The holidays are about more than gifts. They’re also a chance to share your family’s values, give to others and make memories. Everyday choices — from donating a favorite book to planning how much to spend on a gift — can help children learn important money skills including giving, saving for what matters and spending responsibly.
Try the Give, Save and Spend Holiday Challenge
Invite your children to complete one activity in each category. Keep it simple, let them help make the decisions and talk about what they learn along the way.
Give
Generosity isn’t about how much you spend. Ask your children to choose toys, books or games to donate. Consider supporting a local charity as a family. If your child receives holiday money, talk about setting aside some to help others.
Save
Encourage your child to save part of any holiday money they receive. Ask what they’d like to save for, such as an activity or a goal.
Explain that even small amounts can grow when they save regularly. Learning to save early can help children build lifelong money habits.
Spend
Before shopping, help your child create a spending plan. Set a budget, compare prices and discuss wants versus needs.
These steps help children make thoughtful spending decisions.
Make It a Family Challenge
When you think about ways to set and achieve money goals as a family, it creates a safe space to discuss what smart money moves look like. Including your children in the decision-making process will help them understand where they can make an impact.
Setting holiday money goals can be as easy as:
- Donating a toy, book or money to charity.
- Saving some holiday gift money for a goal.
- Comparing prices before making a purchase.
- Talking as a family about holiday spending choices.
- Sharing one financial goal for the coming year.
Celebrate each completed step. The goal is to help your children practice and ask questions.
Start a Holiday Money Conversation
You don’t need a formal money conversation. Ask these questions:
- What toys, books or other items could we donate this year?
- If you receive holiday money, how would you divide it among giving, saving and spending?
- What are you saving for that matters to you?
- How can our family be more thoughtful about holiday spending?
- What’s one financial goal you’d like to reach next year?
Help the Lessons Stick
Children learn a lot by watching how adults make money decisions. Let them see how you set a budget and decide which causes to support. Explain why your family supports certain causes and help them divide holiday money into give, save and spend categories.
Keep the conversation positive and age-appropriate. When children make small choices with your guidance, they’ll gain confidence, and that’s when learning begins.
Keep the Momentum Going
Financial education is a family journey. Whether you’re helping a child save, supporting a teen’s growing independence or guiding a young adult toward their goals, we offer resources to support your family at every stage.
Explore our financial wellness resources or see if your family is eligible for Membership. We’re here to help you and your family start building lifelong financial confidence together.