Who's doing their Christmas shopping already?

stayawake

stayawake

New member
I am in a place where I kind of hate hate toys right now - my kids are 4 and 2, and all we do is trip over toys that are just pulled off the shelves and not really played with. Most have gone into 'storage' and the kids are much happier for it. (okay, so we've kept out the balls, wooden blocks, board games, puzzles and the playsilks)....

So I'm racking my brain to think of some non-toy gifts for my kids this year. STRESSFUL! if I only had a US shipping address it would be easy, but nope, most retailers won't ship to Canada! Anyway...

I'm doing most of my shopping for friends and family on Etsy this year (nearly finished!)

Who else is doing their Christmas shopping now? What have you found that's awesome? What are you struggling to find??
 
Well, I'm done w/my shopping now. I don't have kids, but nieces & nephews. The gift for them that I'm most excited about is, I got my almost 3 year old niece a LeapFrog TAG JR. reading system!!
 
I'm just starting...hubby and I have been making a list.

I definitely understand what you mean about the toys...Rachel is 4 and we are tripping over stuff all the time.
We are getting rid of alot of toys (donating them), and are only planning to buy her educational things. Well, ok, except for one ballerina doll (she just started ballet and is so into dance right now). I think this year she is getting an art easel, a kids camera or computer (DH's old one...equipped w/pre-K games), a movie, and some clothes. That's the plan anyway.
 
Books are the best gifts!! I always made a point to give my kids books every year. I also cleaned out the toys and donated them to needy kids every year bfore christmas because we have large families on both sides and my kids always got lots of toys for christmas
 
Well this is the first year that my kids (age 11 and 15) haven't asked for ANY "toy" items at all. It's a weird feeling!

My 15 year old just wants cash, so he makes my shopping easy. LOL

For my 11 year old, I'm mostly done. She's getting a new bedding set, a pair of yellow converse that she's been dying for, a case for her ipod, and 2 t-shirts that she specifically asked for. I still need to get her a couple of books and an itunes gift card.

Our big "family" gift is Rock Band 2 for the Wii.
 
I'm getting out kids their first pet (a big tank with lots of goldfish! I love love goldfish, and the kids have been asking for a pet fish forever), some books, a few board and card games because we play those a LOT, and 'craft supplies' which will be much appreciated. I'll be done shopping soon, I'm sure. :)
 
I've done some, we bought Amelia her mini Dell lappie, Rae a set of drums (ow my ears), and Benjamin his DSi and Devestator (Transformer). We picked up a few odds and ends too, but that's the big gifts and most expensive taken care of.

We also did not want any big toys, we just moved to a smaller house, and we can't fit what we have in here, never mind more.
 
I am finished shopping for my kids! I finished on Saturday! I am totally with you on hating toys, though! We are so in the same boat with having toys everywhere. I can't stand it either. lol.

My 4 year old boy loves robots and trains. So I got him an interactive robot and a train set and table. (along with a few movies and do-dads)
I had a tough time picking out baby toys for our 4month old because she has a lot of baby toys already. We saved all the baby toys from when our son was little, so she's inherited those... but I bought her a Jumperoo playstation and some other new baby toys.

I am so glad I'm done shopping for their gifts! I've never been done this early before!!! Yay!!!
 
me! we have an easel, a v-tech game, baby cub, dvds, and a school house pretend thing for DD who is 4.5.

for dd who is 3 we have a doll house, dvd, baby panda and dollhouse stuff.

both are getting walkie talkies and a piano.

dd#2 is getting a salon set for her birthday as well as a puppy in a purse.

What i did was take the LEarning Center catalog, the Toys R Us and the Target catalog and made lists.
 
I'm about 90% done actually! I have to buy a gift for my DH, order my ILs Shutterfly book which is already made, and stocking stuffers. That's it.
 
i'm going to start late as usual, lol probably end of this month/ beginning of December. except i have a $10 off coupon for THIS for Aidan. coupon expires on the 25th so i'm going to see where we are money wise and maybe get it now. i'm so excited! he's going to LOOOOOVE it!! the actual trains and track is separate and on sale for $37 right now and my local store has it in stock. i want to hurry before they are all gone. this is his main gift.

the girls, i'm not sure but i might get them a dollhouse. they can play together with it. this one comes with 13 pieces of furniture, unlike others that come with next to nothing and by the time you buy them you end ups spending this much anyway, lol.

they they'll probaby get some small stuff; movies, doll clothes, toy cars for Aidan. easy stuff. they don't need much. we dont usually shop for anyone else. i sometimes get my mom something, either homemade or a gift certificate; she usually gets the kids stuff too but sinces she's on unemployment and hasn't found work this year is tight for her.
 
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I'm getting there.

I'm about half-way done with hubby's gifts, I'm just having trouble with a Jelly Belly gift pack I want to put together for him.... Jelly Bellys (beyond a 10 or 20 assorment box) are hard to find in Canada.

About half-way with DD too, ordered some stuff from Sears (a pop up play hut) and I ordered some walkie talkies from a local toy store... need a few stocking stuffers then I'll probably be done with her.

Most extended family gifts are going to be hybrid things I make, that I'm behind on... lol, mostly because I'm checking out the forum here or wasting time on Facebook instead of scrapping/crafting... lol.

Brother-in-law and his family will get a Blockbuster GC with a box of movie night essentials (microwave popcorn, twizzlers, sour patch kids, and a few other things). Then they can have a Family Movie Night on us... :-)
 
I'm in the process!

Today at Target I picked up some Transformer sheets for DS#1 who is 5 and some Buzz Lightyear hat/gloves for DS#2. They will be happy with them because it is the "thing" they are into right now, but I'm happy because they aren't more toys!! Although they will be getting a couple of those I'm sure too. Just wish I could convince MIL to send non-noise making toys, she is notorious for those things and they always break a week later for some reason!!
 
I haven't even started - but I'm so with you on the toys issue. Books are always good - although we have too many of those too. Luckily both my kids are happy to get clothes - my youngest is happy as long as it's wrapped (she's 3), and my oldest have started to take more of an interest in what she's wearing (she's 7), so I'll probably get them one toy each - from santa - and the rest clothes and books.

Last year I told my parents not to get them any toys, but instead get boring things like woolly underwear, socks and gloves, and they didn't even notice that all the presents from them were boring - they got so much stuff anyway.

I think the kids have too much stuff, I remember when I was little we would get things like skis, skates or sledges for christmas and bikes and things like that for birthdays. Now they get all those things anyway, so there's not any big items (that won't clutter up the house) left for christmas!
 
I just got started! DD (5) saw a commercial for a hair salon vanity and she is SO SURE santa will be bringing it for her. It's kind of good - because this thing is cheaper than the princess ones. It's $49 bucks but the reviews are kind of sketchy...

DS is getting an electric ride-on car. We live in a cul-de-sac and the kids have them and ride them all the time. Plus, we have good weather almost year round for that stuff and it will get a TON of use (DD uses hers several times a week).

That's about it! DS loves Yo Gabba Gabba so I bought him a toy boom box, DD loves anything from the toy aisle, so the bits and pieces will be easy!
 
I've been completely done for a few weeks now! I have a mailing deadline since we live in Japan now! Plus we did Xmas in Aug before we said goodbye to family, that helped. But I shop all year anyway for everyone so I am always early!! Now if I could just find a great deal for printing my xmas cards then I'll be all set!!!!!!!!
 
another toy tripper here.

i picked up a leapfrog TAG for my 6yo and a phonics/letter game for my 2.5yo.

i asked my mom to get the 2.5yo a kitchen with food, and the older one is getting ds games.

no idea what else to get. on top of being broke, we have too much crap in this house as it is :/
 
I've picked up some board games last week when Target had them on sale. I have lists & I'm just waiting for the appropriate sales. Nothing they want is a hot ticket or hard to find so I'm not in any rush this time. Some electronic games & books mostly
 
I have barely started. My ds is only 3 and could care less plus we have toys everywhere. So I am only going to buy him a little bit this year. He is going to get 2 Thomas trains he really wants and they don't have in stores anymore (Sir Handel & Peter Sam), an electronic drum set (probably just a pad set, need to figure out what I can afford) and then Santa will stuff his stocking with socks, undies, bubble bath, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. Thats it. I do need to buy for my nieces and siblings yet though. And finish making stuff for my parents and grandparents.
 
I too am sooooo sick of toys!!! we love books and games here! They're fabulous. There are some fun educational games and things too.

We are just finishing up bdays (after tomorrow) and then I'll start with Christmas shopping!
 
laurabobaura said:
on top of being broke, we have too much crap in this house as it is :/
Click to expand...

word.


I have picked up a few things on sale so far, Little People set, I Spy Match up game, movie, Dora Bath Toy set, and some books. I will probably pick up a few more things for her girls, but not much. They have too many toys as it is.

I have started some button trees, and hybrid projects for some other gifts, and have my calendars and photobooks printed already :)
 
Haven't really even started thinking about it. Have no idea what to get the kids. They're not really into character things (well, Claire is into princesses, but that's it). We're not at all a gaming family (and DH doesn't want us to be). They really have all the toys they even like. I don't know what to get. Maybe new bikes. I dunno.
 
I did start...my son wants everything he happens to see on tv, in sales ads or at any birthday party we've gone too in the last month...so far i've gotten a few board games, a shake n go race car set, hot wheels, and dvds. He does want a violin but my sister is going to get that...

His birthday is next week and he's getting a Nintendo DS and who knows what else so I'll just wait until after to figure out what else I'll get...

Oh I'm so with you with the toys...I made my son donate some and that's still now enough...
 
Libby Weifenbach said:
Well this is the first year that my kids (age 11 and 15) haven't asked for ANY "toy" items at all. It's a weird feeling!

My 15 year old just wants cash, so he makes my shopping easy. LOL

For my 11 year old, I'm mostly done. She's getting a new bedding set, a pair of yellow converse that she's been dying for, a case for her ipod, and 2 t-shirts that she specifically asked for. I still need to get her a couple of books and an itunes gift card.

Our big "family" gift is Rock Band 2 for the Wii.
Click to expand...

Last year I freaked out my 15yo at Christmas...went shopping on ebay and bought him items for his room...Mario curtains, sonic dolls, etc. He had no idea and just about flipped when he saw it all! ...I just looked and somehow I didn't take pictures of that?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How can that be?
 
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