If you’ve been following my stories, you know I’m getting WAY too into elf on the shelf. I know, I know. Roll your eyes now. I give you permission. Some mamas despise it and some mamas live for it, but in a time where I hardly leave the house, this is the HIGHLIGHT of my day. 😉 But in chatting with you all about the elf, I shared how we do it. I know so much will change when she goes to Kindergarten and hears perspectives from other children, but we don’t talk about the naughty or nice list. We say that Santa helps us celebrate Christmas, but we don’t talk about being good or bad. So she also doesn’t think the elf watches her in “that” manner. She thinks the elf gets into trouble and just spies on her to have fun. We tell her that elves don’t come every year and they don’t visit every single kid, it’s just random and for fun so they can get to know some little children. In the morning she runs out to find the elf, and then we have breakfast and read our advent.

Our advent is for children and talks a lot about how kids can give back with applicable ways for their little minds. When it listed the example of donating toys, her eyes perked up. She will be 4 in February and I wasn’t sure *just* how much she would understand with donating, so we started by wrapping the gel gun blasters we will give to her baby brother. She got a kick out of tying the ribbon, and then we just started chatting about how it is exciting to give gifts knowing the happiness others will have. I asked her if she’d like to pick gifts for others, and she jumped at that.

We were partnering with Walmart for a toy post, and so I thought this was PERFECT to let her pick some Walmart toys I could purchase through their pickup option. I went online, let her browse her favorites and she selected these items. I have been so stinkin’ proud of her as these gifts have sat on our dining room table and she hasn’t asked for them, she knows they are for other children. She even asked to wrap them, but I explained we just drop them off unwrapped. I ordered some extra toys, and today we will drop them off as a family for Toys for Tots in DFW. Our local toy drop location is taking donations until the 13th- but be sure to check by zipcode as it changes location to location.

In what feels like the longest year EVER, December has flown by. Earlier this week I about had a heart attack realizing I needed to have all her teacher gifts finished next week. But thankfully, Walmart pickup makes things easy. I even did Walmart pickup for her precious little jumper in this post. If you need to grab some last-minute toys to donate or give to others {a great idea for your elf on the shelf to suggest!} you just add them to the cart, swing by, and you’re good to go. Or if you are trying to look for some affordable options to wish lists, may I suggest THIS cute Hello Kitty doll that works as an American Girl Doll!

Below are the *Maxi approved* gifts you can swing by Walmart to pick up or order online to donate, wrap for others, or check off your list with “last-minute” touches! With easy, affordable options you can load your sleigh {or SUV} up. 😉 We hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the gift of giving!