I can’t even say how refreshing this haul was. Thank you. You took away so much anxiety from me.

@NatalieBennett

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for the kindest compliment!! I really appreciate it! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video and that it added some peace to the process ♥️ God bless!

@AngelaLeigh1

7 ай бұрын

I came to say the exact same thing!

@SquishyPie721

7 ай бұрын

@@NatalieBennett god bless you and your family. 🙏

My parents used to buy huge tubs of secondhand "Sio montage" construction toys parts, and then spend hours assembling them while my brother and I were asleep. One year my brother got a parking garage as big as himself, with a moving elevator and cars. My parents later said that they loved to spend those evenings building and figuring out what to make with all the parts. Secondhand toys can bring a lot of joy!

@cheristump9404

8 ай бұрын

❤

@DrunkenBanshee7117

7 ай бұрын

I think this is so sweet and what a wonderful memory and tradition for your family!

My daughters "big gift" this year is a secondhand wooden dollhouse. I would set it up the night before even if it was new, so the difference would be hardly noticeable. I am very happy that an item like this gets to be re-used at an affordable pricing for me. 🙂 New doesnt come in a package for little ones. New is simply what they didnt own before.

@Jessie90ish

8 ай бұрын

New is what they didn’t own before. ❤ very nice

i love the surprise category because it really shows your kids that you actually listen and pay attention to the things they say.

I don't have kids (yet), but just watched this entire video. I'm also a 90s kids and I feel like our childhoods had a lot in common in terms of the books, movies, and traditions that were part of our family holidays. I love seeing how you share these special memories with your own kids: it is truly inspirational! Thank you for the great video. 💕

It’s so nice to give away “second hand” helping the environment and giving the toys a second chance at life!

@SusieQZee

8 ай бұрын

Yes! About 8 years ago, I was in a season of my life that was very difficult. I shopped second hand for Christmas that year for the first time ever- it helped keep Christmas magical for my children back then when they were small and didn’t know the difference from new and gently used

I had no idea kids get multiple gifts for Christmas. When I was a kid my parents were kind of forced to be minimalists, since they didn't have a lot of money. Each kid would get one gift and we appreciated the hell out of it. It's nice to see that they can get multiple things, and that you are very thoughtful to not be wasteful.

I started a December box a couple years ago because of you! My kids LOVE it. I get them each an ornament each year and put them in there...and gingerbread houses (that I buy on clearance the year before also!), advent calendars, Christmas puzzles, mugs, and cocoa bombs.

@jenniferdamiano7447

8 ай бұрын

Love this!!!!

@jennybrent462

8 ай бұрын

Love this! One year I used an amazon gift bag because I didn't have a box. But this year I'll enjoy filling a box with advent calendars, their mugs, marshmallows for hot chocolate, Christmas story book, and more.

I absolutely love the family Christmas traditions you have created. Sooooo very impressive. My kids are grown but we had our own traditions when they were young. They have carried these traditions into their own families.

@NatalieBennett

8 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the kind words of affirmation!

Great ideas!! We used to do “something they want, something they need; something to wear and something to read”. Same great concept, really. For all the Canadians out there, we have Maplelea dolls that are amazing quality. Both my girls had them when they were young and loved the stories from the different provinces.

My family started the December box last year after I saw yours. This year, my husband had a wooden box built and is painting it Christmas themed. Thank you for such a great tradition!

Great video! So enjoyed it, the kids are getting older but all these nostalgic gifts ( American girls, hardy boys…). Love how your parents gift you childcare for a date night, that is truly what parents want!

Thank you for showing that our children don't need a ridiculous amount of gifts for them to know that they are loved. We operate under the "something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read", guise. And I love it. So do my girls, they don't get overwhelmed and the enjoy each gift. Do you have any advice for trying to navigate extremely giving family members? or how to communicate with them that while we appreciate their generosity, it isn't necessary to gift so much.

So glad you’re talking about buying gifts second hand. I’m having to stop working full time this week because of my health. I felt really guilty buying a friend a second hand Christmas plate that I’m hoping to give a homemade sourdough loaf or loaf cake on. I was worried about what they’d think so it was encouraging to see you purchasing used items for your kids.

@nataliekremer6089

8 ай бұрын

That sounds like a really lovely gift!

@tmlphotography

8 ай бұрын

I would love a gift like that, the thought is all that matters❤

@Julie-si3hi

8 ай бұрын

I do the same x

@thefarmista

8 ай бұрын

My kids are each getting 3 things and I got all of it second hand this year! (Most of it is retro to boot!)

@kellymcfalls1458

6 ай бұрын

I heard the 4 gift idea 1 something you want 2 something you need 3 something to wear and 4 something to read

You continue to amaze me by how much love you pour into your family. What amazing traditions and memories you have created for your family. You are so inspiring. You have such a deep heart and I am so thankful that you share it with me. You are amazing...blessings! 💟

Loved this video. Family, love, connection, food, home. All the right ingredients

🎄❄️💕 Love all 4 categories of how you get presents for your kids. Also such sweet memories and connections to some of those items that you shared. The December Box-what a wonderful tradition for your kids over the years. 🎄❄️

I love that you got your daughter an American Girl Doll!! I too want to get my daughter the pleasant company dolls for the holidays when she is older. So special that you had her look in the old catalog, love the simple nostalgia and magic of that!🤍

I always recommend people to take their kids to tattoo shops for piercings! They’re clean, professional, and often times more than happy to take it slow with kids. I would just call ahead to make sure the piercer pierces children. Several of my young cousins have had their first piercings at tattoo shops 😊

@NatalieBennett

8 ай бұрын

We took Hailey to a tattoo shop this weekend to get her ears done! It was a wonderful experience, and she loves her new sparklies✨

@haleyphillips220

8 ай бұрын

@@NatalieBennett yay! So happy for her, I’m sure she is so excited!

This is one of my favorite videos every year! We love doing the December box and I love your stocking method! This year for gifts I think we are gonna follow: something they want, a surprise, a sibling gift, and experience.

Loved your messaging in this video! I don’t have kids but still watched it all and gained so much value. Loved hearing you buying second hand gifts. I thrifted some gifts for three of my friends last weekend, I thought of each of them instantly when seeing the items so I know they will love it even if it’s second hand. I recently heard a similar gifting method I plan to use with my fiancé. “Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read”. I also always looked forward to the snacks in my stockings 😊

My little boy is going to be 15 months this Christmas and I am getting so excited for him to participate in celebrating the reason for the season! Having children really gives so much more joy to an already beautiful time of the year. Thank you for sharing your traditions and ways you help this season be so special for your children!

Yes we are also doing December/Christmas box now too because of you! The kids love it!

Omgoodness! Great ideas! I’m so thankful you did all of this with no technology. Very nice, thoughtful gifts.

Love the vintage American Girl Doll. I had a few when I was a kid. My daughter has some of the old ones also. The movies and books are all wonderful also. Samantha’s Christmas movies is actually one of my favorite Christmas movies to watch every year. It’s so good

I absolutely love the December box tradition! I took that from your video last year, but this will be my first year doing it. My girls are still very young, 3 and barely 1, so this felt like the right time to start. So excited to have sweet traditions like this! Love your videos, hope you have a blessed thanksgiving!

Thank you for such a wonderful video, Natalie. 🙂🎄You explained your ideas, traditions, and sweet personal touches so beautifully. God bless you and your family. Merry Christmas and Happy 2024! 🎁❤

Thank you for this! So encouraging and much needed for many of us.

I felt all the nostalgia as you talked about the Elizabeth doll! I got one around 2005 for Christmas and loved to study the history around her era. Happy Thanksgiving!

This is one of my favorite videos you make in the year. I love the simplicity ❤.

I remember one Christmas my sister and I both generously received Elizabeth! Last year had a little girl and I’m very excited for the Christmas I get to pass this special gift on to her!

You're always so good at choosing gifts that really fit your kids! So much thought and care taken. For books, one year I went to a second hand bookstore -- so many fantastic books, and in excellent condition. I bought my grandson a stack of books for the price of 1 or 2 if they'd been new!

Your kids will totally enjoy your choices. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! ❤️

This video felt so warm. Thank you! Great ideas as well ☺️

Just a beautiful video thankyou Natalie. Loved all the sentimental touches ❤️

I just love the vibe you give which is what I finally realize what it was to me: a nostalgic vibe that I personally wish I had with a healthy upbringing as a child but now as an adult want to bring to my children. ❤️ Thank you for sharing your light with us viewers! The God who loves us all is so vibrant in your videos. To me😊 it’s evident as a girl that was raised in a opposite type of upbringing (I’m adopted and was abused and neglected) while now pursuing Christ everyday. Just wanted to share how much I truly appreciate your videos. ❤

@-living4jesus4ever-

7 ай бұрын

Amen, amen, praise the Lord! Agree. Bless you and Natalie too. ❤🎄🙏✨

Second hand gifts can be some of the favorites. I found a vintage village with all the parts and people/cars and its been a hit for years between all my kids. Especially with Facebook marketplace it's so easy to find what you're looking for. I have lately been posting our good quality used toys on the buy nothing pages and I love being able to help out another family for Christmas.

You put so much thought into your gifts. I love your videos.

Mickey's Christmas Carol is my favorite too! I love watching it on TV when it comes on for the holidays. I had a red View Master growing up. Such awesome presents!!

Our kids are grown but we also gave nice, secondhand gifts to our children. Make no apologies, it's just smart and allows the joy and life of the toys to continue! I really enjoyed this video!

Aww everything is so fun! I'm sure your kids will be so excited! My boys will be getting Minecraft gifts this year too! I always enjoy seeing what you got for your kids and can definitely appreciate how intentional you are about each gift. Happy holidays!

Another wonderful Christmas video

I started a Christmas box last year after seeing you do it! My kids love it

I love your christmas gift videos each year!

I will definitely be doing a December box at some point with my kids. I think I’ll probably wait till my oldest is older than 2, but I can also see him being super excited even now! Thanks for another cozy video ❤

This is how I found you, several years ago. This is my favorite video, every year!

Great ideas!! How fun to play the Christmas Carol boardgame . The december box idea ❤

I love all of your ideas for Christmas gifts, will be putting them in my Christmas shopping for my kids, ❤

Had I known about eBay when my boys were growing up, I would have 💯% purchased lightly used toys, just for the sheer fact of how incredibly hard it was to take so many of their toys out of the plastic, they’re child proof and adult proof😂 I am now a full time reseller on eBay, and loving it. Love your videos Natalie! Teri from North Plains, OR

@Julie-si3hi

8 ай бұрын

I love this! Yes the packaging is soooo frustrating! Ebay all the way x

❤️ the pleasant company dolls! I got Samantha for Christmas when I was 9 when the company was new. And had Nellie when from when they retired her but gave her to my daughter when she was young. Best Christmas's ever!

Love the PJ'S tfs as always look forward to ur videos Natalie.😘😍

You are glowing Natalie! Happy holidays!

Love your videos! I have been watching you for years.💕 Happy Thanksgiving!

I always love these videos! Our girls are similar ages and I've watched for a few years now so I always find it so motivating to see someone not by a whole playroom worth every year!

Natalie, I look forward to this video. I found you through Christmas gift idea video 6 years ago! ❤😮 Love the second hand ideas. I’ve been thrifting cool and unique gifts for my kids and nieces and nephews.

I love the Christmas pjs! Saving this for next year.

I thank you! I bought lots of books on ebay for the kiddos, and kiwico boxes! Thanks so much for the tips we have 4 kids and this helped so much

A great video. I hope you and your family have a very special thanksgiving ❤❤❤

I LOVE these videos of yours! You give the most thoughtful gifts and seem to have similar budget and taste to mine. I have never heard of The Giving Manger, how neat!

We started a Christmas box because of you! It’s been a great way to pick a few achievable Christmas activities and have it ready to go at the beginning of December. I found ninja gingerbread cookies at Aldi’s, and Mardel had a ton of Christmas activities for a few dollars to add to the box. And I always add an ornament for each kid for the year!

I told my sister about your Christmas box for her to start her own tradition with her new family. She loved the idea and will be adapting it into how their lives work.

I just had to comment! I love your 4 categories for gifts! Makes so much sense and it's easy to wrap my mom brain around while keeping it magical for them. And I had to say I loved Tyr Felicity books growing up and my 1 year old is named Felicity. I've been reading all the books to my 3 older daughters and they have been loving them!

Sooo excited to watch this ! I have been waiting😊 i started using your methods last year and love it❤ its still a struggle with my 2yo😂. Thank you . This is one of my fav videos each year!☆

As someone who doesn't decorate in tiI ll I see Santa in the Macy's parade, i think The December box is a fantastic idea!Thank you for sharing the items you put inside. It gives us some great ideas.

I needed this video so bad 😊. I’m in the process of Christmas shopping and you give me so many good ideas. Your kind/genuine energy is what I’m looking forward every time you post a video. Thank you for sharing your thoughts ( I love your chatty videos 🥰) with us. ❤

@brookeholiday7264

8 ай бұрын

She is kind and genuine! My thoughts every time i watch also!!

I always look forward to your Christmas videos each year! Last year I started doing December boxes and will continue again this year😊❤️

Happy early thanksgiving Natalie and Weston and your sweet kids

Definitely putting together a December box for my 3 year old daughter and hubby this year! We pick gifts for her by us each getting something for her that we'd like to give to her, then a gift she might need. Last year it was a fuzzy robe for after bath time, this year it will probably be a set of slippers 👍

Thank you for this video. So many great ideas! Love your traditions!

@NatalieBennett

8 ай бұрын

Glad you like them!

I read all the Nancy Drew books and then read my brother’s Hardy Boys. Loved both of them!

I loved Felicity books when I was younger, she was my favorite. I even had a blue dress that I wore for Christmas one year that reminded me of Felicity's. I have saved all of my "vintage" lol original American Girl books and I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to enjoy them as well!

Amazing! Thank you for sharing!

I started a December box (bc of u) last year with my now 3 1/2 year-old boy girl twins and I am so excited to do it again this year!! I look forward to it and I love your ideas for gifts and coffee recipes and family traditions in your videos!❤❤❤🎉

@-living4jesus4ever-

7 ай бұрын

Boy girl twins are sooo fun!!! Love mine as well. ❤

You have such a calming voice. My favorite video of your is always what do you get your kids for Christmas. I love your traditions. I use the December truck box for my son. TFS your ideas. Enjoy your holiday

@NatalieBennett

8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the kind comment! I'm glad you enjoyed!

One of the first books I remember reading in full was the American Girl book Meet Samantha. I loved American Girl for so long. I can’t wait for my daughters to be old to enjoy those books too!

Thankyou so so so much for this video! My kids either want american toys from those videos they watch, or things that I can’t get hold of because they are so popular! This really helped me!

I really love all your gift ideas and holiday traditions ❤🎉❤

Thanks for the ideas and inspiration!! Natalie, I was just trying to finish up my kids shopping and was thinking it's just too much! I want meaningful gifts but still want them to be happy with what they got. But it's not about the gifts, and I want my boys to know that!

loved the nativity and the pjs!!

eBay is wonderful. So many great things in awesome condition at the fraction of new!!! Your kids are going to have a wonderful Christmas.

I found a wooden play kitchen at a thrift store that benefits shelter animals. It was already assembled and needed just a little clean up. My daughter loves it. Thriftmas is wonderful. For adults you need to give gifts, you might like the Icelandic tradition of books and chocolate. “The book flood” apparently happens this time of year because so much publishing happens in Iceland. It’s encouraged to stay up late reading and enjoying chocolate ❤ This has helped reduce stress for gift giving and you can individualize the chocolate for each person and then do a white elephant with the book, etc.

I love the December box idea!

We had ~50/60 Hardy Boys Books growing up and I read them through in like a day! Loooved them that made me so happy to see. My sister and I loved American Girls and we had a few dolls and also my little girls love calico critters and KiwiCo! 😂

I love these videos! I always need help with stockings.

Love the cousins night idea! Saving that idea for (much) later 🧠

Aww, I love the vintage stuff, and I have given my kids a lot of the same things leftover from my own childhood. I recently read the Felicity series with my daughter. They were my original Pleasant Company books. I also gave her my original Pleasant Company Kirsten doll I got when I was her age in 1993. ❤ I gave her all my original book series as well (Felicity, Addy, Kirsten, Samantha, and Molly). Our extended family decided to get her all of the historical series over the last couple years for Christmases and birthdays, and she now has the complete historical set. We started with Kaya, and started working through the series in chronological historical order. I have loved this bonding time with her so much...and she's learning history at the same time! Last Christmas, I also gave her my old View Master which was super nostalgic and fun. It's amazing what we've been able to find at my parents' house! Love that you guys are doing the same thing! ❤ Oh, and for ear piercing, a lot of tattoo places do piercing with a needle, the non-gun way. We found a great little shop that works with kids all the time and we were so pleased! We live generally in your area. Let me know if you are interested, and I can send you an Instagram DM with the name of the place. 😊

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. 🦃

My dad has first editions of the first 20 Hardy boy books, I loved them as a kid! I was a Kirsten American girl kid, she was my absolute favorite and I’ve slowly been collecting for my 6 year old twin girls

I love this! Would also love to hear what's on your list, and what you got Weston! My husband is hard to buy for 😅 so I could always use ideas 🎄

I love the view master! What a great idea!

Ohhh my goodness the OG American girl doll! I have that same dress for my doll and I can’t wait for my daughter to get into AG. I remember pouring over the American girl magazine as a little girl.

Nice gifts for your kids. And happy thanksgiving to you and your family from me and my cat in Oslo, Norway

Hardy Boys book are fantastic. When they get a little bit older (and possibly interested in flying) check out the Biggles books.

New subscriber here! Loved all your second hand gifts, its extra special and very well thought out. I just think that toys then are much more durable than what it is now. Thanks for the video, it gave me lots of ideas!

The American girl doll! I still have my 2 from child hood - Samantha, Felicity and Molly 🤍 I had the felicity books as well absolutely loved them! Love how you do your gifts 🤍

I always love this video.

I loved the Hardy Boy's books! They are so fun to read and I still have all of them. I also have all of the Nancy Drew books. They are so fun.

Very inspiring! 🌟 Thank you 🙏

I buy a little here and there all year, I have 6 plus a son in law and daughter in law and a Grandbaby. My kids are 26 to 6..we always do a new ornament and I usually buy those after Christmas. Same with Christmas books and crafts for our Homeschool

I love that you found a Pleasant Company Elizabeth for Hailey. Such a treasure! I always wanted an AG doll (Kit!) growing up but as a kid between poverty and foster care, it just wasn't meant to be. Now I have 3 daughters and a wonderful, well providing husband. My two big girls (8 & 7) got AG Truly Me dolls last Christmas and my 4yo got a Bitty Baby. This year they are getting clothes and accessories. (have you seen the Bitty Baby pram? Oh, my goodness!) I am hoping within the next year or two my girls will be responsible enough for a historical character. My oldest and youngest are autistic and we play rough. 😅 I imagine it's different with just one little girl who can jump into the historical play and understands how to be delicate.