Dear Grandparents, Please Stop Going Overboard For Christmas

Dear grandparents everywhere, please stop going overboard for Christmas.

Look, we know you adore our kids but if we have to shove another large toy into the garage until spring, we are going to lose it.

Believe me when I say, I am saying this in the nicest and most loving and grateful way possible.

But I swear my house is beginning to look a lot like a Toys R Us pop-up store and soon enough, it’ll be good enough to land it’s own episode on hoarders.

The older I get, the more I realize, we just have too much “stuff”. I love the idea of having nice things and less clutter.

And I truly LOVE the idea of the kids having less toys that they can spend more time playing with.

I can’t be the only one that feels this way either…

I know being a grandparent is exciting and watching the kids open gift after gift is exhilarating but what you’re forgetting is everything that comes after that moment in time.

The fact that kids play with most of their toys just once and other times, I am constantly tripping over toys all over the place.

There are times when I trip over a toy car and I am like, “Welp, this is how I die”.

Now before you worry that the kids won’t feel that magic at Christmas, let me just tell you, kids likely won’t remember what you gave them for Christmas but you know what they will remember?

That you were present, you were there.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you can’t get them something to open for Christmas. After all, I am not The Grinch.

I am just saying, please stop going overboard.

The kids don’t need another massive play kitchen or new bike every year. The kids just need something small to open and know that you took the time to pick something out for them you knew they’d enjoy.

They need your time.

They need your love.

They need you to be present.

Take all the pictures and soak up every moment with them because that is what truly matters.

I promise it’s okay to not get them dozens of gifts. And if you really feel the need to spend money on them, get a gift of an experience like to the Zoo or something. Or perhaps, start a college fund for them.