I love this time of year – the lights, the comfort food, the focus on serving others, the gift giving, ski season. If we allow it, this time of year helps us reset, prioritize, and reflect on what truly matters. I read the following article last week just before my family and I went to the mall to experience holiday shopping.

As we were walking around, looking at all the “stuff”, I couldn’t help but think about what Christmas would have been like 100 years ago. What were the top gifts that everyone had to have? What were the biggest designer trends? It was the height of the Roaring ‘20s, with the Great Depression still a few years away. World War I had recently ended.

Now, think about life 100 years from now. What trends will define that era? Which gifts will capture attention? What political and economic landscapes will shape daily life? It’s anybody’s guess. My point is the gifts that feel so exciting now won’t matter in 6 months. In fact, the dopamine rush we get from unwrapping presents often fades the moment the last ribbon is pulled. We’ll then be left wondering why we focused so much on all this stuff.

This year, let’s focus on giving our most valuable gift possible – the gift of time. Give your family a meaningful experience, something impactful throughout the year. Not just on Christmas Day. When I was a graduate student at BYU, I worked with Ramon Zabriskie (he’s an amazing fly fisherman, by the way). He and Bryan McCormick developed the Family Leisure Functioning Model.

Their model suggests family leisure isn’t just about fun, it is foundational to strong relationships and healthy family functioning. They determined that families need both core and balance leisure activities. Core leisure activities are routine, low‑cost, and accessible (e.g., family meals, walks, board games). These activities provide stability and foster family cohesion. On the other hand, balance leisure activities are less frequent, novel, and often more complex (e.g., vacations, special outings) and provide variety to help families develop adaptability.

As we step into this season, let’s give the gifts that matter most – shared meals, laughter on snowy trails, adventures that stretch us, and quiet rituals that anchor us. When we choose to give our time and presence, we invest in the kind of legacy that endures far beyond trends or toys. This Christmas, may we trade the fleeting thrill of “stuff” for experiences that strengthen our families. These deepen our connections and remind us what really matters.