Christmas gifts

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  • jill smith
    Participant

    What do you all do for Christmas, for gifts? We have 4 kids at home ages 17, 13 boys, 10,7 girls and a son that is married:)

    I would like to buy more educational toys and such but man there isn’t a whole lot our there and not sure where to go online.

    My boys love to fish and hunt and also like sports, but we always seem to buy the same thing for them year after year and would love to change it up. The girls love playing dress up but they are getting to big for the dress up at Target and so on. We did purchase more play kitchen items for them and a play cash register but trying to keep them young as long as we can and allow them to be little girls. No tablets and computer for them! Any suggestions would be great! Books are good too, buy like most of us we are loaded with books.:)

     

    Monica
    Participant

    Some ideas from my kids’ lists:

    -Rubik’s Cubes for my 14YO, who is obsessed with cubing
    -Beard on Bread cookbook for my 14YO, who likes to make bread from scratch
    -Jewelry Box for my 6YO who got her ears pierced this summer and doesn’t have a place to store her earrings
    -a Panda doll family for my 7YO who loves pandas
    -a few craft supplies for my girls, especially:  glue sticks, markers, dry-erase markers, etc.

    I’m stuck on gift ideas for my 10YO DS (who also just had a birthday).  He doesn’t really play with toys, he likes to be outdoors and likes to play board games (and have since exhausted gift ideas in both of those categories).  I could think of a video game he’d like, but I really try to limit those types of gifts.

    missceegee
    Participant

    We began using a shopping template of sorts a couple of years ago.  Each of the kids gets something they Want, something they Need, something to Wear, something to Read, and a main unwrapped gift (We don’t do Santa, but we still have the surprise gift.)

    DD14

    want – camera lens and bag

    need – camisoles

    wear – socks

    read – Robert Parker book

    big – instax picture printer

     

    DS11

    want – skateboard

    need – sunglasses

    wear – Gronkowski jersey

    read – Jason Hobbs book

    big – new golf clubs bc he outgrew his

     

    DD8

    want – barbie and clothes

    need – colored pencils and colored pens

    wear – a dress and a jacket

    read – The Underneath

    big – a Waldorf doll and a collection of her favorite books for her personal collection

     

    DS5

    want – hexbug track

    need – baseball helmet

    wear – patriots jersey

    read – new picture book

    big – wood project kit and book And slot race car track

    stockings usually include chocolate, candy, and one or two small things.

     

    psreitmom
    Participant

    My daughter likes to play with horses. A friend has a lot of Breyer stuff. So, my daughter became interested in that stuff. They have all kinds of accessories to go along with it. If you search for Breyer horses on Amazon, you will see all kinds of stuff. My daughter likes to take the blocks and make a coral, and Lincoln logs to build a house for some little people we have here. She is 12 and a couple of her gifts this year are to go with her horse stuff. Also, she likes to play with hair, so she is getting a doll from Target with long hair. Our Generation dolls at Target are the size of American Girl dolls, but only cost $30. I can handle that:)

    Monica
    Participant

    We do a similar thing, missceegee.  Our kids get:

    -a Gold gift (something they really want)

    -a Frankincense gift (something that brings them closer to God or brings us closer as a family)

    -a Myrrh gift (something for their body)

    They also get one gift from Santa, but are well-versed in the true story of Saint Nicholas, so that the “Santa” part of Christmas is downplayed.

    April
    Participant

    Missceegee, Did you already buy The Underneath? If not I have it new and will send it to you if you can pay postage.

    missceegee
    Participant

    April, yes I’ve already received it from Amazon, but thanks for the offer.

    Wings2fly
    Participant

    Rainbow Resource has many educational toys, games, gifts, as well as books and curriculum.

    Cortney
    Participant

    My girls are now 9, 10 and 15. We have a similar bend away from technology like video games / iPads and such for our family. A few favorites (in random order) over the recent few years:

    – Legos (they play for hours most days of the week and this has been the most used toy in our house for about 2 years)

    – Bend-a-Roos (great for long car trips or keeping hands busy while listening to read aloud)

    – Yarn for finger knitting

    – Unique art items like water color pencils or wood burning tools (we use on gourds)

    – Hyper dash (great game for active indoor play in the winter)

    – Madlibs

    – Sewing machine and needed supplies (mine start around 9 or 10 and have all done very well)

    – Snap circuits

     

    HollyS
    Participant

    One of my DC is getting a cash register too!  I found this pattern on Etsy that I’m currently sewing for DD to go with the cash register:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/62646350/groceries-pdf-felt-food-pattern-milk?ref=shop_home_active_1

    We often give them DVDs or board games for a family gift.  They are getting a few Raversburger games this year.  I’ve also picked out a handicraft for each of my older DC.  One is getting a bead/jewelry making set and another is getting a sewing set.  I’m still figuring this out for DS, but I think he’ll be getting a leather tool set or a whittling knife.  Two of my DC are getting an Origami-a-Day calendar.  Rainbow Resource has lots of great stocking stuffer ideas (and much better than cheap items from the local stores).  I picked up some bookmarks and mini paint-by-number sets.

    I’ve been shopping at Rainbow Resource or Amazon.  Last year I ordered a few things from Christian Book…they have nice items to have embroidered with their names.

    I also get them practical gifts like slippers, socks, pjs, mittens, hats, shoes/boots, etc.  depending on what each child needs or wants.

    Kristen
    Participant

    Our kids are 13, 11, 10 & 8.  This year is the first year in a LONG time that we have had more money to spend on Christmas (and still have some left over, thanks to DH working overtime).  Our big (ginormous) gift this year is tickets to STOMP in February.  Then I try to get them the want, need, wear and read thing.  Books are easy, pajamas and an extra shirt to wear, the need was more of a want this year but I went with educational toys or items; like art supplies for my 13 yr old (drawing is her passion), the Battleship game for the 11 year old, snap circuits for the 8 yr old, and my 10 yr old DD is a bit more challenging but I got her some pieces to go to her fairy garden.  Then they all wanted legos.

    Some ideas I have for the future are a camera, magazine subscriptions, tickets for skiing or tubing,  a museum or field trip somewhere special (Like Discovery World in Milwaukee or Shedd’s Aquarium in Chicago), and every year they get at least one game.  We try to play games on Sundays.  This year they are getting three games.  We also make a list out and have them write down ideas.  It doesn’t mean they are going to get what they want but it gives us some ideas to go off of.

    Karen
    Participant

    I just found out that some cousins are going to be at a family gathering – and I wasn’t planning gifts for them! So, now I’m scrambling.

    The parents I can handle (sample packs of coffee from a local coffee roaster – I just have to come up with a neat way to wrap/present it).

    It’s their son I’m puzzling over.  He’s an only child, about 10 years old.  He goes to a public school.  His parents are very tech-y, so he has lots of screen time.

    Because he’s an only child, his mom has already told me that he doesn’t really enjoy card games or board games (they aren’t really game-players, either).  I don’t think he’s really into reading, either.  I know he plays the trumpet, but both parents are music teachers, so they don’t really need any music stuff (and they can get it at a discount, too!).

    I thought about an iTunes gift card, but that seems so “blah”.   But I just don’t know him well enough to know what to get….

    Any ideas?

    Thank you!

     

    Raines
    Participant

    Karen,

    I would think a small Lego kit, snack foods, or a Faber-Castell paint-by-number (found at Books A Million or Amazon) would be a great present for a 10-year-old boy.  The paint-by-number projects are fun for children as young as 7, but honestly I would love to do one myself.

    Karen
    Participant

    I like the painting idea – sounds like Amazon will be getting more business from me!

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
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