My most google’d phrase around my toddler’s first Christmas season was probably some variation of “toddler Christmas.” I searched it on Pinterest and Google, in all my mom groups – everywhere. I needed to know if I was supposed to tell my 13-month-old about Santa already or if he needed an elf on the shelf. And how was I supposed to keep him from pulling the tree down? What do you even put in the stocking of a person who barely has the motor skills to get his own hand inside a stocking? After numerous searches pulled up things like Christmas trees in baby gates and stockings overflowing with noisy, flashing, plastic toys, I decided it was time to go my own way.
The idea of realistic-minimalism came to me. I wanted to be a minimalistic, but also realistic about it. I wanted the joys of the Christmas holiday and a tree overflowing with presents, but I didn’t want to be overwhelmed with discarded toys and extra noise for weeks to come. I always cringe a little when I see pictures of livingrooms strewn with colorful nonsense while a mother posts a picture of her adorable little one playing with a box instead. It’s an age-old joke and we all know it well:
“Bought an expensive toy. Baby just wants the box it came in.”
But it’s not just a joke, it’s very real! My child much prefers my Tupperware cabinet to his toy shelf, and I couldn’t even think of handing him that fake remote control. He knows it’s not the one he wants. But, alas, I was not giving my one-year-old his own cell phone just because he likes to play with mine, but I also couldn’t expect giving to a family in need to bring the light of Christmas joy to his tiny face. His Christmas gifts needed to be something I could keep as long as it was bringing him joy and then dispose of without remorse. That’s what I wanted for Christmas: Realistic-minimalism, Holiday Style.
For my toddler, we discovered that Christmas magic could come in the form of a simple tissue box. It brought the satisfaction of pulling one tissue out and another just pops up in its place! There is the excitement of pulling them apart into teeny tiny pieces. There is the thrill of throwing them around while you giggle. Let’s not forget the euphoric experience of eating them! Oh, what fun!
So, while I was considering wrapping empty boxes for some perfect, toddler-friendly, Christmas-morning photo ops, I thought, “Hey, tissue boxes would be easy to wrap and look like might cute little Christmas packages!”
That’s exactly what our toddler got from Santa on his first Christmas. And also from Mom. And from anyone else who asked what they should get him. My sister thought I was joking! I was not. I went over to my local Dollar Store and bought three boxes of half-ply, scratch-your-nose-off tissues in assorted colors and sizes. I wouldn’t want to be thought of as lazy or uncreative! I wrapped the boxes with all my Pinterest-worthy trappings, and wouldn’t you know it, our Christmas was full of merriment and cheer without a single battery-operated toy.
Altogether, I believe I spend $15 on our baby’s first Christmas! My inner minimalist is happy because I won’t be frustrated when he loses interest in anything I bought. I can just discreetly throw it away or put it in his dresser drawers. And my Christmas joy meter is filled to the brim! My son (even though he won’t remember) is able to experience the joy and excitement of presents on Christmas! Oh, and I have to get those obligator toddler Christmas pictures.
