I’m a mom with three children, a husband, and a dog living in a cozy northern Fairfield County cape. I have no room or desire for the excess of STUFF that the holidays bring.
I stumbled upon a Pinterest post when my oldest (2014) was around three; a simply formatted letter to Santa broken down into four categories: something I want, something I need, something to wear, something to read. It has since become our tradition to create our Christmas wish list letter to Santa.
Something I Want
My children “want” a lot but don’t really want for anything. They want what they see in Target toy aisles, they want what they see on television commercials, and they want what they see at their friends’ houses. In reality, they have a house full of toys and, in their spare time, often play pretend games that require no toys at all. So please, Santa, don’t bring more stuff into this house!
This category is reserved for what is most special and important to them.
Something I Need
Anything they discover they need in the months leading up to Christmas can become a need – snow gear, new toothbrushes, socks, and masks can all get added to this category.
Something to Wear
My son always goes up a shirt size around this time of year. He doesn’t benefit from an older siblings hand me downs, so his wear category is full whether he asks for it or not. My youngest daughter outgrew her robe – ask Santa!
Something to Read
The holidays are the perfect time to add to our library. Back-to-school book fairs and shopping local bookstores or Usborne consultants make for great additions under the tree. The children often ask for a character they would like a book about. Fancy Nancy has made the book category for the second year on one list.
I’m already bursting with the anticipation of seeing their faces react to what Santa leaves under the tree this year. Thanks to our simple wish list, I know I won’t be cursing the big man on December 26 with a playroom full of toys!
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