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Blended Families
Ilumine
member
What are you getting your Children (bio and step) this year?
Ilumine
member
It took awhile for me to wear DH down towards my way of doing Christmas, but he actually now thinks it rocks.
We limit the price on Christmas and spend more on Birthdays. Both SD and DD are born within 10 days of Christmas and SS is within 50, so the season gets tight. This is what my family did (younger bro and sis are born in december), as well as only giving 3 gifts from the parents and one gift from Santa.
So we do three gifts (like the gifts of the magi) and because we lived in the catholic region of Germany, St Nicholas's gifts come in the stockings (we actually did Nickaulustag for 3 years).
SD - An Apron, Grill Utensil Set and Gift box with gift card towards the gas grill she has her eye on. Santa will leave her a set of knee pads (she referees roller derby) in her stocking.
SS - A gift box with a small gift card for Itunes, a gift box with a small gift card for Xbox games and a gift box with an IOU of the remaining amount of money that will go into his car fund (he refuses to save money and DH is coddling his hiney here). His Santa gift is an AXE gift set. The original gift to SS was take him and a guest to an amusement park for the day and make him a memory. But DH is looking at a job out of the country.
DD - Little Mommy Doctor Doll, Barbie Mermaid Tail bathtub toy, Wooden-Magnetic paper dress up dolls. Santa is bringing her the Cloud B version of Dream Lites (the dreamlites themselves are shoddily made and the company is horrid to work with).
DH set a $150 limit but I got DD in at $110 (with shipping). I really dont like spending more than that on things. I would much rather spend money on memories...
This discussion has been closed.
Re: What are you getting your Children (bio and step) this year?
We are adopting a puppy from a shelter for the kids, that is their big gift.
DS is getting a train table, Nemo, slippers, cars, trains, a truck, stocking stuffers and maybe a few little things
SD is getting La La Loopsy Dolls, slippers, brave, a dress, barbies, flower pots dolls, hair stuff, stocking stuffers, Brave and who knows what else
We got SS - The Skylanders starter kit, the Giants starter kit (it was a great Toys R Us deal buy one get one), some figurines that go along with the game, and a CuddleUppet he wanted (which I think is sooo not cute, but the kids love).
SD - Baby Butterscotch, a rather large Merida doll from Brave w/a horse combo, CuddleUppet. Still looking for some small items for both of them, but these were their big items they wanted.
Our budget is really tight, and I probably seem cheap compared to everyone else.
SS - sewed him a play apron and chefs hat, an Ikea table to built legos & blocks on (we have only carpet and everything tips over), a small train/track set from Ikea.
DS - sewing him soft baby blocks, soft car & truck toys from Ikea,
They will both also get stockings with an orange, snacks like cheerioes, goldfish, and fruitsnacks, a few candies, and things like undies/socks/toothbrush.
I may stick to a super low budget for the kids for a few years. It seems like everyone loves to buy toys for little kids. SS has more toys than he can imagine to play with, each birthday and Christmas he get a trunkfull, and they are all getting passed down to DS.
When we get more income, it might be better to just get them small things, and then put large chunks into their college funds.
We don't have much of a plan for gifts except for how much to spend. And I always go over a little. Expecting our LO anyday now though so I have had all shopping done and gifts wrapped for a couple weeks.
SD (7) is getting a DS with a couple games for her big gift and SS (4.5) is getting a leapster for his.
Along with it they get a couple of fun clothing items and a handful of other toys. SD is actually getting more girly stuff this year instead of "toys". Stockings are stuffed with little things and some christmas candies also.
We weren't sure what to do about santa leaving gifts for the new baby so we just wrapped some teethers and little baby toys we already had and will leave them under the tree and in his stocking for his big siblings to help unwrap.
This sounds awful, but we haven't actually bought Christmas gifts since we moved and travel home for Christmas (it's $800 for us to fly home so pretty much eats our Christmas budget). My mom goes WAY overboard and buys anything and everything she sees for SS. He has double the gifts of my brother's SS so my sister had to wrap two presents together so their gifts look equal. In the past, we've bought SS a big gift like an iPod touch, laptop, etc. and a few small things like Matchbox cars or books. One year, we let him put toys in the cart at Toys R Us and just wrapped them later. He doesn't really understand Christmas or why he gets gifts when he does.
DD is too young to realize it's Christmas so we also didn't get her anything. She'll get some stuff from my mom. When I finish school and we can stop traveling for Christmas, we'll do a more traditional Christmas.
DH and I don't get each other anything. Any extra money we have, we'd rather spend on the kids.
They all get stockings that include there favorite drink and snack, new toothbrush, pens for the 2nd half of the school year. They all get a couple things specific to them like nail polish, erasers, gloves, candy. They also will get a little money. After Christmas shopping has became a really fun tradition now that they are older.
SD 16 - Uggs and watch
SD 14 - Camera
SS 13 - Basketball shoes and team clothes
SD 12 - Northface jacket and cheer clothes
DS: Nintendo 3DS XL, a Mario Bros skin for his new 3DS.
DD: Rapunzel play set, Fisher Price kitchen, Disney Princess cupcake game
Their birthdays are less than a month after Christmas (Jan 20 & 24), so we don't like to go crazy for Christmas.
I?ve said before I try to go with the whole want, wear, need, and read theme with a big gift and some stocking stuffers. Sometimes I expand the "read" to writing items and board games.
Family- Skylanders Giants for Xbox + 2 more skylanders figures
DD-Laptop (big gift), shirt (wear), Hunger Games journal & bookmark (read), 3DS game (want), and pokemon figure & small mega block set she wanted for stocking. Might get her a few more clothes as a need.
SD-Ipod Touch (big gift), 1 Med Sized Lego Friends sets (want), pokemon figure & small mega block set she wanted for stocking, still need a read, wear and a need for her.
SS1- 3DS game (want), Mario themed case for 3DS (need), Hunger Games board game (read), and small mega block set for stocking. Still need his big gift and wear and something else for his stocking.
SS2- Large lego police station set (big gift), 3ds game (want), and a small lego police set for stocking. Still need his need, wear and read and something else for his stocking.
DS- Playskool heroes batcave (big gift), angry bird star wars set (want), Cars Mater shirt (wear), Cars books (read), 2 star wars playschool heroes action figures for stocking. Having trouble with his need...he doesn't really need anything right now.
When I?m done, each kid will have the same # of gifts to open.
He's getting a mini android tablet, 10 DVDs, 7 books, 2 puzzles, 5 board games, 3 action figures and a ring for them, college football shirts, target gift card, a wrestling mask and soccer lessons. From my parents he's getting books that we can read with him chapter books and some art stuff.
Baby is getting a kick and play piano and a bouncer. I know my parents are getting baby some books and a new stroller frame too
I buy my bio kids their gifts from DH and I and DH buys his bio kids the gifts from us, so I am not always 100% sure what he buys.
DS (21) - Iphone (the 4 that was only 99 cents), his phone bill paid for 2 more years and money
DD (11) - Flat iron, clothes, nail art stuff, penny board and I am debating on a new pair of Uggs
SS (14) - Some camera that you can attach to things, penny board, clothes, shoes, itunes card. and I am not sure what else my DH bought for him.
SD (6) - Barbie RV, a few barbies, a few sets of barbie clothes and craft stuff, <this is all DH has bought so far. I might get her a pair of Ugg boots. I feel like she gets the short end of the stick because DH thinks he pays BM too much CS.
DS is 4 and DD will be here any day now. DD obviously won't use the shared gift for at least a year, but it is something that will last for many, many years, and it will belong to both of them.
DS/DD - Wooden Kitchen, Melissa & Doug Wooden Pantry Set & Fridge Set
DS - Learning to Read books & Brave movie. Stocking: candy, sunglasses, & straight wooden train track pieces
DD - 2 toys that suction to a table to use out at restaurants. Stocking: Socks, rattles, teethers
DS is getting a baby tool table set, a stuffed animal and some books and other baby toys
SD1 is getting a new pair of skates, an outfit, skating lessons and a few other small things
SD2 is getting a Monster High high school, a doll, an outfit and some other small things.
I know that BM is buying them each a tablet as well.
We set a limit on presents as well this year. I would rather have memories as well.
We only do 3 gifts per child plus stockings and a family gift. We are also spending less this year to save for Disney this summer. I don't have many stocking stuffers yet. I need to go shopping this week.
SD: American Girl books and Girl Legos. I still have one more gift to get her but I'm deciding between two thing.
SS: Spiderman PS3 game, Avengers DVD, and Spiderman Legos.
DS1: A book he keeps checking out of the library, Batman Legos, and Dr. Dreadful Alien Lab. I'm planning on getting him some re-fill packs for the Dr. Dreadful set and some toy zombies for his stocking.
DS2: A toy truck from Green Toys, a Pizza Planet playset, and Disney look and find book. In his stocking he is getting some new underwear in characters that he likes. He has only been using the potty for a month or so, so underwear is a big deal.
DS3: My Pal Scout, Disney Little People,and a baby Simba blanket personalized with his name. In his stocking he is getting a new muslin swaddle blanket, socks, a board book, and some Gerber Puffs.
I'm truly thinking of coal for SSs. They are each getting a gift card for a store at the mall and a bunch of stocking stuffers. They have become extremely spoiled, self-centered, and rude this year. They are showered with gifts during the holidays and have come to expect that everyone that sees them will give them something.
I really like the wear, want, read, need. We will do that in future years.
full time stepmom to SS1 and SS2 since 2010
married since 2011
TTC since 7/2011 (no planned bc since 2008)
HSG 11/2011: one blocked tube
S/A 2/2012 and retest S/A 3/2012: normal
Bloodwork: normal
2nd HSG 5/2012: clear
Femara cycle 5mg #1 7/14/12 + IUI #1 7/23/12 = bfn
New RE appt 8/14/12
IVF #1 meds 8/30/12. ER 9/14/2012: 7 retrieved, 6 fertilized. ET 9/19/12: 1 perfect embryo 5dt.
Beta #1 BFP! 97
Beta #2 234
Beta #3 4937
ultrasound #1 heart beat 127
10/20/12 graduated!!!
EDD 6/7/12
Team PINK!!
It's an over priced plastic skateboard.
Well, we still have it easy because SS isn't yet 3, so we are getting him:
Clothes, plastic boats, body paints for in the shower in 5 or 6 different colors, a light up penguin stuffed animal, a dog stuffed animal, plastic food, a toy bbq set from Big Lots, a John Deere tractor with legos inside and hot wheels.