If your house is like mine you navigate a Lego minefield and dine amongst art supplies. You sniff stuffed animals for cat pee, refold unworn sweaters and search fruitlessly for the dice of a thousand board games.
We don’t need any more stuff.
Yet the season of giving is steamrolling towards us. Our house features both eight nights of Hannukah and a visit from Santa. This means we are overcome with 9 days of wrapping paper and stuff to store and ignore.
This year things are going to be different.
With the exception of two Wii games and a six pack of socks every gift we are giving will be an experience.
I hit Groupon to get some ideas and some deals, and then looked a little closer to home. Here are twenty gifts my kids will be getting this year. None of which require batteries. Some of which are even free.
These cost some cash…but perhaps we would have spent it anyways.
Nerf battle for six.
Tickets to Star Wars.
An hour of snow tubing.
Sponsoring an animal in danger of extinction.
Upgrading to Sketch it Pro.
Having a star named after you.
Donating to your favorite Minecraft Youtuber so you get a higher rank. Whatever that means.
Giving a book to your school library in your name.
Giving you $25 to donate to a cause of your choosing. Which might or might not be your brother. (Like last year.)
The best of the bunch (free for you and me.)
A weeknight sleepover.
Getting to sleep in the big bed.
Ice cream for dinner.
A week off of contributions.
Breakfast in bed.
Bringing a friend skiing.
Two hours of your mom’s time to teach her Pokemon.
Having both parents watch Ant-Man with you.
Camping in the yard with your dad.
I can’t say I’m looking forward to everything on the list, but I will appreciate not having to clean up after any of them.
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Although we become parents, we never truly cease to be children. Sure, we are saddled with profound responsibilities. But we can embrace our inner kid, too.
ParentCo.
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