Mom With A 'No Toy' Home Reveals Why She Isn't Getting Her Kids Christmas Gifts
Lizavetta | Shutterstock As Christmas approaches, many children who celebrate the holiday are anticipating gifts under their tree from Santa Claus. However, traditions seem to be changing, and more and more parents are deciding to take a more pragmatic approach to the holiday, choosing to take a more realistic view of the season. Some are even taking it a step further and are refraining from leaving gifts underneath the tree or giving no gifts at all.
One mother on TikTok is taking this exact route, and although she loves Christmas, she isn't breaking their "no toy" house rules just because it's the season of giving.
The mother says she does not buy her children Christmas gifts.
The mother of three, Makenzy Smith, explained her “less popular” Christmas tradition for her children, which sparked a debate among other parents. Smith started by emphasizing that she is big on Christmas and loves it when the holidays roll around.
Despite her feelings toward the holiday, Smith said that she doesn’t want her children to believe that Christmas is “all about getting gifts.” Therefore, she chooses not to buy her children Christmas gifts. “We don’t buy gifts for Christmas, and we don’t put gifts underneath the tree,” she explains.
Additionally, Smith and her husband don't do Santa, although they incorporate him into their holiday by watching Christmas movies and taking photos with him. “[Santa] is a story like other kinds of stories that we find magical and exciting,” she said. “But I don’t trick my children into thinking that something is real.” Smith added that her children are aware that other children believe in Santa and do not spoil the magic for them.
For Smith, Christmas is more about the experience than giving and receiving gifts. “I want my kids to look back on their Christmases, and I want them to think about their family surrounding them, these wonderful, magical meals together, going and looking at Christmas lights with me and my husband,” she said. “I want to make all these moments magical, but I don’t want to revolve things around gifts.”
This does not mean that Smith never buys gifts for her children. She said that occasionally, when she spots something at the store that she believes her children would enjoy, she will get it for them.
The mom explained that she has a 'no toy' rule in her home.
Another significant reason Smith does not buy her children Christmas gifts is that she has a “no toy” rule in her household. Instead, she focuses her children’s attention on activities to keep them occupied.
“They will help me cook in the kitchen, they will help with chores around the house, they will play with their dogs, they will jump on the trampoline… they’ll go catch frogs, they’ll watch YouTube documentaries on something they’re interested in, we’ll make crafts,” Smith shared.
She insisted that a minimalist Christmas with no gifts is what has worked best for her family. “No judgment to those who do it differently, but I won’t let today’s Christmas culture pressure me into doing things I don’t think are good for my family,” she captioned her video.
The beauty of the holidays is that everyone can celebrate in their own special way. That's how family traditions are born, after all. However, not everyone thinks Smith's holiday traditions are actually all that great.
Critics thought her kids would grow to resent the holiday and compare their 'no gifts' Christmas with the traditions of their peers.
Smith defended her decision in a follow-up video, claiming that the “no toy” rule could be bent every once in a while, and it is more of a parenting style than a rule.
The purpose of her “no toy” policy is to keep her children entertained with activities and items that are not toys, such as their trampoline and dirt bikes. Through her own experience with her eldest child, Smith learned that her children become “bored” with toys easily and prefer keeping themselves occupied with activities and more creative pursuits.
She added that her children have never experienced jealousy over the gifts other children receive at Christmas time and are perfectly content with what they have. “I don’t want to raise spoiled kids who think every holiday is about gifts,” Smith explained. However, she gifts her children with the occasional stuffed animal and Hot Wheels car. To further prove her point, Smith posted a video detailing all of the various activities her children participate in with no toys whatsoever!
The beauty of holiday traditions is that every family can celebrate in their own special way.
O. Kalacheva | Shutterstock
Just because some families do Santa with lots of toys and gifts doesn't mean that a holiday centered on family activities is somehow less than. In fact, in light of the current economy, there are plenty of families that would be much happier scaling back this year, and that's perfectly okay!
A recent survey by NerdWallet found that a whopping 63% of Americans wish their family celebrations were less centered around gift-giving. Obviously, Smith is onto something. Her kids seem perfectly happy, and the fact is, spending time together is way more satisfying, even for little ones, than getting another "thing."
Think back to your favorite childhood memories. Do you remember the gifts or the moments? Do you remember unwrapping toys or baking cookies with your favorite Aunt? And if that's still not your thing, you do you. That's what is so magical about the holidays. You and your nearest and dearest make the celebrations that work best for you!
Megan Quinn is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.
