The January Test for Every Gift
One question that cuts the Christmas list in half.
Before you buy anything else this year, ask one question.
Will this still be out of the box in January?
Not on Christmas morning. Everything is exciting on Christmas morning. In January, when school is back, the batteries are flat and the novelty is gone.
If the answer is yes, buy it. If you're not sure, it's probably no.
What usually passes
- Things they build, and can rebuild into something else.
- Art supplies that feel like the real thing.
- Games the whole family will play after dinner.
- Books in a series they already love.
What usually fails
- Anything that does one trick.
- Anything bought because it was on sale.
- The fifth of something they already have.
Fewer gifts, better chosen. That's the whole idea.
