40+ Christmas Gift Rule Ideas
Are you familiar with the Christmas Gift Rule?
Every year, I get a flood of people telling me they have a Christmas Gift Rule and they’re looking for something specific to fit a category (the most common Christmas Gift Rule I’ve heard is “Something to wear, something to read, something you want, something you need.”)
Turns out there are MANY variations on the Christmas Gift Rule and I loved hearing from this community about different formulas they use.
Of course, a Christmas Gift Rule doesn’t work for everyone.
One reader said, “Absolutely not – my gift giving can’t be placed under constraints” while another said “I planned to do the four gift rule. Turns out I just love buying gifts for him – I’ve never come close.”
Another said “I really wanted this to work for us but it didn’t end up being more minimal because we ended up buying things to fit the categories when we didn’t really need those things (and then buying extra things in some categories that the kids could really use).”
But others love a gift giving formula. One mom said, “I started doing a formula because I want to get a ton of presents for my kids! Gifts is my love language! I had to reel myself in and set some parameters so I didn’t go crazy!”
You’ll know best if a Christmas Gift Rule is good fit for your family (for the record, we don’t use one in our family).
If you DO like the idea of a formula, here are some Christmas Gift Rules people shared with me!
You’ll see that some of them are very specific while others are looser.
40+ Christmas Gift Rule Ideas
- We go small for Christmas! One biggish gift and a book/book set + small stocking gift
- 2 gifts: Something they really want and something I want for them
- All the kids open the same number of presents because some have strong opinions about it right now
- 3 toys plus a craft, a book, and article of clothing and a game
- Jesus got 3 gifts, my kids get 3 from us!
- We just do three gifts from Santa (no category), then one present from Mum and Dad plus sibling gifts
- We give three options for a trip the following year and our kids spend Christmas deciding one
- My mom had us draw out of a hat to do a gift exchange with each other (I have five siblings). It helped cut on cost but also made sure everyone was given a thoughtful gift from each other.
- One gift from Santa (usually the larger/most wanted gift) and then 3 gifts under the tree
- Want, need, wear, read (and we do the same four things for stockings, just smaller version)
- Wear, read, need, want, experience, for family (games, puzzles, etc), something special for them
- Something to play with, something to wear, something to read.
- Wear, read, need, want, do, share and create
- My parents did a big fun thing, a book, clothing, and a gift to share with the family
- Let grandparents buy everything and only do one or two gifts from us and stockings
- One book series, one Lego set, one craft/creative activity.
- A Santa gift plus 1- joyful, 2- practical, 3- spiritual/goal oriented. 4- A book/bookset
- Christmas is just items from their wish list – we do this 4 gift rule for birthdays;
- Something you want, to read, to wear, somewhere to go
- No more gifts for adults: it became stressful and honestly it has been such a weight off!
- Generally we do two main presents: one from us and one from Santa, that’s it
- Something shared, something used, something to read, something fun and PJs
- I make sure my teens receive a solo activity for after gifts are opened. Not all clothes or decor or whatever
- I give myself lots of grace on present size and add in things for advent drawers
- One gift from Santa, one gift from parents. And it’s plenty!
- Lego, something to wear, a game, something creative, a wish, a family gift, brother gifts
- We try to follow that but always seem to sneak in extras we know they’d love
- We do travel during the dead week! They get so much all year. They get a travel gift.
- Physical – coat/sweater. Spiritual – devotional book. Emotional – a gift that excites them.
- Santa gets lots (4-5 each) of cheap toys that we can pass on in a year or less for the fun as parents we get each or our kids one item that we know they will really love/use/play with.
- 3-4 gifts, stocking and 1 Santa gift. Hold back for Christmas, go more crazy on birthdays.
- A game, a book, a toy, an ornament.
- For Chanukah: treat, wear, book, share, tunes, do, trip, something special just for you
- Not a formula but this year is tough for $ and we just decided no presents. So much relief!
- One gift for each child and one thing for them to share/do together
- Clothes or shoes, a book and something fun from us. One toy from Santa
- Book with handwritten note, mom present, dad present, 2 Santa presents, stocking
- 1 Santa gift ~$50, 2 toys or entertaining, 1 game, books, item of clothing, family gifts
- We do one bigger gift for each child, a gift for all our children combined (often an experience), then we do a money budget for each stocking.
- No formula, just everyone needs something FUN. Doesn’t need to be $$ but bring a smile
- Santa always brings toy, book, fills stocking
- 3 gifts each + stocking stuffers– always includes a new ornament, books, ski passes
- Something for inside and something for outside
- Something to build, Yoto, ornament, something to wear
Do you have a Christmas Gift Rule? I’d love to hear if you do or don’t!
if you liked this post about Christmas gift rule ideas, you might also like these other posts:
- 50+ Delightful Christmas Gift Traditions
- 10+ Ways to Gift an Experience
- The Best Experience Gifts for Kids and Adults
Any suggestions for the solo activity for the teen? I love this idea so that they still have something to do on Christmas rather than just go and put away the clothes they got. Ha!
I get my kid one Santa gift that is something they asked for. Then I get them one gift from me and a book. Also the stocking will have 1 or 2 small toys in it. Sometimes if they need something anyway we’ll wrap it and give it to them on Christmas too.
They also get presents from extended family and they always have SO MUCH. I do make my kids open presents one at a time which I think makes it so much more fun. It really stretches the present part of the day out too.
Our is similar to many of these…I adopted it from a friend.
Gift of Love: (something parents make…scarf, blanket, etc.)
Gift of Creativity/Learning: (STEM activities, art supplies, fort kit, etc.)
Gift of Adventure: (ski/ski lessons, snow shoes, skates, experience, etc.)
Gift of Reading: (children’s book I write a personal message in)
Then we do a brother gift (they each buy their brothers a gift for $10-$15…usually toys) & stocking stuffers.
It’s nice there aren’t a lot of toys and junk, they get meaningful gifts, but they still usually get something to play with or do on Christmas.
I learned a new one this year that I loved! Based off of the three wisemen gifts- she did gold- something you want, frankincense- something you need, and myrrh- something unique to you. Plus a Santa gift! 4 total- seems perfect to me.