Including Toddlers Can Help Ease Holiday Chaos (Yes, really!)

By Michelle Mady

‘Tis the season for gift wrap, shopping and all-around holiday chaos. 

Now let’s consider the added joy of having a toddler or preschooler in the mix. Who said chaos couldn’t come in a super cute toddler-shaped package? I remember organizing gifts and staying up all night wrapping them, because that was the only time I was without a toddler or preschooler by my side. And then what happens all-too-often when someone else opens a gift? Oh, the TEARS that it is not for them.

Now what if I told you that there was an easier way? What if, instead of waiting for them to be otherwise occupied, we invited our young children directly into the fold of chaos? 

What if, instead of waiting for them to be otherwise occupied, we invited our young children directly into the fold of chaos? 

Yes, it seems counterproductive to invite more pieces to an already tall task, but there are ways to involve your toddlers and small children in the gift giving and receiving process that will make your life just a little bit easier. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Bring them to shop with you.

Bringing a toddler shopping during the holiday season can be really tricky. I mean, the marketing department at Target really knows what they are doing in the toy section! But if you bring your child on a super top secret mission to purchase daddy a super cool gift, and they get to help you find it in the store, it brings that stress level down a bit. My sister has a genius idea: she brings her children to a dollar store and lets them pick a few things for each person on the list. They are so excited to go shopping, and the things that are chosen for us create lots of laughs on Christmas morning!

Assign a task of homemade gift wrap.

If you need something to entertain your child while you organize and wrap, give them a big job! Start with some butcher paper. (Who can beat this roll of paper on Amazon for less than $20?) Roll it out on the floor, table, or even across a high chair tray, and let your child decorate. You can use ink pads and stamps, fingerpaints, crayons or anything you have around. This activity helps your child become more involved in the gifts, while also occupying them for a while so you can get stuff done! They will also be happier to hand over their creation rather than be jealous of someone else’s gift.

Let them wrap (with tissue paper).

They’ve purchased the gifts, they’ve made the paper, now let them wrap. If you are anything like me, you are probably cringing at the thought of your child making the paper flat and smooth. However, there are ways for them to help while keeping your Hallmark Holiday aesthetic in place. Get some gift bags for those fun dollar store buys and give your child a bunch of tissue paper. Let them wrap things and toss them in bags, topping it off with more tissue.  They can have a blast while you perfect the bow on your Mother-In-Law’s gift.

Encourage thank you notes.

Full disclaimer, I am not sure I have even actually sent a thank you note. I have written many, but recently found the thank you notes I wrote after my wedding in 2005. That being said, expressing appreciation is a super important skill to learn. Have your toddler write thank you notes, draw pictures, or thank people via video. This will start a healthy habit of showing appreciation, even if they don’t fully understand the concept. And maybe when they get married someday they will actually mail those notes!

Lower your expectations. 

Pick a few pieces of your holiday expectations and let them go. Pick the really important parts and focus on those.  Allow some wiggle in all things gift giving and be ready to smooth over some less than polite toddler comments. They are going to happen, and if they are expected, it may lessen the sting. Toddlers are unpredictable. Holidays are stressful. It’s bound to go a little south at some point. So enjoy the pie, thank family members for their gifts, and let the rest go!

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