Holiday Gift Ideas

[twinmomma]

I've been thinking about how I need to get my holiday shopping started sooner rather than later. 

I typically get 90% of my shopping done on Black Friday when I go out with my mom and sister. That's obviously off the table this year, so I'm going to be relying on online ordering. 

If anyone finds good ideas, share away! 

[twinmomma]

I'm currently eyeing the Super Mario World Lego kit. Looks fun/different.

[186momx]

-I'm leaning towards getting the Harry Potter Lego advent calendar.
-I'm very interested in the Aldi's wine advent calendar but no Aldi's near me so I'm hoping one of our grocery store chains does something similar.
-Our tablet is dying so need to replace that too soon. I'm hoping it can wait until December.

[mae0111]

I’ve already got Nintendo Switches put away for Christmas.

We are also possibly getting a puppy in December. December in Nee England is a SUPER time to get a puppy 🙄

I’m also eyeing LEGO sets. DD2 loves the LEGO friends series, and DD1 loves Harry Potter. A few new Harry Potter sets just came out so maybe she will get one for her birthday and one for Christmas?

I’m getting my parents a bunch of gift cards. After reviewing their financials, they’ve got a shortfall for about 6 months due to the way their investments are structured. They love takeout. I will get them takeout.

After painstakingly choosing really nice gifts for my ILs for the past several years and getting nothing in return, I’m not shopping for them again. Bah humbug.

[k3am]

We are last minute shoppers. DD has her eye on a Harry Potter LEGO set as well. DS would be happy with just about anything that isn't a hand me down from his sister.

DH on the other hand.. yikes.

We still also have to figure out what we're doing for Christmas this year.

[twinmomma]

Sept 23, 2020 11:18:43 GMT -5 k3am said:

We still also have to figure out what we're doing for Christmas this year.

Ya, our Christmas is going to be... interesting. We'll either be fresh into a new house or beau and son will be fresh into this house. It's the first time I won't have the kids overnight on Christmas Eve, but I think we have beau's son for the night. And ExH refuses to even put up a tree or do anything remotely fun around the holidays, so the kids are already freaking out about spending Christmas Eve there. (They both still believe in Santa)

Buying gifts is the 1 thing I can definitively control right now. So I'm going all in on that for now.

[mae0111]

Add me to the list of "what are we doing for Christmas". I believe my parents will travel to see my sister, and my ILs don't travel for Christmas Day. We don't travel for the day either - just local travel. So maybe I will have my other sister and her family here? Or maybe we will have a weird COVID Christmas with just us?

[hermione]

My 2nd grader wants her own laptop. Normally that would be a hard no but we are actually considering it just so she isn't always asking to play Minecraft on the PC we are often using to work.

I just ordered fun vinyl stickers for the as-yet-unpurchased-laptop so I guess it's happening.

[mellym]

I've started shopping and lists too. We are getting the Friends Lego Advent calendars for the two oldest kids.

Here are ideas for DD1 and DD2
- Hoverboard
- Switch Games - Animal Crossing
- Ripstik
- All the arts and crafts for the winter - Dot markers, plastic eyeballs, pipe cleaners, sticker books
- Lego sets
- Bug nets for catching frogs

DD3 - Struggling with her being the third girl and we have all the toys
- Our Generation Doll? One that comes with the dog maybe. Is she too young for this? She's really into babies...
- Bug nets for catching frogs
- Magnet books

We are finishing the basement so will probably get something for that for ourselves (like all the appliances, lol). We still have the kids shop for each of us so that's always fun and sweet on Christmas morning.

[sdlaura]

I think I’ll steal all of your recommendations for Harry Potter legos for DD. The hardest to buy for in our family is DS2, since he gets passed down all of his older siblings’ toys.

My family (parents and sister’s family) is all planning to visit at thanksgiving and we’re planning to do a beach photo session with the family photographer we use. She’s $$$, so that will probably be my gift to extended family, besides a few small things.

We’re used to spending Christmas alone since we’re the ones who moved to the opposite coast. We have flights booked to Hawaii for 12/26, but will likely cancel and go somewhere more local as a trip. The kids’ schools/preschool/daycare are all closed for two weeks, so we have to go somewhere so that we don’t go crazy.

[waverly]

I got DH an apple watch which he insisted on having already because his Fitbit died (eyeroll). My mom got one too (combo birthday and Christmas which I split with my sister).

I was thinking about those Lego advent calendars and Harry Potter Legos for me. Great minds think alike.

[186momx]

sdlaura, our plan was to go to Hawaii in lieu of gifts this year but COVID. DD is beyond bummed and now asking for all $$$ items she can think of. I'm letting her make the list and then will talk to her later about expectations.

[supertrooper1]

I had been wanting to make vanilla extract for several years but beans were just too cost prohibitive. Costco had vanilla beans in stock the last time I was there so I pick up some and have the bottles. Now I just need to get some vodka and actually make it.

I want to find a Nintendo Switch for DS.

[sdlaura]

TTMA Nintendo Switches. I gather they are hard to find? I would probably need one for both of my older kids or major fights would ensue. What do I need to know about them? Any required accessories or popular games? My older kids are an 8-year-old girl and almost 7-year-old boy.

[twinmomma]

sdlaura, The regular Nintendo Switch can be used handheld or docked to the TV for multiplayer games, just like other game systems. The Switch Lite is only a handheld, like the newer version of a DS or a Gameboy.
My kids have both. They leave the regular Switch docked at Dad's house because it's a pain to disconnect all the cords and pack it up constantly. But they bring the switch lite back and forth and just take turns.
They're obsessed with Minecraft. Sometimes they play Animal Crossing or Luigi's Mansion or Super Smash Bros. But mostly just Minecraft.

[mae0111]

I’ve been seeing deals for Switches a lot lately, but they tend to sell out. Kohl’s keep releasing bundles.

I feel like the switch Lite has been more readily available.

[vasc]

We have several Aldi stores close by...am definitely getting that wine advent calendar.

DD wants a Switch but I’m not sure I’m ready to pull the trigger on gaming systems yet. I’d like her to spend less time in front of a screen rather than more. Both kids already default to TV time when left on their own to entertain themselves.

DH already got the Mario LEGO set. I’m sure we will also get some HP LEGO. (But not the LEGO advent calendar...my MIL already does a countdown calendar for both kids and it’s always a little trinket or toy each day. By the time the later half of the month comes around, they don’t even care anymore, and I’m sick of finding the random shit around the house and having to remember to thank Gma every day, etc.).

As far as adult distance giving, we like ordering citrus from Hale Groves and also meals from Omaha Steaks.

[k3am]

Sept 23, 2020 13:28:57 GMT -5 supertrooper1 said:

I had been wanting to make vanilla extract for several years but beans were just too cost prohibitive. Costco had vanilla beans in stock the last time I was there so I pick up some and have the bottles. Now I just need to get some vodka and actually make it.

I want to find a Nintendo Switch for DS.

Best! We did this as one option of favors for our wedding. It has been.. 10 years? And we are just finishing up the last of the frozen vanilla beans (I bought HUGELY in bulk. Like 100 of them maybe?)

[mellym]

sdlaura, we got the regular Switch so both kids could play it together. DD2 (5) is a little too young to understand how to use the controls but DD1 (8) is obsessed. DH stalked Best Buy and Wal Mart online every day. He loves to play with DD1. I think it will be a good buy for the long winter we have ahead of us indoors.

When does the Adli wine advent calendar come out?

[mae0111]

Next time I see the Switch available online I will post.

I have seen it online at GameStop, Kohl’s, and Walmart. But availability has been sporadic.

[mommyatty]

The turquoise Switch light is in stock on Amazon for $199 right now. The yellow one will be in stock on Saturday.

[rere]

Ds wants an new Xbox and Dd wants an iPhone, not the newest one. 2 presents, done. DH is always a wild card and per usual will not tell me anything before December, when I like to be done. So he may get nothing since I am sure shipping will be insane.

[supertrooper1]

I just saw this on the Costco website. I think DS and his cousins would have a blast playing laser tag.

www.costco.com/.product.1427699.html

[twinmomma]

Doing some Prime Day shopping!

Sphero Mini robots for the girls
Fortnite action figures for beau's son
Family board game of silly minute to win it type challenges to share as a family gift
Bike wheel lights - they're all newly obsessed with bike riding, so even though they won't get to use them until spring, it'll be a fun stocking stuffer

[keh2oblue]

If you don’t have Prime, both Target and Walmart are also having sales to compete, especially on toys.

[mae0111]

I just finished Christmas shopping for my kids. I found almost everything that I was looking for on sale on Amazon. I did find better deals on a couple of games for their new Switches on Overstock.com, and Rakuten is offering 10% back on Overstock today.

[librarychica]

Target is having $25 off $100 in toys and $10 off $50 right now. Sadly LEGO is excluded but scooters/bikes are covered.

My kids big gifts this year are new bike for the 6yo, taller scooter for 9yo. DD1 will also get this huge National Geographic LEGO set she’s been eying and some books/stocking stuffers. Unsure about DD2.

[186momx]

I'm getting frustrated with online shopping. I ordered from Scholastics mid September for my nephew b-day which was Sunday and I still haven't got my order (some stuff was for DD). I ended up ordering something from Amazon today had it shipped directly too him. I ordered from a pampered chef part for my mom for Christmas and figured I would have it. After I ordered the emails said to allow 6-8 weeks to process and another 4-6 weeks to ship so it may get to me by 2021. Now my Usborne book order that I did last week should be here by next week.

I'm eyeing some earrings on Etsy for my BFF any idea how long things tend to take to ship from them?

[twinmomma]

186momx, etsy really depends on which seller you're buying from. I try to only order from sellers in the US to help cut down on shipping time. They should all give a specific estimate for the product when you go to order. I ordered a custom cake topper for my brother's wedding and even with the personalization it only took a week to get to me. But a couple months ago I ordered a wine glass for a friend and it took 3 weeks, even though there was nothing personalized about it.

[twinmomma]

Kohl's has big comfy blankets marked down to $9.99. I'm going to do one of those with a Target gift card for the teacher's holiday gift this year.