Matt Heath: Avoid present-opening fatigue on big day

If you're going to give your kids anything give them a piece of coal each. Photo / 123RF

If you love your kids don't get them anything for Christmas.

There is nothing more depressing than watching children with present-opening fatigue. Getting so many gifts they lose interest in unwrapping them.

It's an ugly sign of the times. But one that is so easy to avoid.

All you have to do, is nothing.

Relatives are going to pile on the presents no matter what. It would be impolite to ask them not to. So don't add to the problem by buying gifts yourself.

I've talked about cutting back on the presents before in this column. Probably this time last year. But now there is science to back me up.

Researchers at the University of Toledo in Ohio, recently found children were way more creative when they had fewer toys to play with. They played with the ones they had more and thought up more uses for them. Essentially giving them less is giving them more.

I love my kids more than life itself; they are the two best things that have ever happened to me. So I am cutting out the gifts.

Normally I come back from overseas trips with my suitcase filled with novelties. T-shirts, local fauna soft toys, annoying models of local landmarks. I've spent whole days overseas looking for presents for my boys.

It's a bad ideal. It's teaching your kids to be more excited to see what's in your luggage than to see you. Your return should be gift enough.

I just got back from a trip to the States last week and all I got my kids was the free zip-up amenity kit from the plane. I found it on the seat of my Air New Zealand flight.

Pretty good present too. Key toiletries, a sleeping mask, flying socks, earplugs, a toothbrush and toothpaste and moisturiser - all in a cool bag. Everything an 8-year-old boy could hope for.

I stole the spare off the empty seat beside me too. Zero time and thought put in by me and zero spoiling of him. Win win.

I got the other boy a small Toblerone when I landed.

My parents loved me very much. I couldn't have asked for a better upbringing.

On Christmas morning my sisters and I would wake to find our stockings completely stuffed at the end of our beds. Bulging football socks filled by Santa.

Inside wasn't so good. Mainly fruit from the kitchen table. Fruit that I'd recognise from the day before. Lot's of walnuts too.

Once I found a cactus at the bottom of my stocking. Bloody painful pulling that one out. I grabbed it too eagerly in the dark.

A 6-year-old boy doesn't expect to find a potted cactus from the front deck in his stocking. I screamed like a girl. Spent most of Christmas Day pulling the prickles out of my palm.

But I was more than happy. That cactus is still alive today. It's massive. Turns out that spiky hairy Espostoa Lanata was a much better gift than a bunch of plastic crap I would have broken by Boxing Day. That cactus was the gift of not spoiling me. I still have her.

If you're going to give your kids anything give them a piece of coal each. It will give them something to think about.

"Granddad got me the Star Wars LEGO Kylo Ren TIE Fighter worth $119, Uncle Dane got me the Selfie Mic Music-Set in Black & Gold $80. Dad got me a lump of coal. What does that mean? Maybe I'll try harder next year to impress him."

If you love your kids give them a life lesson for Christmas. Show them the truth. Nothing comes without a price. Everything worthwhile is worth working for.

This year get yourself a little something instead. You've earned it. Just a special wee gift to end the year.

I'll be spending the money I save on my kids' presents on my Ranger. New mags, a roll bar, nudge bar, an aluminium tough deck. Blackout Bonnet guard, light trims, running boards, visors, handle trim and tints. When dad's truck looks good the whole family wins.

Happy Christmas.