Dear Mom,

    It’s almost Christmas, and I’m so excited! Nana and Pop will be coming from Texas. That’s why I wanted to talk to you about their gift for me. They always like to get me an experience instead of something from my wish list. This year, though, I would like them to reconsider. 

    I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but isn’t the point of gifting to give the person what they want? And what I want most is the limited-edition LEGO Star Wars set. That’s right, I’m talking about the one I’ve had a picture of on my wall for months. It’s almost $300. I could never afford it myself. But that’s way less than what Nana and Pop spent taking me on that overnight camping trip last year. Plus, once I have this set, I can build it and rebuild it for years.

    The point of an experience gift is to spend time together, right? Well, we already spend the whole holiday break with Nana and Pop. Why does time together have to be a gift when it’s something we’re already doing? And besides, we could work on the LEGO set together. It would make me happy. And we’d all get to spend time doing something I really love. 

    So what do you say: Will you talk to Nana and Pop?

Love, Crystal

Dear Mom,

    It’s almost Christmas, and I’m so excited! Nana and Pop are coming from Texas. And I want to talk to you about their gift for me. They always like to get me an experience instead of something from my wish list. But this year, I hope they won’t.

    This might sound ungrateful, but isn’t the point of gifting to give the person what they want? And I want the limited-edition LEGO Star Wars set. Yes, it’s the one I’ve had a picture of on my wall for months. It’s almost $300. I can’t afford it myself. But Nana and Pop spent more than that when they took me on that overnight camping trip last year. Plus, once I have this set, I can build it and rebuild it for years.

    The point of an experience gift is to spend time together. But we already spend the whole holiday break with Nana and Pop. Why does time together have to be a gift when it’s something we’re already doing? And besides, we could work on the LEGO set together. I would love that!

    So what do you say: Will you talk to Nana and Pop?

Love, Crystal

Dear Mom,

    It’s almost Christmas, and I’m so excited! Nana and Pop will be coming from Texas. That’s why I wanted to talk to you about their gift for me. They always like to get me an experience instead of something from my wish list—but this year, I would like them to reconsider.

    I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but isn’t the point of gifting to give the person what they want? And what I want most is the limited-edition LEGO Star Wars set. That’s right, I’m talking about the one I’ve had a picture of on my wall for months. At almost $300, it’s too expensive for me to buy on my own—but not nearly as expensive as that overnight camping trip Nana and Pop took me on last year. Plus, once I have this set, I can build it and rebuild it for years.

    The point of an experience gift is to spend time together, right? Well, we already spend the whole holiday break with Nana and Pop. Why does time together have to be a gift when it’s something we’re already doing? And besides, we could work on the LEGO set together. It would make me happy, and we’d all get to spend time doing something I really love.

    So what do you say: Will you talk to Nana and Pop?

Love, Crystal

Dear Crystal,

    I hear you! But I think you should let your grandparents decide what they get you. Nana and Pop live so far away. They just want to spend special time with you. Someday they might not be able to do all the activities they can now. That’s why it’s nice to enjoy this time with them. 

    Doing something fun and new together is a way to connect and make lasting memories. And I’m willing to bet that you’ll remember laughing around the campfire more than you’ll remember putting together a LEGO set. 

    Plus, the experiences you share with them let you explore new interests together. Remember when they took you to the aquarium when you were 8? You were obsessed with the ocean for years. Who knows what interest your next experience with them will spark? 

    So keep an open mind and enjoy this special time with Nana and Pop. If you want to save up for that LEGO set, 

    I can always give you some more chores!  😉

Love, Mom

Dear Crystal,

    I hear you! But I think you should let your grandparents decide what they get you. Nana and Pop live so far away. They just want some special time with you. Someday they might not be able to do all the activities they can now. That’s why this time with them matters so much.

    Doing something new together is a way to connect and make memories. And I think you’ll remember laughing around the campfire more than you’ll remember putting together a LEGO set.

    Plus, the experiences you share with them let you explore new interests. When you were 8, they took you to the aquarium. You were obsessed with the ocean for years. Who knows what interest your next experience with them will spark?

    So enjoy this special time with Nana and Pop. If you want to save up for that LEGO set, I can always give you more chores!  😉

Love, Mom

Dear Crystal,

    I hear you! But I think you should let your grandparents decide what they get you. Because Nana and Pop live so far away, they really cherish the chance to spend special time with you. Someday they might not be able to do all the activities they can now, so it’s important to appreciate this time with them.

    Doing something fun and new together is a way to connect and create lasting memories. And I’m willing to bet that you’ll remember laughing around the campfire more than you’ll remember putting together a LEGO set.

    Plus, the experiences you share with your grandparents let you explore new interests together. Remember when they took you to the aquarium when you were 8? You were obsessed with the ocean for years. Who knows what interest your next experience with them will spark?

    So keep an open mind and enjoy this special time with Nana and Pop. If you want to save up for that LEGO set,
I can always give you some more chores!  😉

Love, Mom