Christmas present ideas!

Now, I’m not suggesting that everyone gives their kids a green box as their main Christmas present but they do get so much fun out of so many simple things! Ours seem to go into overdrive if I suddenly produce some boxes, dismantle the sofa cushions, throw them a blanket, a spare duvet, give them access to my high heels or put one of them inside a duvet cover.  They come up with all sorts of games and leave me in peace for about an hour and a half!

So, in our house certainly, I really don’t think the kids need expensive presents for Christmas.  I have an inbuilt aversion to giving kids ‘everything they could possibly hope for,’ even if I could afford it – I want to teach them the value of stuff and people.  Having said that Christmas is an expensive time, whichever way you look at it but it doesn’t need to be with planning…

The one thing our kids LOVE is unwrapping each Christmas present at the speed of light on Christmas morning. They can’t get enough.  So, I wrap everything up individually.

Now we are really lucky in that all three of our kids grow out of all of their clothes round about October / beginning of November.  Leggings at capri length with holes in the knees, tops with 3/4 length sleeves, PJ tops creeping level with belly buttons…you know the scenario.

So the sorts of things I buy:

• Clothes they genuinely need (including swimming costume if relevant)
  (and out of wrecked clothes I cut squares/pieces of material to be used in crafts – a stack of different pieces of fabric + needle and thread makes another great pressie for any crafting small!)
• New toothbrush
• Tube of toothpaste different brand to the usual
• Plain paper
• Colouring pens / biros / pencils / post-it notes / blu tac / tape
• Glue, lollipop sticks, stickers / craft stuff from the cheaper shops / pound shops
• BOOKS!!!! I get factual ones mostly that they can all enjoy e.g. Worlds most disgusting animals or “why is snot green” – look at the Book People and in local charity shops – really cheap!
• Pen and notepad
• Funky pocket tissues from a chemist
• Treats to eat – might be a packet of crisps they haven’t come across yet, snack bars, popping candy or anything new!
• Things to do (pound shops often have cool things like scratch pictures and stuff closer to the time). Think craft and role play stuff for younger ones.
• Something to write thank you notes on – e.g. Pack of postcards / notelets…
• Something homemade (last year I did 0-3 yr photobooks for the older two and oh my – thay absolutely LOVE them).  The year before I made felt creatures and attached them to keyrings I bought really cheaply from eBay for their school bags.
• Something to make (to keep them occupied for as long as possible) e.g.
• A christmas cracker (they love these!)
• A joke thing – plastic poo or something
• Hair bands/toggles etc for the girlies.
• Funky shoelaces

Essentially things they’re are going to need / use anyway!

And start early!

We do get them a main present but again, it really doesn’t need to be much.  Do what’s right for your family 🙂