring, summer, winter, or fall, they love the great outdoors!

In the winter, you will find them building snow forts, ice skating, snowboarding, making snowmen, having snowball fights, and, of course, sledding downhill.

Does your family have fun during the wintertime?

#12 – Glow Sticks

Glowsticks are just plain fun.

I like to put them in my kids’ special stockings.

Special stockings aren’t your typical Christmas morning stockings.

I save them until everyone is settling down on Christmas night.

Just when they think the celebration is over, Mama comes down the stairs with everyone’s special stockings.

One year, I used old blue jeans. I cut them into shorts, sewed up the legs, put bailing twine around like a belt, and filled them up with little gifts.

One time, I bought a bunch of Dollar Tree cowboy hats during their Halloween sales and used them as special stockings.

Another year, I bought regular Christmas stockings during the after-Christmas sales for a dime each.

I saved them for the following year and used them as the special stockings.

Glowsticks work as a perfect gift to add to the special stockings.

I watch the clearance racks at places like Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Walmart for marked down glowsticks.

I also like to buy the big, multipacks at Dollar Tree.

Do you have a special Christmas tradition that you do with your family every year?

#13 – Bonus – Toilet Paper and Light Bulbs

When my children were little, I would tell them I was going to give them toilet paper and light bulbs as gifts.

Everyone would always just laugh.

That is until they got older.

Now that they are grown, they always remind me that I promised to give them toilet paper and light bulbs!

Don’t forget to get me toilet paper and light bulbs, Mama!

Simple Gifts for Christmas 2021

Are you planning to have a simple Christmas this year?

I hope you enjoyed reading about some super simple gifts I like to give to my family for Christmas.

Tell me about your simple gift-giving ideas in the comments.

Christmas Holiday Planner

I am super excited about my new Christmas Holiday Planner! 

Make sure you get your copy!

Christmas with Strategic Shopping the Twelve Months of Christmas e-book