Simple Holiday Gift Guide 2020
We stopped giving gifts for the holidays in my family many years ago - pushing 10+ years, I would guess. I’m the youngest of five (by a lot), and until Marin was born, we had no grandchildren in the family. Gift giving became more of a pain than a joy, so we gave it up and, instead, started going on a big family trip every other year. The memories from those trips far outweigh any physical gift I’ve ever received. I would highly recommend creating a similar tradition if your friends and family are looking for a different way to celebrate!
Now that Marin is part of the family, I knew we were going to have to broach the gift topic once again. I love holiday traditions and value so many of my own growing up. I want the same for Marin! I just don’t think those traditions need to be tied to an abundance of gifts. It wasn’t a big deal last year since she was just five months old, but a plan suddenly felt much more pressing as she’s growing so quickly.
I’ve thought and thought on what to do, finally stumbling upon a theory that felt like a good fit for us. It’s called the “Four Gift Rule”. Have you heard of this? Parents give each child just four presents: something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. While I plan to uphold a number of holiday traditions that have nothing to do with presents in the years to come, I do think a few nice gifts under the tree on Christmas morning is a sweet surprise for little ones. I actually think the “Four Gift Rule” is a great way to think about gifts for children and adults alike.
So with all of that said, we’re giving the “Four Gift Rule” a shot this year. Below are some of the items I’m considering for Marin, and I also included a few “His” and “Hers” gifts for each category as well. I’m sharing in case you’re also looking for a new approach to celebrating the holidays and in hopes it may help you create a meaningful new tradition in your family as well!
If you want even more gift ideas, feel free to check out the Simple Holiday Gift Guide 2019 I shared last year. I would still recommend all of these items!
FYI - The four gifts we plan to give Marin are noted below with an asterisk (*) and in bold font, in case you were curious!
W A N T
Tea Party Doll* - I bought this doll for Marin back in early June 2020 for her first birthday. Each doll is handmade by a mother and daughter duo. My purchase continued to get backordered due to high demand, and we didn’t actually receive the doll until nearly October! With that said, it was totally worth the wait, and I decided long ago that it would make an excellent Christmas gift for Marin instead. She’s still a little young for doll play, but I think it will see a lot of love over the next several years.
Throw Pillow - Great throw pillows can make a room! The holidays are a great time to help support small businesses and invest in quality products.
Weather Station - We talk about the weather all the time in our household, and this awesome little weather station would be great for tiny hands. It’s also a great way to discuss what might be best to wear for the day.
Always Pan - I’m sure you’ve seen everyone on social media talking about this pan. I’m incredibly intrigued! I’m a lover of any object that serves multiple purposes and allows me to downsize, so this is on my list too.
Block Set - We LOVE this block set and play with it every. single. day. Highly recommend! We are actually big fans of everything from Lovevery. Their Play Kits are fantastic and would also make a great gift - you could even have multiple people go in to gift this.
Pepper Mill - I’ve been on the hunt for a pepper mill longer than I can remember. These look great!
Tractor - Yes, really. Ha! And this is exactly why gifts just haven’t made since for us in the past. Tyler and I are big picture people. We would much rather save all of our pennies and live with less in order to get what we really want in the long run. For us, that’s a tractor and a barn!
Barn - Again, not REALLY a gift idea, but it’s what we’re saving up to build in the future in lieu of gifts (and lots of other things!).
N E E D
Car Seat* - This is at the tip top of our need list right now. We already own one Rava car seat that we keep in Tyler’s car (it’s great!), but I’m continuing to use the Nuna Pipa infant car seat in my car - yes, the same one we brought Marin home in all those months ago. She has nearly outgrown it (you can use it up to 32lbs and she barely weighs 20lbs, but still), so I’d like another Rava for my car.
Branch Basics - You’re probably wondering why in the world I would include cleaning products as a gift, but I swear by this stuff! I’m legitimately gifting this to a few people this holiday season. Everyone needs an effective, safe, and do-it-all cleaner.
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Pillows - We could really use some new pillows on our bed, and the firm down alternative pillows from Parachute are my very favorite.
Learning Tower - Maybe not a need for everyone, but getting little ones up to adult height to help in the kitchen is a need in our family. Marin can use it to help me prep dinner, do dishes, or just watch at my height. We love it!
Nap Mat - I suppose it really depends on your routine and needs, but I think this nap mat is genius! It’s great for anyone on the go, frequent campers, and especially if your little ones go to daycare. Many daycares use cots or sleeping bags - and this one is perfect. It has a built-in pillow, is super soft, 100% organic cotton, and is designed for little ones to independently roll out and put away.
Bison Trail Socks - It seems we are in constant need of new socks around here, and these are our favorite for fall and winter. Tyler and I both wear them.
Quilt - Marin is going to need more substantial bedding in the near future, and I have my eyes on this beautiful quilt. Or maybe I just want one for our bed…
Grinder - We’ve had our coffee grinder for several years and it is on it’s last leg. We’ve actually had to bring it back from the dead more than a few times, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to officially kick the bucket any day. Tyler has had his eye on this one for quite some time!
W E A R
Blundstone Boots - I have a pair of more rugged Blundstone boots that I really like, but this slightly dressier heeled version is on my wishlist.
Sunglasses - Sunski makes really amazing & affordable sunglasses. Tyler and I both own a pair - he actually owns two or three pairs of this exact style!
Winter Coat - I already bought Marin bunting a few months ago, but I’ve been debating an actual winter coat ever since. This is on our maybe list. If not this year, she’ll definitely need this next year.
Flannel Shirt - Almost all of Tyler’s shirts are from Fahrety. They hold up extremely well, are super soft, and they look great for work or casual wear.
Ballet Dress - I’ve had my eye on one of these for Marin. She’s still a bit small for their sizing, but it’s on my wishlist.
Canvas Baby Overalls* - I’ve been meaning to buy a pair of these for Marin for months and months but haven’t gotten around to it. I think this is finally the time! They even have a fleece-lined pair if you need a durable outdoor coverall in a cold climate.
AGOLDE Denim - Investing in a great pair of denim is wise regardless of time of year. AGOLDE make my very favorite denim.
Leather Sneakers - A dressed up version of a sneaker. These look great!
R E A D
Local Dirt - I’m a cookbook lover and have been following Andrea for many years. This is my “read” pick this year!
The Nature of Play* - Offers simple, seasonal activities encouraging children to play with and among nature.
The Kinfolk Garden - Brand new and instantly caught my attention. I already own The Kinfolk Home and it’s wonderful.
National Parks Atlas - I’m in a family of map lovers, so this would be quite the hit. Wildlife, landforms, park descriptions, telephone numbers, and a section dedicated to journaling.
Babybug Subscription - One of my very best friends subscribed Marin to Babybug and she LOVES it. It comes every month or two and has great stories, poems, activities, and more. This is a great idea if you have really little ones in the family.
Plain and Simple - LOVED this book. Highly recommend to anyone.
Bravery Subscription - A one-year gift subscription to Bravery sounds like a wonderful gift to me. Marin is still a bit young (intended for ages 5-12), but I think this will be on our list in the years to come.
Brew - Tyler is the coffee snob of our household, so he would appreciate this book.
This post is not sponsored or in partnership with any of the aforementioned brands but the article contains affiliate links. When you shop via the links above I may make commission on a sale at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.