Need Christmas Ideas!!

Clear out everything she's out grown, worn out or doesn't wear much.
Same thing with books and toys.
At this age craft kits become popular for gifts.
With a quick knit loom she can make scarves, hats, all kinds of things and relatives can get her different yarns for it.

I would suggest consumable things like art supplies, or experiences - like tickets to an event or museum, or a gift card to a special place to go to lunch.

Bless you and them for having plenty and for being generous. Begin with purging what she already has to make room for the more that might be coming. At 8, she is capable of making a list of what she wants & needs. I think Christmas gifts and gifting in general is about creating joy, a bit of whimsy, and going beyond needs to the place of whimsy and desire.

think of the gift of the magi.

that said, maybe a membership, a set of rollerblades, new games for her system, an i-tunes gift card, art/ karate classes.

best to you and yours,
F. B.

Membership for the zoo, the YMCA, museum. Lessons in martial arts, dance, music, skating, cooking. Gift certificates for amusement park, water park, movie theatre. Tickets for live theatre, orchestra, ballet, sporting events, concert. Gift cards for her favourite clothing store, iTunes cards, restaurant gift cards. New bedding for her room, camping equipment (sleeping bag, lantern, flashlight, pocketknife), fishing equipment, skates, toboggan.

Zoo pass
Movie Tickets
small shelving unit for her room so she can organize
Craft supplies
A certificate to a place in your town where she can have a tea party with
her friends
Music for her iPod

How about experiential presents,like a gift certificate for going to a 'paint your own pottery' place or a workshop/lesson on something she's interested in?

Art/beading/crafting supplies come to mind. Oh, you are here in Portland! What about an OMSI membership everyone could go in on? Or the zoo? It's more fun with a membership because shorter trips are a snap with the MAX and you can visit during the last bit of ZooLights for the year. Columbia Art Supply in 20th and Burnside is great for any budding artists (gift cert.) or if she's more inclinded, what about a gift cert. to Fabric Depot,out on 122nd and Stark? I LOVE that place and she might find fabric for re-vamping her room as well as tons of notions/project kits. I remember being 8 years old and loving that sort of thing.

Money for college and experiences (memberships to museums, zoos, camps, art classes, etc.). Art kits...once you do them they are used up. The same with art supplies. But let your daughter get some toys too. That will make her happy. Go through her things with her and pick out some stuff she does not play with anymore to give away.

I read an article in Family Circle yesterday (the newest issue just came in the mail) in it the story on the last page was about christmas. something the mom and dad told the kids was to make there christmas lists and it should be

Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read. and thats it. We will be doing this this year with our grandkids.

A previous poster suggested going through her clothing and her toys and getting rid of / donating all the outgrown stuff and toys. Its a good idea. Maybe she is ready for a new bedroom set (comforter / sheets / curtains etc) this would be good gifts. maybe she wants to go somewhere that they could get tickets / passes for. does she like to dance / play a sport / do a hobby. all of those things are great for the holidays. and no you should not say nothing.

If they live nearby, vouchers for fun, memory building activities could be cool.

Before Christmas arrives, clean out unused/outgrown/unneeded things.
Do it with your daughter, and explain why.
It is like "spring cleaning."
I do that with my kids and its not a problem.

What about opening an education account for your daughter and asking for money toward college, as well as a list of stocking stuffer ideas - ie small gift for now, plus an investment in her future?

Restaurant gift cards. She can be dropped off with a friend for a meal.

I think it would be great to have your daughter go through her things with you and you decide what you would like to donate in advance of Christmas. The clothes she could take to the homeless shelter. The books and toys she could take to a children's hospital or headstart. Just let her know that because she is very blessed and because on Christmas she will be blessed again, not only from you but from family who loves her very, very much, you are going to pay in forward by blessing others and you want to try to give a certain percentage away. Let her do it with your things, too. Don't just do her room but go around the house and get everyone's outgrown or redundant clothing, books, movies, games and such and make it a holiday tradition.

I just sent my kids list to my family today, and here is what my 10 year old put on her list of wishes:

Lia Sophia *
Pampered Chef *
iPad *
American Girl Doll (or gift card towards her buying her own)
iPhone
iTunes gift card
Computer
iPod case
Game of Life Fame (Newest version of the game life – boardgame)
Moccasins (she saw some she liked at Old Navy)
Just Dance 4 (Xbox Kinnect) *
Wipeout (Xbox Kinnect)
Claire’s Eyeshadow (The Eyes Have It, 100 Well)
Claires Beauty and Brains Make-up Kit
Clothes (size 12)
• She likes anything Paris themed.

The kids get 3 gifts from Santa (like the 3 wiseman gifts), a few small things from us, and stockings. Then from us their big gift is a surprise trip. Last year it was a cruise, this year it is Myrtle Beach.

My family always goes overboard on gifts...which is part of the reason my husband and I decided to give them trips instead of things...after last year they said it was a tradition they wanted to continue on with. Hopefully it is something they will want to continue even when they are older, but we'll see!

First of all, ask her what she wants. She may have something that she really wants but for whatever reason she hasn't told you yet. I didn't realize my younger daughter was still into stuffed animals until she told me yesterday that she'd like to get some for Christmas. Second, look at her interests and then search for that topic on Amazon (you can buy them elsewhere if you like, but it's a good way to see what's out there). My older daughter is really into Dr. Who right now, so I did a search for that on Amazon and came up with tons of ideas! There are hundreds of things I could get her just on that one topic. She's also into music, specifically guitar and piano, and science so I searched for all of those topics and found tons more stuff. For my younger daughter, I entered in her favorite animal and got more options. One thing my kids have liked is a product call wallies. They're like giant plastic-y stickers that you can put your walls, but when you get bored of them, you can peel them right off without ruining the paint. They're a fun way of decorating their rooms without scotch tape or making holes in the wall and when they outgrow horses or cats or Harry Potter, we'll get them new ones in something they love at that time. Also, even though she has a lot of clothes, go through her wardrobe with her and pull out anything that doesn't fit anymore or that she doesn't like, and you may find she doesn't have as much as you thought and could use a few key pieces. I also always get my girls some books and/or a gift card to a book store and we go through the books they have and donate the ones they no longer want. Finally, just take her to the mall (under the ruse that you're looking for something specific, if you need to) and just pay attention to what she picks up or says she likes.

I think it's always a good time for kiddo to have some input. I am sure there are things she'd like. She's old enough to know what she wants.

Also, let her have the option of reducing her possessions during this time. Many people just can't afford to shop for new items. Perhaps you can find a FB page for your area where people give away items for free or sell gently used items. She can tell you what she wants to give away, or sell for a greatly reduced price, and she can help some other child have a great Christmas.

It's also fall, and I imagine pretty cool where you are, so each time you do laundry aren't you sorting out summer items? Clothes that are too small? I don't have a full winter wardrobe on hand for the kids even though I do have some larger sizes they will grow in to. SO start sorting her clothing out and remove stuff that will not fit her next year. Take out all the stuff that's too small for her this winter. If it's just the right size right now she needs to be wearing it and Christmas gifts can fill in the stuff you get rid of.