https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 10:22:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2377170 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 15:42:42 +0000 daniellemybelle 2377170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ultimately, I think unless the kids are being genuinely mistreated it is up to individual parents to do whatever they want to do and not to do, and the vitriol people have had over this is so ridiculous to me. There are children out there being abused and neglected daily. C'mon!</p> <p>Anyway, I don't think we'd ever really do this but LO is only 2. Who knows what our household will be like when she is older! Our family did do a "homemade Christmas" one year where we made all of each other's gifts and that was really fun! But there were no Santa believing age kids that year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376702 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:43:36 +0000 Greentea 2376702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't read the article yet, but this is something that is on my mind. So, I am making presents with LO for her to give out to everyone at Christmas. I want to start now by focusing on how Christmas is what you can give and do for others, vs. the other way around. When she is older we will volunteer.</p> <p>And this is another reason we don't do santa. I want her to focus on what she can give. We talk a lot about gratitude and what we are thankful for/ appreciate, and she seldom gets toys and doesn't have very many. It has been a huge part of my life to appreciate things, and sometimes IME the less I have... the more I appreciate! This is such a theme in my life I have noticed, and I think if I/she/anyone can learn to be happy on practically nothing, it goes a long way for mental happiness for life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376695 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:39:10 +0000 gingerbebe 2376695@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh, this is my huge fear with my MIL's gigantic Christmas bonanzas. My family usually does like 1 big gift per person but MIL does like a zillion gifts and LOVES giftwrap and bows and glitter and everything. We literally have to do 2-3 shifts of Christmas present opening because there are so many. I really don't want our kids to get the wrong idea about what Christmas is about. Plus, I was raised by parents with zero tolerance for fighting or bickering over things or possessions, so I definitely feel strongly about the entitlement/ingratitude thing.</p> <p>I wouldn't "cancel" Christmas because we also think its about Jesus, but yeah I could see doing away with gifts for being jerks. As it is, DH and I have talked about tamping down our personal Christmas at home by limiting gifts to the "want, read, wear, need" type thing (or ideally getting grandparents to sponsor one of those things!), and really getting into Advent as a way to build up anticipation for Baby Jesus' arrival. I've loved the suggestions on the Bee lately about celebrating Jesus' birthday with a cake and giving gifts to OTHERS as a symbol of giving Jesus birthday presents or as a symbol of the unmerited gift of salvation. </p> <p>We are DEFINITELY going to be doing a lot of giving and charitable works with our kids through Operation Christmas Child, food pantries and shelters, and working on family giving priorities by discussing groups or causes together that we'd like to donate money to (and hopefully get our kids to donate their own money eventually). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376693 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:38:07 +0000 regberadaisy 2376693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pwnstar: thanks for sharing. I almost want to cry with how their Christmas morning went. That is so wonderful. </p> <p>I wonder what they are doing this year about presents. </p> <p>****<br /> We don't do presents for adults in DH family any more. Instead for the last 3 years we've sponsored a local family. This year we also started packing a shoebox with operation Christmas child. DD was old enough to help pack the shoebox. I imagine next year she will be more involved in both. As they get older we definitely plan on more giving activities they can actively participate in. During the holidays and throughout the year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376690 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:37:39 +0000 Eko 2376690@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I could definitely not do any gift giving if it has become a big enough issue. But, I do agree that if it gets to that point that it is a larger issue that should probably be addressed. I think I would cancel gift giving on other occasions before doing it for Christmas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376687 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:34:23 +0000 Maysprout 2376687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I dont think phrasing it like that makes sense. I also don't think I'd leave nothing if the kids still believed in Santa, just a small gift, and work on the entitled behavior the whole year, not just the one day. But in general we try to focus on other Christmas activities besides just presents. We put off by a day a Christmas fun thing bc of behavior, the extra excitement does seem to make kiddos extra wound up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376676 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:31:12 +0000 pwnstar 2376676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here is the actual blog post (and follow up post) about it:</p> <p><a href="http://overthebigmoon.com/why-my-husband-and-i-cancelled-christmas/" rel="nofollow">http://overthebigmoon.com/why-my-husband-and-i-cancelled-christmas/</a></p> <p><a href="http://overthebigmoon.com/canceling-christmas-results/" rel="nofollow">http://overthebigmoon.com/canceling-christmas-results/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376668 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:28:42 +0000 rachiecakes 2376668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is definitely at the "I want, I want" age and it doesn't help that his birthday is 8 days before Christmas. </p> <p>I've tried to focus on giving. Each week I ask him to help me with an idea to give, whether it's clothes, toys, donating food. I make a point to tell him that he's a lucky boy with all these things and others are not as fortunate and we should try to help when we can.<br /> I think he gets it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376647 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:19:52 +0000 Freckles 2376647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I see nothing wrong this. Christmas shouldn't be about gifts anyways, and this family isn't taking any of the "spirit" away from the holidays. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376643 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:15:30 +0000 808love 2376643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my daughter acts up, I tell her to behave or I am going to minus one. Meaning -minus one gift. She immediately gets into line...most of the time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376642 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:14:24 +0000 Keybee 2376642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I support this family, entitlement over the holidays is a problem with our family and I try to think of ways to make it about generosity and family time and The Savior, not just getting stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376641 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:14:04 +0000 looch 2376641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is at this stage this year. He has been very specific about what he wanted for his birthday/christmas gift and my husband and I agreed that we would present the idea to Santa. </p> <p>Well, he's also been very rough with his toys and when one of them broke and my husband was attempting to discuss it with him, he said "i don't care." As a result, we cancelled Christmas for a week until he remediated the situation by apologizing with an explanation for what he said and fixing the broken toy.</p> <p>I feel like we kind of half a**ed it, but it worked for what we needed it to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376639 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:12:52 +0000 regberadaisy 2376639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They're not cancelling Christmas; they just aren't giving their kids gifts. If entitlement ever became big enough of an issue, I can see DH and I cancelling gifts. But I also feel like if such drastic measures needed to be taken then there is a bigger issue that needs to be tackled in day to day life. Canceling Christmas gifts isn't going to solve that problem. </p> <p>This is one of my problems with Christmas morning. My in laws like to give quantity over quality. Last year was just crazy and DD1 (2.5 at the time) got upset when she was done opening her presents and her cousins were still opening theirs. Christmas morning or not, DD1 got a chance to stop her behavior. It left DH and I very frustrated because we hate that entitlement behavior. But on the other hand, she was only 2. So how much did she really understand? She's 3.5 this year and we have been talking and actively participating in giving activities to nip it in the butt.</p> <p>On a day to day basis she is very good about asking who bought xyz and then immediately saying thank you, giving hugs etc. We will see what happens this year on Christmas! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376631 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:09:19 +0000 mediagirl 2376631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I see no problem with that at all. If the kids are acting entitled and nothing works, why not take away Christmas? I say that's the best way to get them to understand you mean business. Also, "cancelling Christmas" means taking away gifts (in my mind). It does not mean forgetting what Christmas is all about. I think we would make church more of a priority and limit the exposure to Santa at home and when out together.</p> <p>Thankfully my lo hasn't hit this stage yet. We try to limit what she gets throughout the year so Christmas and birthday can be big deals. Right now she is still at the point where she will say, "Did mommy buy this for me? Thank you!" Which is absolutely amazing and wonderful and I want it to last forever! lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376628 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:08:32 +0000 snowjewelz 2376628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think I could, or would ever totally cancel Christmas since we celebrate it for the birth of Jesus! I do think there can probably be a better balance on the emphasis placed on recieving vs giving. A good thing going for us is that neither of our families are big on gift giving so I'm hoping DD won't get into the habit of expecting big gifts this time of the year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cancelling-christmas-what-do-you-think#post-2376622 Thu, 03 Dec 2015 11:05:39 +0000 LuLu Mom 2376622@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was doing some research today on how to stop the entitlement behavior that comes along with this "giving" holiday. My 3 year old has gotten very defiant and very 'give me give me" even though we celebrate this as a religious holiday and talk about what we feel is the meaning and how we give to others. I found this article and man if my kids were older I might attempt a version of it. I could never go all in (I love the holiday season too much) but it would be nice to focus on the season without gifts. </p> <p><a href="http://www.parenting.com/news-break/fed-parents-cancel-christmas" rel="nofollow">http://www.parenting.com/news-break/fed-parents-cancel-christmas</a> </p>