When someone asks what your kid wants, do you give them one idea? A bunch? Do you ask them what they got, so that you can fill in the holes?
DS1's Christmas list is super short, and it's all stuff that we would like for him to have, none of which is terribly expensive. SIL asked what he wanted, so if I send her more than one idea, I'd want to know what she got him so that I can get him the other things.
If there's something particular, we either create an Amazon wishlist or send a direct link to what they might like.
Otherwise we just let them wing it, which typically works out except for this year when my ILs bought the FUCKING GIGANTIC PLASTIC ROCKING HORSE for my son.
I always default to consumables. Like coloring books, crayons, construction paper, playdoh etc. He also loves that bath time play doh from LUSH so I ask for that often as well as new " season specific" toys like a new sled or little shovel for winter, or new pails and shovels for summer or a balls etc. He destroys his outside toys.
No joke, I had this in my Amazon cart and was going to order it for DH's birthday. But he saw it and cancelled it. He said it's too big for inside the house. I tried to convince him how funny it would be to fly it up to neighbour's windows but it didn't work. I told him he's ruining my life.
I very strongly considered this. He would LOVE it, and has been begging for a remote control lion (shark is close enough, right?). But then I read that we'd need to take it some place to get it inflated with helium.
Not a dumb question. It's something I struggle with too. My MIL (who I love!) tends to go overboard on the kids every Christmas because she has 2 older grandchildren that tend to ask for expensive things like iphones and ps3 players. Because she likes to be fair, she fills my kids gifts up with lots of junk. Every year she asks me what the kids want/need and I give her lists with pictures. These are things I KNOW they'll love and every year she gets NOTHING from the list. NOT ONE THING OUT OF 20 IDEAS.
It's frustrating because if I knew that, I'd buy it for them myself. This might sound ungrateful, but we really don't need a 3rd doctors kit or big blocks lego set. She doesn't do computers so Amazon lists are out.
I don't have an answer for you but I know how difficult it can be to plan your gifts around it. My H told me that I should just buy the items and then tell MIL she can give them to the kids and she'll pay us and wrap it herself. I don't think I like that idea either. I will continue to give her lists and just cross my fingers and be appreciative that she loves to be generous.
I usually go through a catalog to find gift ideas other than what I'm getting him. There are always new fun toys out there that I've never thought of before. I give a few suggestions.
I usually go through a catalog to find gift ideas other than what I'm getting him. There are always new fun toys out there that I've never thought of before. I give a few suggestions.
Oh dang, I used to love when the Christmas Catalogs from Sears & JC Penney would arrive when I was a kid. Seriously, HOURS were spent looking, circling, folding pages. LOL Damn, I feel old.
I usually go through a catalog to find gift ideas other than what I'm getting him. There are always new fun toys out there that I've never thought of before. I give a few suggestions.
Oh dang, I used to love when the Christmas Catalogs from Sears & JC Penney would arrive when I was a kid. Seriously, HOURS were spent looking, circling, folding pages. LOL Damn, I feel old.
I miss Sears catalogs too. Everything came from there! Now we get a million toy catalogs with names like "Heartsong" and "Mindspring" and it's really overwhelming.
Yes! I want a catalog. DS and I added things to his Amazon list together, so I think I'll just send the link and keep checking. That's exactly it, 8675309, I don't want 3 of the same things-- we don't have room for that (or money to buy him something last minute that he really wants, that no one else who asked, got for him).
Post by dragonfly08 on Nov 24, 2014 13:23:18 GMT -5
I've used an Amazon wish list in the past for family, at their request. It worked well for helping people buy stuff the girls really wanted/needed without duplicates. But I didn't put anything on there that DH and I planned to buy ourselves.
My girls have pretty limited lists most of the time, as well. I give one or two ideas to each person who asks, and they're all different. I save the real wants/needs for the people I know from experience will get what I suggest, like my mom and MIL. And I don't share any of the ideas I've planned as Hanukkah gifts. DH does his own thing for their Christmas gifts. Plus it helps that I have a bachelor uncle who hates shopping and *always* gives money with the intent that the kids go out after the holidays and buy anything they didn't get from someone else and still want. :-)
If there's something particular, we either create an Amazon wishlist or send a direct link to what they might like.
Otherwise we just let them wing it, which typically works out except for this year when my ILs bought the FUCKING GIGANTIC PLASTIC ROCKING HORSE for my son.
This is their way of telling you they would appreciate ideas. Just be happy they didn't get something noisy or something like magic sand.
My sil has her three little ones handwrite a list and takes a pic and sends it out. It is super cute to see all their crazy ideas and little kid handwriting and you get a good idea of stuff they would like. I am a fan.