Ideas for Christmas

We struggle every year to come up with gift ideas for our boys..wondering if anyone has any good or unique gift ideas?  

 

My boys are 9, 7, 5 (6 in Jan), 4 and 18 months...and they have toys gallore...really don't need clothes or toys...they all have their own ds's, we have a wii and too many games for those as it is...so really want to stay away from more video games...was thinking some cash and gift cards maybe but I know all kids want toys for Christmas...I dunno...I'm just not sure what to do.  Hoping for some ideas :)  Thanks!

 Get them a new really big play toy/ swing set for outside that they all can use.. or basketball hoop or something like that.

Or maybe a trip to Disneyland or something....

 We have a basketball hoop but not sure we can afford a decent playset or a vacation right now...thanks for the ideas :) 

I usually do a Lego gift card.  This year (I am on maternity leave and DH was laid off) we told the kids were are getting them 2 presents each and going on a local vacation when Dh gets a job.  Going to the great Wolf Lodge.  They are 9 and almost 11 so I think a trip is more appropriate since they too don't really need anything.  Have DSi's, DSs, and a Wii.  They are having trouble even making a list for 2 presents. But what is on the list is Legos of course, bean bag chairs, desks, things like that...so the 2 presents will still be costing us more than I want to spend considering no one in my house is getting a paycheck. lol

What about gift certificates to things they can do? We always request these for birthdays and holidays. Gift certificates to the movie theater, pool, zoo, etc. Then the kids can have an experience/memory that will last past the holiday, PLUS, you don't have to worry about toys everywhere. 

I love your idea! I have four children: my daughter 11 and boys 9, 8, and 5 and they don't care much for toys. We bought them five presents each. Christmas can get really expensive and one can go over board. We went to Great Wolf Lodge in WA this last summer while driving cross country to our new home and it's something they'll never forget! I hope your hubby returns to work soon. Enjoy each other this holiday season:) P.S. i forgot to mention i'm 6 weeks preggers:)

sarahdaugherty:

I love your idea! I have four children: my daughter 11 and boys 9, 8, and 5 and they don't care much for toys. We bought them five presents each. Christmas can get really expensive and one can go over board. We went to Great Wolf Lodge in WA this last summer while driving cross country to our new home and it's something they'll never forget! I hope your hubby returns to work soon. Enjoy each other this holiday season:) P.S. i forgot to mention i'm 6 weeks preggers:)

 

Sarah are you from WA as well? when will you know for sure if you have twins in there?  I remember your other post :)

No. I am from Alaska, but we are living in Delaware. I will know for sure in 6 days at our ultrasound:) I will be disappointed if we only have one, because we put in 2 living embryo's, but i will be happy with what ever God gives us! I keep my blog updated:) I've been looking online to see if my Beta HCG levels are any clue. 12DPT=123 19DPT=2,500 I am very new to this site (in-gender), but am really liking it! If you'd like to see some photo's of my kido's i have another blog: www.sarahdaughertyphoto.blogspot.com there are photo's of our trip and friends i've photographed. Nice to meet you=)

 Thanks for the ideas and keep them coming :) 
I brought up great wolf lodge to dh and he said it was a good idea and we'll definitely talk about it more later...Also liking the sound of gift cards to diff things.  I did ask my Mom to limit each kid to one toy each and then do gift cards and a dvd or something for the rest...I tell my Dad and Step Mom every single Christmas not to get them too many toys and I would rather have them get each child a savings bond or cash for the bank or gift cards (they prob spend $200/child...TOYS) and they NEVER have given them any cash/savings bonds/gift cards...I've also asked if they could just do no toys and buy kids a big swing set or something...never with that idea either.  I'm going to tell them to please include gift receipts this year so we can return some things...but I'm going to tell them we want them because with them, my Mom, dh's parents and us they get lots of duplicates...

But still would love to hear more suggestions and what every one is getting their boys/kids.

We actually do a lot of returning after the holidays! Very nonchalantly, we let the boys pick out their favorites (usually they won't put these down) and then we take the rest of the toys back to the store for a refund. If we get cash back, we transfer that into savings bonds for each of them. If they get a gift card or store credit, we save it to use until they need something (clothes, shoes, etc.) or they find something else they like (we try to limit this to books, movies, games for their Leapster, etc.). 

What about taking some of the money you would spend on X-mas and divide it equally between your children. Then, let them "adopt" children who are in need of presents. Allow them to spend the money on gifts for the needy children. This way they learn a valuable lesson and get to enjoy buying and wrapping presents. 

 We got my boys a great sand pit/box thing which is wonderful for tonka trucks and they literally spend hours building (It was also quite cheap). Your oldest is probably too old for that tho.

I think sports equipment is great.Or tennis raquets if you have a nearby court.Or raquet ball if you're lucky enough to have access to a court (I can only wish I did lol) Sports would have been my target area if my boys were a little older, they already love the outdoors.

 Boardgames are also great. Christmas is a great time to stock the family up on classic board game (this is true for family favorite DVDs). Your nine year old (and possibly your seven yr old would also enjoy it) is the same age I was when I played apples to apples, which is my favorite game to this day.

 We have every sports item pretty much known to man kind :)  

 

We have gotten quite a few board games this Christmas...my oldest wanted apples to apples and my dh said he didn't think he was "old" enough to play?  I've personally never played it so Im not even sure what it's all about...but maybe I will get it since you recommended it and my ds1 also mentioned wanting it...wish I would have gotten it while it was on sale  but maybe i can find it on sale some where else before Christmas...thinking about getting some walkie talkies (2 sets) for when my oldest goes across the street to the park with friends or when he goes to a friends house or to his grandma's house (around the block) thought that could be fun for them...I'm not big on cell phones for kids that age but a walkie talkie with several mile range might be fun...

Lots of good ideas ladies...thanks :)

 Ooo... walkie talkies, that is a great idea! How fun!

And I'm sure a 9-10 year old can figure out Apples to Apples, it's really simple and fun! 

Quick description: One person draws a card that says "Exciting", then everyone else choices from their cards (each person holds 7 different cards) which one of their cards they think the "choser" would think would be "Exciting". The cards to chose from might be.. "Sky diving" "President Lincoln" "Ferrari", etc.  And if  the "choser" choses your card, you win.  Win 7 cards and you WIN WIN. Some of the cards he might not get, but I think he'd do just fine!  Hope that makes sense!