By CHRISTINE LYNCH
Something has happened in my daughter’s family playroom. She’s fortunate to have a home with a spacious area that contains most of her children’s playthings but suddenly that large open space no longer seems so large or open. Looking around the playroom and seeing a sea of strewn toys, my daughter knew she had to rethink the emphasis on gift giving for this coming holiday.
This might sound harsh but she didn’t want another holiday morning barrage of ripped open boxes and toy parts scattered on every surface. Back when she had her first baby, the little girl was inundated with stacks of presents on birthdays and holidays by the extended family. As the first grandchild of the family, she received a surplus of gifts because there are three not just two sets of grandparents. Now with two additional siblings, that rate of gift giving would be out of control.
After talking with her children, my daughter suggested they gather up any toys they haven’t played with in some time. Making sure the items were clean and intact, she set them aside to be donated. My daughter told them that many children would enjoy playing with these toys now. Everyone, no matter how young, should be aware that we live in a world where too many children hardly have any toys of their own. And, sadly many of those don’t even have a place they call home in which to keep a toy.
Even though they cleared quite a pile, the playroom still holds a treasure trove of imaginative playthings. So, for the coming holiday season when they’d usually receive loads of packages from their family members scattered around the states, my daughter requested a limit on toy giving.
It’s not only young children that get more things than they need. Older folks tend to have accumulated more than enough stuff and consciously weed out unneeded items each year. So, a more thoughtful gift for them would be offering to provide a helpful service or better yet to spend time doing something together.
My daughter’s solution to her dilemma was to ask our family to plan a trip we can all enjoy together. We’d pick a convenient time during the year and all share in figuring where we should go and what we’d do there. Any gifts we did get might be something that could be used on the trip.
Our destination may not be everyone’s first choice but it works for us. My daughter and her husband first met when they were attending college in Boston and they often said they’d like to bring the kids there. So, we all agreed it would be fun to show them the city where their folks once lived. A mid-winter, say end of February/beginning March, getaway would let the little ones play in snow, which is something they never see at their home in Los Angeles. During this year’s holidays, we’ll each contribute ideas for the trip.
Boston has much family entertainment to offer: skating on the Frog Pond plus nearby snowboarding and skiing at Blue Hills Reservation. For the crazed hockey fans, we’ll get tickets to an afternoon Bruins game. And, Boston has great museums, shows, and even LEGOLAND.
Not every family would consider spending their vacation time in Boston though.
Travel agent Michelle Hough says the most popular winter destinations are “Mexico and the Caribbean.” Ms. Hough has worked at Commonwealth Travel in Falmouth since 1984 and purchased the operation in 1993. She often is asked to help plan trips for multigenerational families, that is grandparents, their children, and their grandchildren.
She said families will call her to arrange trips for holidays, special birthdays or anniversaries. When traveling with a larger group of people, she mentioned an all-inclusive resort is something to consider, so everything is taken care of for them. “That way they can do their own thing but still be together.” Some may wish to travel to a place for the actual holiday but she acknowledged airlines and hotels know when people are more likely to travel and, in turn, raise rates. So she advised “plan as far in advance as possible to get exactly what you want and to get the best prices.”
If a trip is a bit too much to coordinate, your family can think more locally. In lieu of presents, give each other the gift of experiences. Have fun deciding what each one in the group wants to explore, be it historical, natural, or cultural. Enjoy something together such as taking an extended hike. It doesn’t have to be up a mountain, although it could be if everyone’s up to the task. Do some walking, bike riding, cross-country skiing, or snow shoeing, then head back for cocoa and talk about all that you saw.
Besides thinking of your own family, the holiday season is a wonderful time to extend help to others in the community. This is needed all year long but people tend to be more accepting of assistance at this giving time of year. Your family can select names from a charity’s giving tree. There are local places that provide ways to help.
Eight Cousins Books on Falmouth’s Main Street shares 500 names of local children who will receive donated gifts from the store’s patrons. Any purchases for their giving tree include a 15 percent discount. The Falmouth Service Center, and the Salvation Army also sponsor families. Holidays put extra stress on families struggling to meet their daily needs so your family can purchase clothes, gifts or gift certificates, decorations, food, et cetera to help them out.
For elderly or disabled people in the neighborhood, your family can offer to run errands or put up/take down holiday decorations. There are endless ways to help out others and doing it with family members makes it even more memorable. To get started, check with your town’s schools, churches, and food pantry. Whatever you do to show your loved ones that holidays are much more than getting lots of presents will enrich your family this season and for all the coming years you’ll share.