In my Boxing Day Reflection post I mentioned that I wanted to get more gifts that instead of being physical things would be things that build memories and experiences. It’s not like we don’t do any of this now I just want to do more of it in the future.
For the past few nights we’ve been playing board games. These were gifts that we bought and had been given. These always make for fun family evenings. Sitting around the living room floor and watching the competitiveness come out in the kids š They love beating Mom and Dad at games.
Another tradition we started a few years back was to stop buying gifts between our family and my sisters family. We have four kids and she has three, with another on the way, so it adds up pretty quick both in cost and the number of gifts under the tree when we were buying things.
For the past few years instead we plan out an event fun for our families to get together and do. This year we were going to separate the boys and the girls which I wasn’t really fond over. The girls were all going to go do a jewelry making party at a local shop. Us boys were still unsure what we were going to do. Last minute though the shop had to cancel the party so we were looking for something else fun to do.
The kids love the Madagascar movies and The Penguins of Madagascar was playing at the theatre so we all went to see that instead. It was a pretty fun movie. I love how they throw silly things there for us adults to laugh at as well. One common bit of humour throughout was the shouting puns of celebrity names. Things likeĀ Nicholas, cage them, and Drew Barry, more power.
Even though you don’t get a chance to talk to everyone at the movies it is still a fun way to spend an afternoon, taking it easy after the busy holidays and building up that memory with family. I like these types of gifts.
Sandy McFadden 