INDIANAPOLIS — Kids love their toys. But what's fun to play with this month is out of style the next month.
That's why the Cram family is asking relatives to skip the extra stuff this Christmas.
The idea
The Cram twins have no shortage of toys — and because their birthday is close to Christmas, the Cram family gets hit twice in a short amount of time.
"We really felt like as parents, they weren't really experiencing gratitude for those things. It was just, it just kept coming," mom Candice said.
And that feeling got her and her husband, Josh, thinking: How could they change up how family members show their generosity?
"Sit down and talk to your family and friends about, you know, they [the kids] have what they need. I don't want any more tubs of blocks running around the house, but we'd really like to go see the train exhibit downtown," Candice said.
Gifting experiences
Gifting experiences instead of toys is a game-changer for their family.
Now, they get to explore places like an aquarium and parks.
To say thank you, Josh and Candice send photos of the kids enjoying the experience to the person who gifted it.
"Then, people start to see, OK, this is, you know, actually what they're doing. And that kind of builds a little bit of a level of trust," Josh said.
Paying for college
The Crams also opened a college savings account, or a 529, for both kids.
With a click of a button, families can contribute directly to their education.
"It's really nice that while they're still young, and they still don't remember every single present, you can sneak in a gift or two here that way," Candice said.
These are just a few examples to set kids up with memories to come instead of stuff.