During the Christmas season in grade one, we spend some time celebrating the Christmas traditions of each individual family. This year that included decorating cookies, reading stories, making tree ornaments, candy cane scavenger hunts and Christmas themed games. It was so much fun to revel in all the different ways that each family celebrates Christmas!

In my family, we started a new Christmas tradition this year. We did not buy any presents for each other. Instead of buying gifts, we decided to put an allotted amount of money into a bank account and use that for a family trip when it adds up to be enough.

Inquisitive Minds

First, I told my students that we were not giving any gifts this Christmas and this is how they responded:

  • Do you have any money?
  • That is weird.
  • Why not?
  • Are you going on a trip instead?
  • Do you have any money?
  • Are you going skating?
  • Is it because you are getting married?
  • What are you going to do on Christmas day?
  • Are you spending time with each other instead?

Endless Possibilities

I ,then, proceeded to tell them that we were going to give the gift of time instead, and go on a trip when we had put enough money in the account. I asked them where they thought my family should go and these are their suggestions:

  • The zoo
  • Hawaii
  • Disneyland
  • California
  • North
  • Skating
  • Saskatoon
  • Cultus Lake
  • South
  • Cuba
  • The beach

The options are endless!

I will present these ideas to my family and see what they think.