Five Below Sibling Shopping

Teaching our kids to give gifts is one of those lessons that sneaks up on you, but it’s so worth it.

In the past, I’d give each child $20 and take them to a big-box store to pick out gifts for their siblings. It worked… until last Christmas. With five kids, plus gifts for the adults, we were staring down nearly $500 just for sibling-to-sibling gifts. Yikes.

Pregnant with my sixth baby and determined to be careful with money (and energy), inspiration struck: Five Below.

Here’s how it went down:

I grabbed six large canvas bags. TJ Maxx has giant ones for $2 if you don’t already have extras lying around. I gave each of the four older kids a bag and explained the rules: pick out a gift for every sibling and Dad, and bring it to me for inspection. I had ultimate veto power to prevent duplicates.

The bags were genius, no peeking at each other’s choices. Meanwhile, I helped our 4-year-old while juggling two extra bags: one for gifts from William (our 1-year-old, who obviously couldn’t shop himself) and another for stocking stuffers I wanted to grab.

One hour, about $120 spent, and every child picked thoughtful gifts for their siblings. Bonus: I snuck in some stocking stuffers while we shopped.

Now, Five Below is our go-to for birthdays too. Simple. Affordable. And honestly? It’s fun to watch the kids’ excitement as they hunt for just the right gift.

No affiliation here—just a mom who figured out a system that works.

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Mama, I see the way you give, sacrifice, and keep pushing through the hard days. You deserve a moment that’s all yours. That’s what I offer at Kristian Hutchings Portraits—a chance to pause, breathe, and be completely cared for. You’ll leave not only with beautiful portraits, but with the memory of a day where you finally got to put yourself first.

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Kristian is a mom of six, Program Manager by day, active Professional Photographer by trade, and a big believer in finding beauty in the everyday chaos.

Life in our house is loud, messy and full of literally everything. Love, noise, laundry, laughter, and definitely could use a bit more grace. I'm happily married to my best friend, grounded in my Catholic faith, and fueled by five to six hours of sleep per night and adrenaline.

I try to find joy in the everyday — even when it's wild, because without the little bit of joy, this life would be unbearable. This space is for the moms in the middle of it all: the ones juggling family, faith, work, and wonder. The ones that need someone else's messy life to make their own seem better or somewhat normal. You're not alone, and you're doing better than you think.

Welcome to Six Sweet Smiles — where we celebrate the mess, the miracles, and everything in between.