What is the new MUST HAVE items for the kid that has everything?!

So you have purchased the latest game system and all of the coolest newest clothes and you even managed to slip some bling in there. So what more could you get?

How about these things: A global view, the understanding of the value of a dollar a sense of social responsibility, and the satisfaction of helping those less fortunate.

This holiday season why not sit with your child and express to them how fortunate they are to have a roof over their head, food to eat, a loving family. Not in a nagging – “You should be thankful…” way – but in a way that helps them understand that their world is bigger than the living room and the yard and the neighborhood they live in. Show them how Christmas is celebrated in the country of your heritage, or other countries around the world. Let them see that what we call Christmas in the United States is a capitalist hyper-commercialized bastardization of what was once a religious holiday. Encourage them to look for cultural traditions that add to your Christmas celebrations. Make your Christmas celebration about family and traditions.

I know that when you are standing online with that fancy new PS3 you think you are doing your best by your child. But you are not. Giving them such expensive gifts trivializes the value of a dollar. Their overall appreciation for the gift is lost if you spend thousands on them every year. Instead begin a matching program – for every dollar they make; you match and then go with them to purchase their new really expensive gift. Show them that working plus saving equals attaining the things you want. Who knows by the time they save enough the price will almost certainly have gone down. Also, I can guarantee that they will have a newfound reverence for the PS3 once it’s their money. Who knows? They may not even want it anymore.

Plan to volunteer as a family in a shelter one Christmas or to donate to a different charitable organization. Spend Christmas with your family and the families of those less fortunate. Let your child or children see how such a small sacrifice can mean so much to others. Encourage your child to save some money during the year to donate to a charitable organization of their choosing. There are so many that are out there and the $20 that they give could change the lives of not one child but an entire family.

Also, after you unwrap all of those fancy gifts, why not encourage little Johnny or Jane to go to their rooms and make room for their new fancy stuff by taking un-used or gently used clothes, toys, cd’s and other items that may be appreciated by those less fortunate and donating them to your local salvation army or other charitable organization. Get your kid the newest i-pod? I am sure someone would love their old walkman. Just clean it up and take your items for donation. It’s not a lot but what little we can do makes a difference. It’s sad how we as a nation throw away clothing that could be used by others in this country and others.


These are the only Christmas gifts that will last your child a lifetime. So be generous…