Parents’ Guide to Helping Kids Pick the Right Gift, Not Extra Gifts | Karen Holland

In this holiday episode, Christi Rae sits down with Karen Holland, founder of Gifting Sense, to explore how gift-giving can become one of the most powerful money-teaching moments of the year. Instead of getting swept up in holiday spending pressure, Karen shows parents how a simple habit, pausing, gathering information, and reflecting, can help kids make smarter choices, avoid disappointment, and develop lifelong financial confidence.We cover:- How to talk to kids about gifts without saying “no” all the time- The Does It Make Sense? framework and why it works- Teaching kids to consider cost, value, and usage- Reducing holiday overwhelm and overspending- Building family traditions that focus on connection, not stuffShow Links:Take the DIMS test: https://giftingsense.org/Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Mindful Gift Giving01:52 Challenges in Gift Giving03:56 23B in Unredeemed Gift Cards in the US06:23 Introducing the DIMS Score Calculator08:45 How to Use the DIMS Score10:31 Applying Mindful Spending to All Purchases13:34 Engaging Grandparents in Thoughtful Gift Giving14:41 Building Confidence Through Financial Literacy14:51 The Importance of Early Financial Education16:46 Do Kids Really Enjoy Doing the DIMS Score?18:54 One Small Change You Can Make This Holiday Season19:51 Where Should Parents Start?