If you have 2+ re:Christmas

la79al · October 2012

I am having a horrible time shopping for DD2. We already have a lot of toys. A lot. We seem to have at least one of everything that people suggest. So to begin with, I don't have a lot of ideas. Then to make it worse, DD1 is in the princess phase, and a purple phase, and a zebra phase. Plus, she has a list. So I thought I was done with DD1 and then I find something else. The result is I have about 20 small things for DD1 and about 3 for DD2. The only thing I can think of is getting joint gifts and putting just DD2s name on them. Any other suggestions or ideas? It might not be so bad if I got the 'perfect' thing for DD2 but so far....nothing.

lynsef · October 2012

We already have a ton of toys too. We have a lot of hand-me-down toys from my niece plus everything that the grandparents get them...We keep Christmas at 3 gifts per child (plus a stocking) for a few reasons 1 being that otherwise I would probably get out of control, 2 I feel like it symbolizes the 3 gifts that Jesus received and lastly I don't want the kids to get so many gifts they lose sight of what the holidays are really about and not just spiritually speaking, but also about family, etc.

Maybe try to wrap some of DD1's gifts together so they both have about the same amount to unwrap even if it's more stuff?

memali26 · October 2012

I am having the same issue. We have 2 girls only 19 months apart and I feel like there is just nothing left in DD2's age range to get her. So far my plan is one big gift for each that they'll share, few small, age appropriate things for DD2 and a few things that are still beyond her, but she will grow into. I know DD1 will play with them in the meantime, but that just means I'll get my money's worth, right? :P

2-Step · October 2012

Wow! 20 seems like quite a lot to me. We have a lot of relatives though, so my kids get inundated with toys at the holidays. We usually buy one bigger gift that is for the family and then 3-5 smaller gifts for the kids plus stockings. For instance this year we are buying a piano keyboard and some bongo drums so my older DS can learn piano and we can all play together (DH plays guitar). I will probably also get them a combo gift like a year pass to the children's museum. Their individual gifts will be things that are small. New DVDs are good, or games for a computer system like mobigo, or art supplies, which are always running out. I try very hard to make things even between the kids because my older one tends to think it's all about him since he was the first and only grandchild before his little brother came along and DS#2 was too small last year to get much in the way of gifts.

Angela814 · October 2012

I think we're just going to do a couple bigger gifts this year. We're going to do the Our Generation dolls at Target plus a few accessories. (DH vetoed spending $100 on the American Girl dolls.)

DD2 loves puzzles so she'll probably get a couple of those. She also likes to play with her sister's doll house, so I'll pick up a couple more dolls and some accessory sets.

I haven't started buying anything yet. If I did, the kids would change their minds a thousand times before Christmas, and I'd end up buying way too many toys.

Cherryblossoms07 · October 2012

I am the same way. I have no idea what to get DS because we already have a ton of toys and the only toys that he is interested in are those that his sister is playing with (he doesn't touch his toys unless it is a rare instance where his sister plays with them). I have been toying around with the idea of doing a big joint gift and then a couple of small gifts that way they are even. I was thinking about a playhouse or a train table - they both seem to love those kinds of things so it truly would be to both of them.

mbgreenwalt · October 2012

I'm trying to avoid a lot of toys with DD2 for Christmas because we have so many already and her birthday is next month too. The only toy I'm planning for her is the Little People Disney Castle. The rest will be books and clothes.

For DD1 (who is the same age as your DD2) we are getting her some of the Geotrax sets, she loves trains. We are also looking at a kitchen set since she is into pretend play now.

Asquared · October 2012

I like to think of consumable things- bubbles, sticker books, snacks that she loves and then maybe a doll and/or outfit of her very own.

stever · October 2012

DS2 is a NB but we don't want to leave him out. We got him his own stuffed cat since DS1 has one that's his lovey, some new crib sheets for when he makes the move to the crib, little things that replace what DS1's worn out.

pinkcallalily · October 2012

I'm on my phone so I can't see how old your kids are. I am seriously considering wrapping some of my son's old toys for my daughter this year. She'll only be 5 months old so she won't care. If I was sure my son wouldn't notice she didn't have anything I might not worry about it. I also just want her to have a few things for pictures.

Worcbride · October 2012

The toy situation in our house is outrageous so this year we doing something different--their big gift is tickets to see Beauty and the Beast in January and Clifford in March (theater versions of both). I want them to experience things cuz they have just about everything. I'm super excited about this. I did this before I started shopping in earnest--yes, I see things I feel they'll like but I refrain. You still have plenty of time to find DD2 that "perfect thing." Also, being 2 you can still get away without being "even." That's in your favor.

I usually use the holidays to refresh our arts and crafts supplies and of course buy some clothes.

JoannaJes · October 2012

I don't know, there is a ton of stuff I still want to get for DD that I think she would love. : ) She definitely has different interests than her brother.

She is probably getting some wooden food that she can pretend to cut up, duplos, puzzles, stamp markers, pajamas, books.

Other possibities:

- play tent

- bouncy house

- cardboard "bricks" to build with

- bath toys

AmandaP678 · October 2012

I'm in the same boat, but with 2 boys. My boys are 20 months apart and share similar interests. We have so many toys from my first that my second doesn't really need anything else.

I think this year I'm still going to try and keep things simple for DS2 because he still won't notice. Next year I might try and keep the same number of gifts/same amount of money spent on each of them

llc730 · October 2012

I am in the same boat too. I have two girls that are only 25 months apart. We still have all of DD1's things for DD2. The one thing we never got for DD1 at this age was an activity table, so I think that will be DD2's big gift. Otherwise I will get her just a few smaller more practical things. I already have way too many ideas for DD1 plus I have a pretty good sized gift stock pile (lots of Melissa and Doug) that I can pull from.

lilles · October 2012

I'm in the same situation. Two girls, 21 months apart. We have a lot of toys already. So far for my youngest the two year old I am thinking about the Little People Princess castle a PP mentioned, a Dora cash register (somehow LO 1 never got one), a baby Dora doll, puzzles, which she loves and maybe some of the new blocks and accessories from MegaBloks Princess castle collection. Some books, stickers and craft things. The only thing I have actually bought at this point are some clothes because she always gets hand me downs from her sister and I like her to have some new stuff that hasn't been worn before.

I am also looking for ideas for my 4 year old. So far I am thinking dress up clothes, My Little Pony stuff, books, puzzles, craft things but I have not come up with any big ideas yet.

Leap08 · October 2012

I'm in the same situation, only its worse because they both have birthdays coming up as well. I have about a million ideas for DD1. There will be no issue shopping for her birthday or Christmas. DD2 is a totally different story. We already have a ton of age appropriate toys for her. Ugh. I keep browsing online for toys for 12-18 month olds. So far all I have in mind for her is the little people Disney castle. I'm not sure if that's birthday or Christmas. I can't wait until she's old enough to have her own interests and ideas.

etude de la vie · October 2012

Last year I did end up doing alot of joint gifts but putting DS's name on it. Like a huge bag of megabloks for DS.

This year smaller joint gifts will be his...like play doh. and he is into cars, thomas wood train. I think the worst part is they are so close in age that they are into the same things so it is up to me to decide who gets what and how to make it even.

DD is into art stuff, anything toy story, dress up (not princess stuff) thomas train, and books....but so is DS so not sure what to do.

katlizabeth · October 2012

My kids are one and a half and three and a half (and opposite genders), but last year and this year we just aren't putting names on gifts and we're doing the "we share toys around here" thing. It's worked so far.

BrittKav · October 2012

We ran into this last year, and ended up buying DD2 a lot of dumb little toys just so she'd have the same amount as DD1. This year, we're buying a lot less: 2-3 presents each, plus they will each pick out a present for eachother.

MammaBear81 · October 2012

I'd return 17 of the items for DD1 to "even things out"... does she really need 20 gifts for Christmas? Big or small it doesn't matter, a gift is a gift.

moonfaerie · October 2012

My two girls are 14 months apart, so we have the same issue, plus DD2's birthday is in November. Some things I'm doing:

- labeling joint gifts with DD2's name - they both share everything anyway
- buying things we do need more of, like toddler forks and "big girl" cups without lids, and labelling them for DD2 to open
- DD1 didn't wear 3T clothes during hot weather, and I anticipate that DD2 will wear 3T next summer, so I'm giving her 3T summer clothes to grow into - could you do the same if there's a size you could use more of?
- giving DD2 cool art supplies that we don't have, like these window markers
- books! I get booooored reading the same books over and over, so I don't mind expanding our collection of books

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