Ideas for non-presents

[Borridge]

Is anyone trying to reduce buying presents for Christmas?
In view of general discussion on climate and environment i am thinking it would be nice not to fuel the accumulation of crap in my house and the universe.
I do want to give something but preferably as few objects as possible without being a killjoy.
Last year I gave some donations to good causes.
DC are 15.

I would suggest one fun present each, so you are not being a total killjoy, then the rest can be necessary clothes or sporting/hobby equipment, edible presents such as chocs, or charity presents such as a well for an African village, mosquito nets etc.
Avoiding single use plastic tat is a good start.

How old are the kids?

I've donated to lendwithcare.org before for presents so the recipient has some say in where their donation goes.

I’ve gifted experiences in the past. Cinema tickets, climbing wall tickets, theatre, Harry Potter studios. Beauty vouchers for a girl. At the minute you have to be careful that things don’t shut down before you get there but otherwise I like it as it gives us something to look forward to in the new year when the weather is rubbish.

Experiences - karting, cinema pass, meal vouchers, M agazine subscription, annual pass for an attraction, hair dresser voucher, Netflix style TV subscription, ticket for sports match?

Treats hamper, food and toiletries?

I’ve gone for a few theatre tickets & experience vouchers. May get some cookery kits or something too (it’s just finding time to do them with the little ones!).

I think the first thing I’d do is tell me people you don’t want presents but a charity donation on your behalf or nothing would be good. My per hate is giving people donations to a good cause and then they themselves get a present, I don’t get that logic.
Then I agree experiences that are easy to use are good. Cinema vouchers or things for the garden if you have one.

Zoo keeper for a day experience.
Driving experience. Fast cars, or a tank, for adult drivers or an introduction for youngsters. My DD did the one at Mercedes World, aged about 13.
Walk with llamas.
I buy my parents a weekly entry into their local air ambulance raffle. They have won on occasion!

Cash

Magazine subscription

We do try and do an "experience" type main present where possible.

For Xmas DD is getting Harry Potter Land (or whatever it's called) tickets.

For her birthday we got her tickets to London dungeon, my parents got her musical tickets for the same weekend and my grandparents gave her some cash so she could buy herself a book/ toy/ souvenir) and made a full birthday weekend, she still got a couple of presents but much less "stuff" in the house and a lovely birthday.

For DS we are getting him an annual pass to a local petting zoo type place he enjoys.

We do still end up getting a few toys and stuff like that but we try to make sure it's not too much and go for quality over quantity where possible.

Other things that were big hits for presents were: cinema vouchers, a beginners pottery course, a kids cooking class, zoo keeper experience day

What about something like this

www.learningandexploringthroughplay.com/2017/12/new-years-gift-of-time.html?m=1

We've booked concerts, shows, go ape experiences, young drivers and theme park tickets in the past. I have looked into Merlin passes before, but due to where we live it wasn't for us.

I like the driving experience and the hairdresser vouchers.

lendwithcare.org also sounds great.

Thank you everyone.