Are you as overwhelmed as I am by Western society's off-the-rails consumption? 

If you have kids, ask them this: what gifts did they receive last holiday season? One year later, what do they remember, and more importantly, what do they still regularly treasure, reach for, and use?

And how many of those gifts were already relegated to the back of the closet, thrift donation bag, or trash? 

When my kids were small, I was overwhelmed by stuff. Toys, still-too-big clothes, barely-too-small-clothes, boots we're saving just in case this year's pair springs a leak mid-adventure on a slushy February day. So much excess, from mittens to pjs to stuffed animals to play food to Legos.

And so in the midst of a decade-long simplified childhood journey when my kids were young, we sat down together and came up with a list of 101 toy-free, sustainable, low-consumption gifts for kids. Gifts that are fun and bring not only sustainability to the table, but longevity. A decade later, my kids still have some of the items they listed below, gifts that carried them from childhood straight through into adulthood.

A toy-free holiday might sound like a drag, but really, it's not!

GOING TOY-FREE REQUIRES A LITTLE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, SO BE OPEN TO NEW TRADITIONS AND A NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS.

Remember: just because it’s a new idea for your crew doesn’t mean it won’t be fan-freaking-tastic. You might find that you all love it more than you ever imagined.

A few thoughts before we embark:

Less is More 

We often go overboard in our culture. Way overboard. I'm as guilty of this as the next. But when I started to pull back on the gifts (and the toys) I expected my kids to be a bit disappointed (at least at first).

But they weren't.

The first low-stuff year was voted the "best Solstice ever" by them both That was the year they each received an ornament and a love coupon (more on love coupons below).

Start Slow

Begin this journey slowly, and see how it feels to everyone. This isn't a formula for a "better" way to do anything. It's just how we did things around here. It might be a fit, it might not. Be open to either option.

Going to Do It Anyway?

Consider making a gift of something you might do anyway. It sounds silly, but if you child wants to take a class or go to camp, why not give that as a holiday gift? It would surely be appreciated. And your budget will be so darn happy about it.

Consider the Kid

What does your little one love? What makes them tick? I'm betting it's not only toys. Craft a gift that suits their passions. Because these are the gifts they will remember. A train-obsessed two-year-old would flip for a ride on a real train or a visit to a train museum. And a ballet-obsessed six-year-old would be wild with anticipation to see a ballet rehearsal or performance. You get the idea.

Many of the gifts listed below are items I have actually given my kids through the years. Obviously, you have to consider the age and interests of your child, but this is a solid jumping-off place.

But enough chatting. Let's get to it! Here's our list of...

101 TOY-FREE HOLIDAY GIFTS AND STOCKING STUFFERS FOR KIDS

GIVE AN EXPERIENCE

These are among our family's favorite gifts – to give, to receive, and to cash in!

1. Gift certificate to the skating rink

2. Gift certificate to a restaurant, cafe, or ice cream shop

3. Movie theatre tickets

4. Seasonal or one-day museum pass

5. Love coupons for special dates together (one per month or one per season would be fun!) see below

6. Music or dance lessons

7. Tickets to a play, a concert, or the ballet

8. Horseback riding lessons

9. Magazine subscription

10. Sparkle Stories subscription

11. Gift certificate to summer camp

12. Coupon for a sleepover party with friends

13. Media time tokens (if children receive limited screentime in your family)

14. At home pizza party with pals coupon

15. Breakfast in bed gift certificate

16. Coupon for a night at a hotel with a pool with a friend (and you, of course!)

17. Certificate for a performance or special event (a play, midway tickets for the county fair, etc.)

KITCHEN GIFTS AND TREATS

My kids have been busy in the kitchen since they could stand on a step stool at the counter. For this reason special kitchen-related gifts are always met with enthusiasm. (And yes, treats are too.)

1. Child-sized tea cup or dish set (we've found some lovely vintage pieces at the second-hand store that have been loved for many years)

2. Recipe and ingredients for a special dessert

3. Tea party dishes and a coupon for a fancy tea party with a friend

4. Fresh fruit, dried fruit, or fruit leather

5. Special chocolates

6. Homemade cocoa mix

7. Cookbook and coupons for weekly cooking dates

8. Candle for the dinner table

9. Homemade napkin and placemat

10. Travel thermos (second-hand stores are overflowing with wonderful options) and homemade tea or hot cocoa mix 

11. Nuts in the shell and a nut cracker

12. Personalized cloth napkin

13. Homemade or purchased apron

14. Appropriate kitchen gadgets and tools (again, second-hand is wonderful)

15. Recipe box with favorite family recipes and blank recipe cards

OUTDOOR GIFTS

Get out there! To the county park, to your backyard, anywhere. Even if you live in the city, many of these gifts can be used at your nearby park or even on your patio.

1. Herbal Adventures or The Unplugged Family Activity Book (my two books for kids)

2. Garden tools, seeds, small pots, and potting soil

3. Rope, pulleys, and other open-ended hardware store treasures

4. Pocket knife (we love this knife with it's built-in fire starter, and my kids both still have the ones they received for the holidays when they were 7 and 10!)

5. Snowshoes (another great secondhand find)

6. Skis (ditto)

7. S'more ingredients and a winter campfire coupon

8. Nature exploration kit (bird call, field guide, bug boxes, plant press, butterfly net, etc.)

9. Sunprint paper 

10. Ice skates

11. Treasure bag or backpack for nature walks

12. Travel first aid kit

13. Headlamp 

14. Fire starting kit

15. Sleeping bag 

16. Certificate for back yard campout with a parent

17. Fort-making supplies

18. Gift certificate to your local hardware store

19. Tinkering kit – hammer, nails, screwdriver, screws, and wood

GET CRAFTY

Crafting is our number one way to spend a day. That makes crafty gifts a natural win. I know I'm on repeat here, but honestly–hit Facebook Marketplace or the secondhand store or your local Buy Nothing Group for these!

1. Play dough recipe and ingredients 

2. Glitter, glue, sparkles, scissors, tape, glue gun 

3. Beading or jewelry supplies

4. Stamp pad for thumb-print stamps

5. Colored pencils (these have been our favorites since our teen was tiny!)

6. Watercolor paints

7. Sketch book

8. Pencil sharpener

9. Acrylic paints, brushes, and a paint mixing tray

10. Sewing supplies

11. Markers

12. Potholder loom

13. Yarn and knitting or crochet needles from your local yarn shop

14. Calligraphy pen

15. Modeling wax

16. Scratch board and tools

17. Candle rolling kit

18. Peg dolls (we buy ours from here), paints and perhaps a peg doll book

19. Fimo or other bead-making clay

20. Paper bead making supplies and instructions

21. Washi tape

22. Needle felting kit

23. Embroidery book, needles, thread, and fabric

WEAR IT

Simple things can be gifts too. When I was a child I think Santa brought me new socks and underwear every year!

1. Mittens

2. Hat

3. Scarf

4. Wool socks (we adore Darn Tough brands)

5. Slippers

6. Pajamas

7. Analog watch

NATURAL SPA

For some kids a spa gift is heaven on earth. Read those labels though, won't you? Go with the good stuff. (Disclaimer: shameless self-promotion to follow.)

1. Zero-waste lip balm

2. Zero-waste soap or other skincare

3. Natural bubble bath

4. Natural perfume

5. Face pencils

6. Glitter roll-on

7. Jewelry

8. Jewelry box

9. Non-toxic nail polish

10. "Spa night at home" coupon and supplies for pampering (quality/nontoxic/synthetic fragrance- and preservative-free soap, sugar scrub, moisturizer, etc.)

11. DIY body care kit (find my DIY natural perfume kit tutorial here)

JUST FOR FUN

These didn't fit anywhere else. But all are fun, so there you go.

1. Personalized pillowcase

2. Bathtub crayons

3. Books of every sort! Find my books here. 

4. Homemade or purchased holiday ornament

5. Deck of playing cards

6. Board games

7. Geode

8. Stationary

9. Photo album or homemade story book of the child's life so far

Tell me – are you inspired to go low-consumption or toy-free this holiday? What would you add to our list 

Original version published in 2014 on my personal blog, Rachel Wolf CLEAN.