Safety This Season

It’s that of the year again!  It’s the Christmas shopping season.

According to statistics.blackfriday.com:

Black Friday 2024 shattered records as U.S. consumers spent an astonishing $10.8 billion online, reflecting a 10.2% increase from last year’s $9.8 billion. Globally, spending reached a new high of $74.4 billion in just 24 hours, marking a 5% rise compared to the previous year. 

We’ve heard conversations that include statements like, “Somebody is spending some money despite the economy.”  The numbers indicate this is true.

Safe Toys and Gifts Month

One of the campaigns for December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month.

While December is known to be the biggest gift-giving month in the world, we must do our best to make sure our gifts are safe for the recipients.

In one year, 251,700 toy related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms.  Can you imagine a child opening a gift with amazement and surprise and shortly after having to be rushed to the emergency room?

Not a pretty picture.

How To Take Precautions

When selecting gifts, it might be a good idea to ask the parents for ideas on what to give the child.

My mind is creating an image of a child hiding the drumsticks of a drum set they received. LOL

Parents know their children better than we do. And we don’t want to get the child a gift they already have. 

We should also consider the age and skill set of the child to determine if the gift is appropriate.

Do some research on the toy before purchasing it. YouTube is a great outlet to refer to.

Consider gift cards. This will allow the parents to assist the children with the gift purchasing experience.

Board games are great options as they can lead to the family spending more time together.

Books, school supplies and the like can be considered safe options if they are age and skill appropriate. They may not be the most popular gift unless the recipient is an avid reader.  But the gift could open the door to the child becoming one.

Let’s be intentional about selecting this year’s gifts.  Safety is always welcomed.

Photo credit: Ana Klipper @Unsplash.com