Christmas Gifts for the Kids (1 Viewer)

[chkmte]

So earlier this year my wife and I boxed up a number of the boys' toys dropped them off at the local DAV thrift-store. Frankly, it was pretty ridiculous the amount of stuff we just gave away - but it was just sitting there, untouched and unused. Needless to say, my boys don't really need anything (that I can think of). My wife and I are of the same mind that we don't want to by them more toys that will in short-order, end up sitting in a box, unused or even broken.

Yet, we can't just get them nothing for Christmas. They are two and five years old...and expecting Santa to come and bring them gifts. So, what to do? I've been thinking about it and I really, truly have zero good ideas - besides ordering a bunch of crap (like we just gave away).

Surely I'm not alone. Who has had these very thoughts and what did you do?

~ Tim

 

[arch3r]

Poker chips? Never too early to have your first set.

Edit:

@WedgeRock like this post - so why do I fell like this will be quoted in the Out of Context thread? (n) :thumbsdown:

 

[Klobberer]

Quality children's books. You can save them for the grandkids.

 

[v1pe]

Oops, you did say ages.

They are a little young, but I've always liked gifts like Legos for our kids. Stuff they can be creative with and really have endless playability. Plus, the more you add on to them, the more cool things you can make and the more creative you can get.

This year we are getting our kids a large "QBA maze" marble maze set.

 

[chkmte]

Quality children's books. You can save them for the grandkids.

Not a bad idea - but we've got probably a hundred plus books already. When you say 'quality', what are you referring to exactly? Thanks for your input.

 

[chkmte]

Ages?

2.5 and 5.5

 

[v1pe]

For reference, my kids are 8/6/4/1.

Because we got my oldest interested in Legos at an early age, the other kids have pretty much followed along. We originally got them started on Duplos.

 

[CraigT78]

We've always done it this way. Something they need, something to read, and something they want.

Mine are all teens, except the 10 year old, and it works well to keep the "excess" down.

 

[arch3r]

So earlier this year my wife and I boxed up a number of the boys' toys dropped them off at the local DAV thrift-store. Frankly, it was pretty ridiculous the amount of stuff we just gave away - but it was just sitting there, untouched and unused.

My wife and I are of the same mind that we don't want to by them more toys that will in short-order, end up sitting in a box, unused or even broken.

Yet, we can't just get them nothing for Christmas. They are two and five years old...and expecting Santa to come and bring them gifts. So, what to do? I've been thinking about it and I really, truly have zero good ideas - besides ordering a bunch of crap (like we just gave away).

Been there, done that. I was convinced that my kids were the most spoiled rotten kids in the world with the amount of useless plastic shit they got for Xmas year after year. I think that is why they had 8 hot wheels race sets, every nerf weapon ever created and a gazillion legos (yes they have that many - I counted them ). When they got older, it was all about the video games.

Now that my youngest 2 are 18, it'll be clothes, maybe 1 video game or two ( they want the new SmashBros on the Switch ) and then gift cards.

But now I have nephews who I have to buy for. For them I look for more educational gifts. Got this for them last year ( https://www.amazon.com/Snap-Circuit...8-1-spons&keywords=kid+circuit+building&psc=1 )

 

[davin]

So earlier this year my wife and I boxed up a number of the boys' toys dropped them off at the local DAV thrift-store. Frankly, it was pretty ridiculous the amount of stuff we just gave away - but it was just sitting there, untouched and unused. Needless to say, my boys don't really need anything (that I can think of). My wife and I are of the same mind that we don't want to by them more toys that will in short-order, end up sitting in a box, unused or even broken.

Yet, we can't just get them nothing for Christmas. They are two and five years old...and expecting Santa to come and bring them gifts. So, what to do? I've been thinking about it and I really, truly have zero good ideas - besides ordering a bunch of crap (like we just gave away).

Surely I'm not alone. Who has had these very thoughts and what did you do?

~ Tim

Take them to Disneyland

 

[colter ripton]

Just get them a bunch of useless shit they dont need. That's what christmas is for. Lol

 

[WedgeRock]

Yours are probably a little too young, but we had my kids sponsor foster kids this year, with a portion of the costs theoretically coming from their gift allotment. All 3 we're remarkably generous and it really brought home to each of them how much they have.

As they get older, gifts on their want list get more expensive....

 

[Klobberer]

Not a bad idea - but we've got probably a hundred plus books already. When you say 'quality', what are you referring to exactly? Thanks for your input.

Just decent hard covers of classics. Dr. Seuss, Where the wild things are...anything that'll stand the test of time. Anything that your kids are interested in. You'll never go wrong reading to your kids! Keep what you like, pass on the rest.

 

[Amish Rabbi]

It's nephews but I always buy them something they have to build or is for outside. I've found things like customization toy cars that you modify with an allen wrench ect. It's still stuff but at least its creative

 

[Slick51o]

For reference, my kids are 8/6/4/1.

Because we got my oldest interested in Legos at an early age, the other kids have pretty much followed along. We originally got them started on Duplos.

This, my five year old is obsessed with Legos, so my 3 year old is obsessed with Legos, so it's mostly Legos this year. Last year was Imagenix super heroes mostly I believe.

2.5 and 5.5

5.5, is he playing little league or going to? Last year my oldest got a mitt, tee and a bat because he was starting. That worked out pretty well.

 

[Darson]

We do two sets of gifts, the stuff under the tree from us (big presents) and what magically appears in the stocking from Santa (candy and other small things). Now that they're 10 and 12, they know it's all us but we still do the split.

Take them to Disneyland

This what we're doing this year. We're going to California and taking them to Disney and Universal and we've told them that this is their big present. We're still doing stockings and have gotten small stuff for that (t-shirts, Harry Potter scarves, chocolates etc).

 

[chkmte]

So @v1pe , we got Lego's covered...and blocks, and Lincoln Logs and stacking toys, etc. My oldest isn't really into sports. He's more into dance and mime stuff right now. He may be destined for the stage. I went ahead and got him a few quality 'magic tricks' to do. He's kinda into that too.

As for a trip like @davin mentioned, that's a great idea. However, to load up my mother-in-law, wife, myself and two boys and hop on a plane ain't happenin'. It's just too expensive to fly everyone, plus my two year old gets tired when traveling and that's no fun. Plus our schedules...on and on. Not to mention that two kids that age probably aren't going to understand a trip - at least on Christmas morning. They want to tear in to some packages.

Love the suggestions though folks!

 

[Ellasdaddy]

Been there, done that. I was convinced that my kids were the most spoiled rotten kids in the world with the amount of useless plastic shit they got for Xmas year after year. I think that is why they had 8 hot wheels race sets, every nerf weapon ever created and a gazillion legos (yes they have that many - I counted them ). When they got older, it was all about the video games.

Its always good to know you’re not alone in the world... we have thought the same thing, til we realized that most kids mindlessly ask for things throughout the year, but we were the dummies dropping serious coin to buy all the tiny plastic nonsense. My kids are 6.5 and 2.5 and this xmas we curbed spending a bit but still picked up a lot of gifts. My son loves playsets and figures so he got Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and Justice League sets. And just discovered Legos. My daughter loves performing now and recently discovered telling jokes and magic, so she got joke books and a big magic set, among many other things. Her uncles back a truck of educational gifts up for her like Osmo, board games and book anthologies. She steered clear of video games this year because we play so many, so often.

Santa’s bringing them both a shared load of Play Doh and tools. The Santa gift comes in a huge old timey mail sack addressed from the NP.

One thing we’ve been happy about is telling our daughter from the start that Santa brings her the 1 gift she asks for when she meets him and then fills her stocking, but me and mom buy her everything else. She’s always conscious of how much she gets because she knows mom and dad try hard to get her everything. Next year, we’re taking her to buy and bring toys to a hospital or shelter for the first time. Its time.