What to Get for Christmas

I like to think in terms of giving kids experiences rather than things. Check out local theaters where there may be special performances or consider season tickets to some favorite events. One child might like special music lessons while another might like a sport camp experience and another might like yoga or dance or the chance to be part of a fishing tournament or a cooking class.

I remember my son's 11th birthday. My father lived several states away from us and never made special trips to attend one of his grandchildren's birthdays. So, he had never attended even one of my son's birthday parties. When I asked what he wanted for his birthday, he told me that the only thing he wanted was for his grandpa to come. I knew I could not make that happen due to my father's constraints, so we bought my son round trip flights to spend a week with Grandpa. It was probably the best birthday gift he ever received.

So, there are magazine subscriptions, computer programs, gifts certificates to movie theaters or arcades or science centers. If they have never taken a train ride to another town, you can get discounts when purchasing 5 or more train tickets for a family trip during the winter break. If you are near a river, there may be boat rides available as well.

I know a very sweet mother who found she had far too much to give her son at Christmas one year and knew that he had too much already. So, before he opened the gifts, he was told that he would get to choose three of them to keep and would also get to choose where he could donate the rest to children who had much less. That mother gave her son the gift of giving.

I the children are younger, they may not get as excited about a piece of paper that says they get to do something next month or even next week. So, keep in mind that the experience needs to happen pretty immediately for younger ones to understand they have received a gift.

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How about a membership to your local zoo or science or children's museum?

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I did not take time to read what everyone else wrote, which I am sure you have received some awesome ideas already...

Mine - How about taking the money you would have spent and doing a family day trip somewhere close. Somewhere you ahve thought about going to but never have. Or something like a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge during the dead of winter....

Also - I would have them help you pick up a Salvation Army Angel and by gifts for the angel, or the Shoe Box gifts for those in need....Show what it is like to give to others.

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That's when I would buy them things to expand what they already have. My kids don't get alot of new movies / games through the year, so I would get them each a couple of new movies & couple of games for their game systems (don't know if your kids have one). Or if they were into magnetix, knex, legos whatever, they would get an expansion set to one of those. To make the movies / games more interesting, sometimes I would put them in a basket with snacks for the movies, and memory cards or a new controller, if needed with the games. I would also at times buy them a "big" item together (game system, air hockey table, trampoline) & then just a few smaller items, so the money went to good use & not just "junk" that was going to in a corner in a few weeks. My kid always get a couple of outfits whether they need them or not, even at the age of 10 & 15, just so they realize clothes are okay for a gift. I've also bought them things like kids baking sets for REAL baking, as they loved to help me in the kitchen. I don't know the age range girl / boy, but craft sets of things they can make & maybe give as gifts later, or jewelry they can wear. I think they make these things for ages 3 - adult. Hopefully, this will help you come up with some ideas to run with.

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maybe some books or board games the whole family can play. I'm going through the same thing why buy more stuff when they don't really need anything another idea is to maybe get something new for there rooms.

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how old? boy or girl?

I know how you feel. My boys have about 100 transformers, but what does my oldest want for Christmas? Transformers. My husband has the rule that if a toy comes into the house one must go out. I have been lax about this rule & now we are overwelmed with toys.
The first thing I would do is get a box & have the kids put toys in it that they don't want or are willing to give away. Then take it to a women's shelter or orphanage (if they exist any more) or even a church near by. It is a great way to give & know that the items will make another child very happy.
We need to clean out our toys before Christmas before more toys come in.
Sorry that I don't have any gift ideas.

God bless!

I would think about heirloom quality hardback books. Like Bible stories or Disney collections. YOu can read them to them now and then they can keep them and pass them down to their children.
I also love the membership idea. We have them for our zoo and childrens museum. YOu could even set it up so that each kid unwraps a beanie babie of their favorite animal and then together they unwrap the membership.

I don't know how old you kids are, but I just recently got a crayola digital camera for my 4 year old and she loves it. She takes it every where, to take pictures (some of them are REALLY good). We load on the computer and print her favs!
Also, a company called www.sweatpea3.com makes a kid friendly mp3 player. You can load kid music and stories - it's awesome for car rides.
One last thing, my parents always get my kids "lessons." Gymboree, Swimming, pay for basketball registration, music...etc. It last long after Christmas and they usually wrap up something taht represents the lesson - new swim trunks, basketball or something like that.

Good Luck!

I'd think of possible "hobby" interests and go with that. Reading, photography, baking, drawing, etc. You can also do cards to do stuff like to the zoo or tunnel town etc.

I don't know where you live, but you could do a membership to the zoo, Magic House, Botanical Gardens, or other place they enjoy going. Also, you could look into book clubs or magazines for each of their ages--my 2 year old looks forward to getting his "magazine" (Wild Animal Baby) each month, and we'll be getting him a subscription to Highlights High 5 for Christmas. Best of luck!

We actually did the Great Wolf Lodge idea and a fabulous time was had by all. If I were to do it again, I'd have something under the tree (ya gotta unwrap something!!) like new beach towels/flip flops for them to take to GWL, or a certificate worth $10.00 in tokens for the arcade.

If you can find a mini Christmas tree, it might be fun to take it and plug it in in your room as a reminder of their "gift".

If you have never been there, you can take your own snacks into the water park. They do frown on it, so use discretion.

You've received some really great ideas! Have fun and Merry Christmas!

My best advice would be to do gift cards or certificates for places they love to go, such as Monkey Joe's (my kids got these last year and were SO excited!), Chuck E. Cheese, the movie theater, McDonald's, etc. I don't know if places like Magic House, Butterfly House, etc. do gift cards, but you could always do certificates of your own on the computer if they don't. This is a great way to let them know that they are gonna get out of the house, go someplace fun and get to spend time with you all at the same time. It's also a great way to budget for these family outings instead of having to come up with the funds whenever you decide to go. I understand what you're going through, as my kids also have way too many toys, so good luck, and happy holidays!

Try books. or try to get them into a hobby like start gazing & get a telescope so the whole family can join in.

I always over do it on toy's and gifts in general but instead of toy's books are great,bedding new sheets new comforter,towels,boots,coloring books, movies.

I understand your problem!! We have started giving special lessons ie private swim, gymnastics, tennis or whatever they might be interested in. We have also done special days --trip to Monkey bizness (bounce and climb place) and then finish with meal and rides at Zonkers! (Indoor amusement park rides) Maybe think about activities or a fun day out!

How about giving them experiences. Like a movie night (or day) at the theaters. A day at Monkey Business or pump it up. Then you can give little gifts with it like for the movies a thing of M&Ms or something along those lines.

Wow! You have already received some awesome ideas. I too am the mother of four and toys seem to inhabit every area of the house. Kids though do really enjoy getting toys though so I would suggest the following: let each child make a list of his/her top three toy choices. You and your spouse choose one from each child's list. Another idea someone gave me a few year's back was to give each child three gifts: 1) an item that the child had requested, 2) an article of clothing, and 3) a book.
You are smart to plan ahead! I have to do the same when the holidays approach because in addition to Christmas, all four of our boys have birthdays within 30 days of Christmas! Have a great day and best of luck!

Since you haven't posted their ages it is difficult to make suggestions but if you have several that are of similar ages a board game that can be played as a family, age appropriate books that they might enjoy, puzzles that can be done as a family, do they have particular hobbies? Hobby Lobby, Michaels, even Walmart all carry art kits that come with multiple projects that keep kids busy and are fun. Stocking stuffers can be found at the dollar store that are not toys can be hair pretties for girls or as they get older bubble bath, there are also bath crayons that you can write on the wall of the bath tub with and colored shave cream. How about teaching your children the joy of giving by adopting a less fortunate family to provide Christmas for this year? Hoping your holidays are healthy and happy.
B.

I would suggest books or magazines subcriptions as an alternative to toys. National Wildlife Federation and Cricket magazines are available for multiple age levels and they have somehthing to look forward to throughout the year. Craft and art materials are also available.

C A

You could also redo the kids' rooms. My sister and her husband also had 4 kids and they painted each kids rooms a few days before Christmas (the kids weren't allowed to go in their rooms for a few days) and bought new comforters, curtains, etc. for those rooms that needed them. Christmas morning each of the rooms had a bow on it and the kids were able to see their new rooms!

Well, I try to box up our old toys and either donate them to Goodwill/Salvation Army in time to process for Christmas or to organize a toy swap with other kids...

As for the "more toys" I'm convincing my brood to skip Chistmas gifts in lieu of a trip to Disney...so far everyone is game (that includes a 5 & 6 yr old). They agree that they have toys they never even play with...Santa will probably deliver a stocking of some small stuff (because frankly we still believe and it's nice to keep the tradition)...but we really don't need anything else. At least this will be a memory that they will talk about for a long time to come....

If you don't want to do something as big as Disney or some other tropical destination (which I have to say Hawaii at Christmastime is REALLY awesome and surreal!) then why not do something like Great Wolf Lodge? It'll probably have a lot of other families too but at least if the kids get tired of swimming you have Legends across the way and can go hit the movies! :) Good luck!