Christmas With NINE Children

I get asked A LOT what it’s like to shop for nine children for every occasion: Easter baskets, Back to School, weekly groceries, birthdays, and of course Christmas🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

What is it like?

EXPENSIVE🤑🤑🤑.

**Here is a picture of our first Christmas season together as a blended family. We have since added a little boy to this bunch**

I’m getting better at toning down the madness and simplifying gifts. Our first year I just went crazy but on year 4 I am more intentional with each gift. No, I do not have a budget per child although I do have a “cap” for the teenagers!

In our home Santa brings the stockings (and mayyyybe a little gift) so there isn’t really too much stress about getting the perfect present.

In a blended home we had to really work on creating a holiday for OUR family and making OUR traditions and letting go of what we were used to…that was difficult for us!!

**Here is a picture of our first Christmas together decorating gingerbread houses. We now include extended family and it’s become a HUGE event for our family**

Last year I bought everyone new stockings (packed away all the old ones for when they are adults and want them as keepsakes) and this year I’ll be tossing all the old decor from our combined Christmas decorations (bins and bins of stuff)….don’t tell my hubby but next year we will have all new stuff ha!

My shopping list this year is for ages 1 to 19 so I have about every stage imaginable. Boys and girls.

I do my best to have the children write their Christmas list BEFORE Black Friday but this year I was a little late😫 I still managed to grab a few deals though. Then there was Cyber Monday, Cyber Week, and now Green Monday. There is always a deal going on this time of year!

In case anyone is interested in what I’m getting my tribe (for possible gifts for yours) I’ll link you to everything down below.

Toddler Boy: Balance bike https://amzn.to/2LcgylC

Six year old boy: “A Really Fast Remote Control Car” https://amzn.to/2QNfKsE

Nine year old boy: BeyBlades! https://amzn.to/2QMmpn4

10 year old Girl: a fish. A dreaded fish, tank, filter, food, etc. AND an Echo Dot https://amzn.to/2EeB1Vz

12 year old girl: a robot that does what she says https://amzn.to/2Qq4EdP

16 year old girl: fluffy pillows https://amzn.to/2PzmDsQ and a fluffy ottoman https://amzn.to/2EgVY1X

16 year old boy: wireless earbuds https://amzn.to/2QPSaeT

18 year old girl: clothes OldNavy.com

19 year old boy: creole language book https://amzn.to/2ryJw6f

Now that we are on year four together it is getting easier. If you are still in the middle of the “Christmas struggle” as a blended family, hang in there. It will get better! Here are photos from our last Christmas. My oldest son is serving a mission in Santiago, Chile so that is why he is pictured on the iPad!

Christmas with nine children is the best and I hardly remember what it was like with only three!