Author Topic: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?  (Read 7826 times)

Carini

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What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« on: December 10, 2015, 09:09:03 AM »
Those of you with younger kids, what are you getting them this year?  Always looking for new and fun ideas. Ours are all getting new bikes, some sports equipment, a couple of board games, books, and some other random requests. Looking for some other "outside the box" ideas.


Platypuses

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2015, 09:13:37 AM »
We get each kid 4 things.
something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
so my 4 year old is getting a bike, bike helmet, boots and a new book.

Jesstache

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2015, 09:22:34 AM »
Art supplies (scissors the cut fun shapes, glittery pens, huge pads of paper, glue sticks).

Kindle Fires (The $35 version, loaded with the local library's app and books I know they'll like checked out for them already)

Last year we got new bedding for my daughter with her favorite character on it and some matching room decor to go from baby room to "big girl" room.

I also went out after Halloween last year and bought a bunch of dress up clothes/costumes and accessories at like 50%-75% off and Santa brought those.  It was, and still is, a huge hit.

This year we got a beat up old vanity off of craigslist we are refinishing it for her room.  We sold her old play kitchen we got off Craigslist for the cost of the vanity, so "free" gift! and it frees up space to put the vanity.

My son is 2 and he's basically getting sports equipment (soccer ball, football, pop up soccer goals) and toy trucks.

Also:  board games, books, puzzles and pajamas.

Bucksandreds

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2015, 10:03:01 AM »
my 2 and 1/2 year old is getting a free bike we got with a new tire, a new helmet and a few small toys.  His grandparents and aunts and uncles will get him another $500 -$1000 in toys and clothes so he is already getting too much.

shotgunwilly

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2015, 10:21:46 AM »
We get each kid 4 things.
something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
so my 4 year old is getting a bike, bike helmet, boots and a new book.

I really like this!  I do not have kids, but may have to use this in the future.

nvmama

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2015, 08:42:49 PM »
I have 3 kids (8, 5, and 4 months).  I actually spent a bit more than normal this year for the 8 year old as he needed sparing gear for Tae Kwon Do, so that is his gift.  From Santa he is getting a binder with inserts for his trading cards ( a new hobby).  He will get some socks, a calendar, and a couple of comic books.  His sister will want to pick something out for him, so she will most likely pick trading cards or something small.  In his stocking he gets some shampoo, candy, gum, and a new toothbrush.

My 5 year old will get a calendar and some leggings.  She will also get a few books and a princess barbie doll.  She will get a design your own necklace set, and a few random things I picked up for her throughout the year like barrettes and lip gloss.  From Santa she is getting a binder with insert and some trading cards ( a new hobby as well, so she can be like her big brother.)  Her stocking will have candy, body lotion, bubble bath, a new toothbrush.
Her brother will also go out and pick out something for her as well.

My 4 month old will get one gift from us, something like new cloths or diapers.  From Santa he is getting stacking cups.  Then his sibling will want to pick something out for him.  His stocking will have candy (for mommy), binkies, and maybe a rattle.

They will get a few other gifts from family, so we do not do too much (at least not compared to all their friends).  I shop mostly throughout the year when there is a good deal and lock it in my gift closet in the basement.  My DH and I do not really exchange gifts.  I usually still purchase him new underwear and I purchase myself something small..these come from Santa.  Then our stockings tend to have candy in them.

mxt0133

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2015, 10:09:46 PM »
With regards to toys my relative give enough to my kids that I don't even bother.  This year my middle child will get brand new socks and underwear.  I feel bad that most of his clothes are hand me downs from my oldest which were also hand me downs in the first place.  For my oldest I think he's old enough to understand about being grateful and focus on giving instead of getting.  So this year I will be looking for volunteering activities and ask him how we can give back.  Well see how that goes this year.

lbmustache

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2015, 10:15:12 PM »
We get each kid 4 things.
something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
so my 4 year old is getting a bike, bike helmet, boots and a new book.

I really like this!  I do not have kids, but may have to use this in the future.

I love this idea!

lizzzi

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2015, 06:06:10 AM »
Grandkids: The eight-year-old girl: A 2015 Holiday Barbie. A big book of poetry.
                 Six and five-year-old boys: Each gets a Pokemon action figure and a DK brand Star Wars sticker book.
                 (One book is regular Star Wars, the other is Lego Star Wars.)

Showed gifts to my daughter to make sure all is acceptable and that I'm not duplicating anything.

SomedayStache

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2015, 10:26:30 AM »
We get each kid 4 things.
something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
so my 4 year old is getting a bike, bike helmet, boots and a new book.

I try to do this.  But in addition I want my children to get to pick something out for their siblings (so the two boys get to pick a gift for their sister - it's not one to one), and then there are santa gifts in addition.  It still ends up being too much and my notes from last year were "FEWER TOYS!"

Malum Prohibitum

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2015, 10:36:18 AM »
Those of you with younger kids, what are you getting them this year?  Always looking for new and fun ideas. Ours are all getting new bikes, some sports equipment, a couple of board games, books, and some other random requests. Looking for some other "outside the box" ideas.

Our Christmas has been a little different for a couple years now.  The boys are getting a basketball goal, which is a normal sort of gift, but everybody in the family makes something.  Just as a for instance, one boy is making the other boy, who loves to play chess, a chess set.  The board is glass, and he is etching in the squares.  Basically, they will be white and clear.  The pieces are made of nuts and bolts. 

I was worried when I introduced this to the family, but they love it.  The boys are excited every year, and they like it so much they start planning it for the next year as soon as Christmas is over.

Bee21

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2015, 02:58:43 PM »
are you guys all minimalists? :)

Kids are 4&6.

So far i spent 60$ ( used the supermarket reward car): over the door puppet theatre ( they got the puppets last year), 15$, badminton set10$, set of 4 princess dolls (15), 2 board games from the outlet. They are also getting mini surfboards, these will be probably bought the day before. I already gave them the xmas craft book, to keep them busy. Will probably get them a xmas craft kit as well.

The stockings will have mandarines, peanuts (family tradition), mini sunscrean, bubble bath, kiddie bandaids (last year they were a huge hit!), hair detangling spray, toothpaste.

I think they are getting pool toys from the grandparents and i asked for a book series from my sister in law.

With their birthdays before and after xmas, i think this will be enough.

We have to put up the damn tree today and pull out the decorations.

Malum Prohibitum

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2015, 10:27:51 AM »
are you guys all minimalists? :)
  Looks like you are spending less than me.  Have you seen the price of basketball goals?

mm1970

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2015, 11:14:09 AM »
We get each kid 4 things.
something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.
so my 4 year old is getting a bike, bike helmet, boots and a new book.
I just found out about this thing this year, so this is what we are doing.

So, 9 yo: probably a game, journal, pair of jeans, new book
3 yo: ??, socks, 1 pair pants, and ??  Not sure about book, he doesn't read yet.

JZinCO

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2015, 11:18:20 AM »
I don't have kids but have nieces/nephews. I am giving them crocheted animals (made by the gf) with matching plaques of the animals. the plaques were by drawing the crocheted animals, illustrating using GIMP and then transferring inkjet prints to wood.

gaja

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #15 on: December 12, 2015, 11:40:44 AM »
Each kid gets one or two gift from us parents, and a couple more from aunts, uncles and grandparents. There is still a big enough pile under the christmas tree.

Girls, 8 and 9. So far I know they'll get:
Grandfather: fishing rod and life vests
Grandmother: probably clothes
Great aunt: pencil cases
Parents: dictionary for the oldest, book on how to draw manga for the youngest.
From each other: probably something cuddly, a teddy bear or something like that.

mm1970

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #16 on: December 13, 2015, 03:53:47 PM »
I don't have kids but have nieces/nephews. I am giving them crocheted animals (made by the gf) with matching plaques of the animals. the plaques were by drawing the crocheted animals, illustrating using GIMP and then transferring inkjet prints to wood.
I crocheted my younger child a turtle when he was a baby and he loves that thing.

So this year I decided to crochet "Private" the penguin from Penguins of Madagascar.  It's going pretty fast, and I just started.  But I forgot I don't have yellow/ orange for the beak.  Will need to stop by the craft store tomorrow (out by work).

Goldielocks

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #17 on: December 13, 2015, 04:20:21 PM »
OK, I think many of us parents are afraid of being 'shamed' for our very non mustachian christmas  plans with our kids.  Not many of us on this forum have posted yet...

I will go first with the extravagance.  Our Family income this year spiked up to just $200k.  We really noticed the extra cash and after maxing everything out, the money is still more than we are used to.   We (and especially DH) thinks that Christmas is the time to go big.  Birthdays, not much around here...so...  splash at Christmas, with people screeching in fun from stocking stuffers all day and chasing each other is what it is about...

2 Teenagers, husband....  (doesn't include nieces)

Skipants, matress foam topper, ski goggles, sailing PFD, sailing gloves, a new video game (what is that hot one out with a "4" in it?, 3d digital pen, Cycle Analyst V3 (for the new electical bike DH is building), leather belt...  and a whole ton of stocking stuffers from "Wish" on-line (chinese buy site).  Fun, cheap, disposable items that will hit the trash in a year....   e.g costume jewelery, fake tattoo sleeves, digital star projector, journal, cell phone power pack, t-shirt, waterproof bags for cellphones, flipflops,etc.  Most wish items are $2-$5 each plus shipping and take 4+ weeks to arrive.  This is my DH's dream of a Christmas.

For our parents, we simply are donated a good sum to their chosen charity, with the kids helping to select which programs the funds would be directed too.  We have also bought the whole family tickets to the Pops symphony for their 50th wedding anniversay next week.  Mostly it is about time together... but 50 years married deserved a bit more acknowledgement, we think.

Merry Christmas.


MsPeacock

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2015, 05:22:14 AM »
They each get one big present, one medium present, and then some clothes, a couple small things, stocking stuffers.

Big present for 8 year old is a decent drum machine that was about $150medium gift was an Xbox game.

Big present for 12 year old is a pair of Beats or Dr Dre or some thing expensive headphones. About $100. Medium gift was an Xbox game.

They both get two packages of underwear, two packages of socks, two pairs of pants, a shirt, and a hoodie. Santa brought the undies, socks, and some body wash this year. Small stuff includes some used books, used musco CDs, a wallet, and iPad case, $10 gift cards to Starbucks (big kid) and Xbox gold (little kid).

Sticking stuffers are mostly candy, toothbrush, deodorant, gloves for the dollar store, etc. 

formerlydivorcedmom

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2015, 02:36:14 PM »
The only time we give our kids (6 ,8, 10) toys is at their birthdays and Christmas.  They still haven't figured out that they get pretty much the same things from us every year.

One Lego set each (they play Legos almost every day)
Two books (from the used bookstore)
Pajamas & slippers
Something off their Christmas list

10-year-old is getting art supplies (canvasses and paints), purchased half-off at the craft store.  8-year-old is getting a video game she really wants.  Husband has been watching the sales for three months to get it cheapest.  6-year-old is getting an Animal Planet dragon.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: What are you getting your kids for Christmas?
« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2015, 07:16:56 PM »
Haven't totally worked it all out yet, especially because my mom is sending more $$, but this is what I have in mind so far for my two boys, ages 3 and 4:

a cookbook and homemade aprons
storage for art supplies (probably also some new supplies, too)
Star Wars underpants
Possibly a kid-sized table and chairs
Little Brother may get a new water bottle; Big Brother was going to get a backpack, but they are backordered
Possibly swim lessons

Stockings: candy, Scotch tape for Big Brother (he loves the stuff), bath things like maybe bubble bath and bathtub markers or something, one small stuffed animal each (blame Mr. FP), bubbles

Not adhering strictly to the rule of 4, partly because a lot of their presents are for sharing and I'm not buying any toys (that's what grandparents are for). And they don't need any clothes except undies, so I'm not buying any.

Probably the best present was the time I found a giant bag of mixed Lincoln Logs at a consignment sale for $6.