While browsing for Christmas ideas, a quick internet search brought up tons of Santa Sacks. These are basically large canvas laundry bags that have been customized with a child’s name on them. The idea is the bag Santa will fill and use to deliver the child’s Christmas presents. It’s a cute idea, but I’m trying to find ways to discourage my preschooler’s ever-growing sense of entitlement.
So I decided to take the basic concept and throw it in reverse. You can find blank drawstring bags easily enough on Amazon or a handful of other websites. Instead of saying something like, “North Pole Express overnight delivery for Bobby,” I designed our sack to say “Dear Santa, Please take these toys and share them with other good girls and boys.”
Since Thanksgiving has passed, I will pull out the Santa Sack and explain to T that some kids do not have toys to play with unless nice people give them those toys. It will be her job to help Santa find some of her toys (still in good condition) that she thinks other kids would like to play with. She will have basically a month to decide which toys she would like to part ways with. These items will go in the Santa Sack for Santa to take on Christmas Eve and redistribute to children in need (i.e.: the bag will go in the trunk of the car and the contents will be donated to charity).
The way I see it, this new tradition will benefit our family in multiple ways.
- It will help T start to understand the concept of giving things to the less fortunate, albeit in kind of an abstract sense right now.
- It will make getting rid of toys and books she has outgrown easier because she knows what will be happening with them and she is involved in the decisions about what can go.
- It makes room for some of the new toys and books we know she will be receiving from grandparents (and Santa, of course).
I’m looking forward to seeing what unexpected items T chooses to put in her Santa Sack this year, and hope it will be a tradition we can carry on for years to come.
What unusual traditions does your family have?
