Shopping from Your Gift Box

Getting the family involved in Christmas preparations is an essential step in Christmas planning because it creates a sense of inclusion for your immediate family. If you purchase gifts throughout the year that are unassigned and collecting in your gift collection area, consider letting your children, grandchildren, or others you know who might benefit shop from your gift closet.

This is one of the last Christmas memories I have of my mother from the Christmas before she died because she took my children “shopping” in her gift closet. She set aside an afternoon to take the children “shopping,” and we dropped the kids off at her house, allowing us to shop for some last-minute gifts also. She and the children went all through her gifts, selecting items to give to family members, and when they had finished shopping, they wrapped all the gifts. The children were so proud of gifts they had chosen, they spent time with their Nana, and Nana was able to clean out her gift closet a little more, making it a winning day for everyone involved.

Letting your children in your life shop for others from the gift closet is a great activity, but you also need to make it your first stop when you need a gift. It is so much easier to go and “shop” from your unassigned gifts in your gift closet than to drive to the store and possibly spend more money and time than needed. Your gift closet is also an excellent resource for birthday parties your children get invited to at the last minute (or at least you find out at the last minute).

One final note about your shopping from your gift closet is to remember to rotate your inventory out occasionally and, if something has hung around for several years without a recipient, consider donating it to charity. Throughout the year, remember to turn to your gift closet as your store first for all your gift-giving occasions. Letting others shop in your store can become a family tradition.

Happy shopping!