Cincinnati Babies
Anyone want to talk about Christmas Gifts?
I am starting to pick up odds and ends, but have no "big ticket" items in mind yet. I need ideas!!
To be compleytely honest- I am staying away from too many toys. My boys do not play with them well at all and they make so much clutter. I actually just got rid of a huge amount of toys the other day...... so I am looking for other ideas.
What are you getting your LO's?
What about DH's, Family members? What are YOU asking for?
Just looking for some starting points.
Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Anyone want to talk about Christmas Gifts?
I do not have children, but for all of my nephews and niece, I got them each a craft kits / projects and each child gets a book or two. I usually do craft kits because they are a one time thing and do not cause too much clutter. It is nice for them in the winter so they have something to do when it is cold outside.
For me, I am asking for new gym shoes, pjs, new coat, etc.
DH buys for his family so he will start about a week before Christmas.
We do a lot of books and my family is really great at buying things that we can get a lot of mileage out of, like musical instruments, tricycle/scooter, stuff like that. He'll be interested in music and playing outside for years to come. My gramma always buys savings bonds. Not very exciting, but definitely practical. She also sends something little so he has something to open, usually a book. I'm a big fan of experience gifts, like zoo/museum passes, music classes, etc. When Charlie is older we'll look into martial arts classes, baseball, stuff like that.
I try to think about things similarly for C, family, and for myself - last year I got a photography class and some photography books, this year I'll be getting a marathon training group membership and some running gear. I got C some paintball stuff that he'll use from now until eternity and a subscription to Wired Magazine.
We usually get the parents a restaurant gift card. Nephews get a really nice book and an ornament every year so when they're adults they'll have a nice collection built up.
I'm with you on the toy clutter. I can't stand all of the pieces and parts and large quantities of junk. We try really hard to limit it. I always get twitchy on the nest around the holidays when people post ginormous lists of crap they're getting their kids. We sure have some odd priorities as a society.
Emeline 5.28.13
My Blog
Post-Baby PRs
Esri 5K 7.16.2014 - 21:30
Heart Half Marathon 3.16.2014 - 1:43:30
Canton City Marathon 9.8.14 - 3:30:56
This sounds horrible, but I really wish we could skip Christmas this year. I'm really dreading it, but my plan is to focus more on the importance of giving instead of receiving. This should be a challenge with my very spoiled 6 year-old.
We're going to put together a gift basket for one of the families treated by The Children's Advocacy Center of Warren County. They were very generous with us last year and I'd like to return the favor.
I'm sure the kids will be spoiled by the grandparents so I'm just getting DD a soccer net/goal thingy so she can practice during the off season. I know she's getting a bed tent and a guitar from my family.
Depending on how things go with my job I might get her a Nintendo DSI so that DS can have her Leapster. This is actually a gift for me because I'm tired of the constant bickering over it.
I think I might get DS a ride on John Deere tractor. He rode them at KI over the weekend and has been obsessed ever since.
Sort of off topic, but I saw this tent while browsing the LTD x-mas catolog and I thought of your little pirate.
I'd like to get the kids a nice wood toychest for all their junk. A piano and drums for Maggie and a ride on for Owe. Mike also wants to get him a train.
I'd like a new hair dryer, gear for my camera, some small kitchen odds and ends. I think we may get Mike a kegerator. And we've talked about new carpeting in our family room.
I think we're getting my mom a necklace with the kids' names on it, I got one for my SIL last year and it was lovely. My dad gets the gift that keeps on giving, liquor.
We will probably make some ornaments again this year for keepsakes for the relatives, last year we did the snowman handprint ones. Anyone have ideas for me on this?
DS is getting a train table this year and some trains. That's his big thing. I've been picking up a few puzzles and art supplies as I see them. Maybe a new CD and we are thinking a few musical instruments since he seems to really be into that right now. My family always wants ideas and I think this year we're going to ask for a small soccer goal for outside.
I'm hoping to find DH a power washer since all I heard all spring and summer was how much he wished he had a power washer to wash this, that, or the other. Hopefully I can find a nice one not too expensive. I think I'm going to take Caleb to a pottery place to paint him a coffee mug too. And I LOVE those name plaques from Etsy that you posted a few days ago. I'm thinking of getting one for my parents and each of my married siblings. I want to get my mom a GC for a cleaning service for a deep clean of her house. She spends so much time with DS that she never has time for what she wants to get done around the house.
Most of my list is going to be about the baby. I'm planning to ask for a few nursery items and some money toward a new baby carrier.
Do the boys need outside stuff?? Does Jackson have a bike?? What about putting together an explorer kit for outside with bug catchers/nets, magnifying glass, binoculars, books about outside creatures, etc??? We have a great nature center near us that you can get yearly memberships to. It would be perfect to use all that exploring stuff there. Do you guys have anything like that near you? Or you could go the arts and crafts route and do an easel and a bin full of art supplies.
Jennie
You could have them make salt dough ornaments. My mom still hangs all our lopsided creatures on her tree. :-) Or check out familyfun.com. They usually have cute ideas.
Jennie
I love the idea of this. We don't really have room, either, nor is there ever anything that interesting going on. We live boring lives.
Emeline 5.28.13
My Blog
Post-Baby PRs
Esri 5K 7.16.2014 - 21:30
Heart Half Marathon 3.16.2014 - 1:43:30
Canton City Marathon 9.8.14 - 3:30:56
I have no idea what a learning tower is. I assumed it was some sort of Leap Frog-ish toy, but that makes jersey's comment seem kind of random.
*Hangs head in shame*
The Learning Tower is a nifty platform that kids can stand on to help in the kitchen. Maggie carries her little stool over to the counter daily to "I-a-me-a-help me, mommy? Cook dinner?" so it would get a ton of use in our house.
https://www.mylearningtower.com/
Seems like we all agree on the acess of Christmas, it can be very overwhleming, especially wehn you include all the gifts for and from extended family.
Learning Towers are sooo cool. We don't have the room either.
Thanks for some other ideas too.
I am looking to get the boys a tent for both of them to share.. I have room in the basement to set it up and I am hoping this is something they can play together during the winter months. Right now I am just debating on a "real" tent that can be used for camping or an indoor kids one. The one you posted was cute, Warrior.
I love Stories on CD's and am looking for more of those. We have literally hundreds of childrens books already. (DH used to be a teacher and all my goodwill shananigans.
I would also like to get some of the Disney classics on DVD.
DH and I are going to buy an SLR for each other, I am excited about that.
As for family I have no idea. We all switch names and none of us needs ANYTHING. I always suggest adopting a family instead but no on goes for it, and since I am the youngest and newest, I can't push it.
Gah.... more thinking....
Oh, that makes more sense. I think we'll stick with our step stool, but that does look pretty neat.
I am interested in a Learning Tower too. We do have the room for it, but I don't know if it would even make DD tall enough to see top of the counter. I do like the one that has the accessories to turn it into a puppet theater though.
I've thought about a play kitchen for DD. I think she'd like that.
I don't know what I want. I would like some yarn so I could knit myself a sweater. I'd just have to pick some out. I need to make a wish list. Most of my wishes are pretty mundane though.
As far as DH, he's the hardest to shop for...
I am DYING to get Ellie a learning tower, but we also do not have room and they're so darn expensive.
Ellie's getting dress-up stuff, board games, a little laptop, a mixer for her kitchen and a few other things from us. I'm asking the grandparents to get her Duplos and some musical instruments.
I have no great ideas for other people to give DH. As for me, I'm asking for a slicer shredder attachment for the KitchenAid, a new makeup bag, some new Pyrex, and a print of a piece of art I love that I'd like to design a bedroom around. I might request some board games for a joint gift for DH and I.
I made a photobook for my mom. We're getting DH's mom a big salad bowl like ours (we got her the little ones last year because every time she came over she said how much she loved them). I'm considering the stamps I linked to yesterday for my SILs, and my sister has said she needs some new canisters for her kitchen, so I might get her those.
Photo by Melissa Nicole Photography
I'm with all the others who are overwhelmed with toys. DH wanted to build Nora her own PC to play games on this year but I think she's still a bit too young for her own computer. Next I know, she'd be on Facebook.
I think we might just get her a learning system computer. If anyone has any recos for good ones, I'd love to hear them.
I'd also like to get a nice wooden kitchen that we can leave out in our dining or family room. She has a plastic toddler one that she's outgrown.
Iris will probably just get some pajamas and a My Pal Violet.
I don't want any presents this year since we've been buying so much for our house addition and DH wants some Calvin Klein socks. Gosh, we sound so boring!
I am completely at a loss for our parents. Mine like things they can use up so maybe some food related gifts.
I've been buying the ones in the Scholastic flyers. They usually end up only being around $5 for the book and CD. Since you already have so many books, a friend of mine recorded all her relatives reading one or two books from her collection last year. I think they hit a glass with a spoon to signal turning the page. I thought that was a really cool toy and keepsake all in one, but I don't think our relatives would go for it.
I think this is the CD player we're going to get.
Lori, that's a super cute idea!!!
Sesame Street is coming out with a couple games for the Wii if that's an interest for anyone.