#SHOPWISER: Day 4, Shop to Connect

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What is #shopwiser?

It’s a heart-conscious holiday shopping gift guide.

Day 1 – The focus was on shop to GIVE.

Day 2 – The focus was on shop to EMPOWER.

Day 3 – The focus was on shop to TRAIN HEARTS.

 

Today’s topic is SHOP TO CONNECT with your family. Think back to your childhood. Do you really remember the stuff you got for Christmas? Ok, I remember one microphone and I remember a Kate Spade purse I cried for in college. Other than that – I really don’t remember my things so much. I remember when we connected.I remember the memories of being together.

I remember wading in the creeks at Stone Mountain. I remember our ski trips with our huge family. I remember doing my dad’s hair in his recliner. I remember our dinners together around the table. I remember splashing in the lake and laughing. I remember my mom’s chocolate cake.

I wasn’t a happy child because I had a lot of stuff – I was happy because I was loved like crazy and we were together.

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Could gifts look more like experiences?

Is budget an issue this year? Is space an issue? Every kid will certainly want to open SOMETHING to light up their little hearts. However, what if we shopped their year with CONNECTION in mind. What if we could provide an experience for our kids? Could the stuff or the gift LEAD to a time or moment when we are intentionally together. Here are a few ideas.

1. GRANDPARENT SLEEPOVER

There is no sweet love than the love of grandparents and their grandkids. I feel like I gave these four people the two biggest gifts of a lifetime. What if you scheduled and planned and gave each for Christmas a set “sleepover” date? A special one? You could give the kids a new sleeping bag? Or even just a gift certificate you printed (“This coupon is good for one sleepover at Grammy and Poppy’s!”). You could include in the grandparent bag or bucket a thing of popcorn, movie, etc.

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2. GAME NIGHT

Start a new tradition with your family. You want time with those kids that is fun. What if you locked yourself into a certain night? Then, you won’t forget! Promise them that Friday night is Game Night – just for your family. No guests. Daddy home on time. Mom’s phone off. Put that in the gift – a contract. Include a few fun games. We love this game. Comment below what games you love?

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3. ROAD TRIP

This family’s plan has seriously blown me away. They are homeschooling and taking over Europe. I am foaming at the mouth at this idea. It got me thinking. What if? What if?! What if took your kids on a tour one summer of the places that were special to you and your husband? Your college campuses? Your first date place? Your hometowns? A favorite city? It might take a couple years of planning and some serious savings – but for Christmas – it might be the gift of the FIRST city. Give a map, a theme for that city (peaches for Georgia).

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4. FAMILY MISSIONS TRIP

Do you know one way to teach them service and compassion? Have them get involved. I have been watching Lighthouse Family Retreat for years. They take terminally ill kids and their families on vacation in Florida and love them like crazy. Your families can go! Together! And serve together. I am thinking this year or next year might be our year. I think wrapping up this idea under the tree for our kids. We are going to the beach – together! Could be a fun gift to us. I know we would be going to “serve,” but what God would do for our family and our hearts would far exceed whatever we planned to do for others.

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Fun Coupon Ideas for Their Stockings

  • Ice Cream Run
  • Date Night with Mom or Dad
  • Stay up late one hour
  • Friend sleep over
  • Out to movie
  • Back scratch
  • Massage
There is no giveaway today. Just SHARE your ideas! How have you learned to save money and do less stuff? Yet – make the Christmas meaningful for your family?

TOMORROW! Are you a woman? And do you own a business that sells a great Christmas gift?

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I have been SO extremely blessed by support and I’d love to use this site to help others and spread the word on women running businesses.
I will feature a few of my favorites and then provide a way for you to “link” up at the bottom. Just be ready to post your link to your website or blog – highlighting your best gift idea for this holiday season. I’d be thinking about the one BEST picture or product and feature that and also be sure to choose carefully the store name or maybe product name.
See you tomorrow!

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3 Comments

  1. One of my high school friends grew up in a family without a lot of money. One year for Christmas, they couldn’t spare any cash for gifts, so the mother made her an entire pan of brownies that she didn’t have to share with the family. She said it took about a week to eat! Years later, she still smiles ear to ear about that. It’s funny how, in the end, these little stories mean more than plastic toys.

  2. Thanks for all of your labor on this website. Betty take interest in engaging in internet research and it’s really simple to grasp why. Almost all hear all relating to the powerful medium you convey very useful things through the web blog and as well as encourage participation from other individuals about this point so my girl is certainly starting to learn a lot of things. Take pleasure in the rest of the new year. Your conducting a wonderful job.

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