Give Experiences, Not Things :: A Mom’s Wishlist

There seems to be a lot of different approaches to giving gifts for Christmas. There’s the four gift rule: something to wear, something to read, something they want, something they need. There’s the free-for-all. There’s the “Santa gifts” and “Mom and Dad gifts.” And then, there’s the gift of experiences.

I recently came across an article that boasted “150 NON-TOY Gifts.” Intrigued, I decided to check it out. I mean, what non-toy gifts ARE there that my five-year-old would actually enjoy? Enter: the gift of experiences. Basically, instead of giving things, you gift your child experiences instead.

I really like this concept (have I mentioned I’m a minimalist?). In fact, I like this concept SO much, I decided to create a wish list of my own.

In case you’re wondering what experiences this mom would like to be gifted this year, here’s a wishlist:

  1. The experience of drinking her coffee or eating her food while it’s still warm, preferably well above room temperature.
  2. The experience of wandering the aisles of Target without hearing “can we leave yet?” or “can I get…” or frantically looking for your child who took off running because you were checking out an eye shadow palette for 2 seconds too long.
  3. The experience of listening to my 90’s playlist or audiobook in the car without the accompaniment of heavy sighs or whining.
  4. The experience of preparing one dish for a dinner and everyone enjoying it. Macaroni and cheese not included.
  5. The experience of not having to make a decision about where to go to out to eat or whether or not we should order take out.
  6. The experience of going to the bathroom or taking a shower or getting ready without hearing “Mom! Mom! Mommy! Mommy!” on the other side of the door.
  7. The experience of going to sleep and/or waking up at the exact time we want to.
  8. The experience of sitting down to read a book and drink a cup of coffee (or wine) without a small child climbing on us.
  9. The experience of getting out the house on time because everyone has everything they need when we get in the car, the first time.
  10. The experience of walking through the house, from Point A to Point B, without feeling the compulsion to tidy along the way.
  11. The experience of having a phone conversation without having to randomly answer a question or yell or bribe a small child to quiet down because I’m on the phone.
  12. The experience of sitting down to watch a TV show or movie and NOT falling asleep because you actually, finally decided to sit down.

Now, most of this is all in good fun, and I am truly blessed to have the gift of experiencing motherhood every day. But, I’m still curious.

Moms, what experiences do YOU hope to receive this Christmas?

Jaime Mackey
Originally from Florida, Jaime has lived in Southern Louisiana for most of her life (so, that makes her a local, right?). She currently resides on the Northshore with her husband and son and teaches high school English. An enneagram 5, you'll most likely find her doing hot yoga solo, on her phone researching a random topic or sitting in the comfort of her home with coffee and a book within an arm's reach.

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