Consider giving the kids a non-toy gift for Christmas

It happens every year. There's always a hottest toy of the season, and some parents make an effort to get it for their little one. But what if you didn't have to worry about trying to fight your way through crowds to get that highly sought-after toy?

You might want to consider a non-toy gift. Former teacher turned play therapist and mother of four, Becky Mansfield, has a blog called Your Modern Family where she and other bloggers write about raising kids, organizing the home and saving money.

In a post shared more than 20,000 times, Mansfield wrote about non-toy Christmas gifts for the kiddos.

"I want our children to know that there is more to giving than just toys. I know that it is so fun for the kids to have new toys, but I don't want them to stop appreciating (or remembering) what they are even being given, because it is so routine for them," Mansfield wrote.

LIST OF NON-TOY GIFT IDEAS:

1. Make them a photo album of memories from the year

2. A blanket with a photo on it

3. Subscription boxes like Little PassPorts

4. $5 McDonalds gift card with new set of pajamas. You can then go out together and get ice cream in your pajamas with your kids.

5. Photo mug with pictures of the family

6. A personalized book

7. Membership to a local museum

8. A butterfly kit

9. Tickets to an event

10. A membership to Netflix

11. A gift certificate to get their ears pierced

12. Take them somewhere

13. Classes for whatever they are into. For example, a local gym, art studio, dance studio or soccer clinic.

14. Passes to an amusement park

15. A gift certificate for books

16. Clothes

17. Shoes

18. A monthly subscription to something like Kiwi Crate where they send projects for the kids to do

19. Gift cards to a movie and a few snacks to go with it

20. An umbrella

21. Kitchen tools

22. Recipe cards and ingredients

23. A sleeping bag and a coupon for a sleepover

24. Coupon books

25. A tea party

26. Sewing or cake-decorating kit

27. A "five senses toy"

28. Steve Spangler Science Club that will deliver a box of a science experiment they can do each month

29. A new bath towel

30. Dress up clothes

31. Mini Golf gift certificate

32. Craft supplies

33. Snacks

34. Nail polish and play make-up

35. Temporary tattoos

36. Weighted blankets

37. A calendar full of fun events or things to do

38. Chick-Fil-A calendar

39. Watch

40. A book that was once your favorite as a child

41. Board games that kids will love

42. Socks

43. A movie for car rides or road trips

44. Headphones

45. Room decor

46. Give your kids an opportunity to pick whatever they want to do for a day

47. Weekend family vacation

48. Money

49. Paint your own pottery trip

50. Painting lessons