What we’re actually giving our kiddos this Christmas
Being the nosy curious Enneagram 5 that I am, I loved this post from Everyday Reading about what she’s actually getting her four girls for Christmas. While gift guides are so helpful, seeing what others actually choose for their own kiddos from the sea of options helps me to narrow down my own list — and is just fun! In that spirit, I thought you might like to see what June and Shep will find under the tree this year.
We don’t officially subscribe to the want / need / wear / read philosophy of gift giving (though I do keep it in mind), and some years we give more gifts than others. At my children’s current ages, I’m also not at all concerned about matching amounts spent or number of gifts given. They already both have more than enough, but these are a few things we think will delight them this year!
Sorry not sorry this is the actual cutest photo you’ve ever seen — Anagram, you are my hero!!!
June (who is almost 4) will be receiving:
— A rock polisher. She LOVES collecting “crystals” everywhere she goes (she sounds like a bank vault because of the rocks constantly jangling in her pockets) and I predict she will be obsessed with shining up her finds.
— A book about rocks, gems, and minerals that we picked up from our Museum of Life & Science.
— A set of 10 My Little Ponies, similar to this. This was a total spur-of-the-moment purchase at Costco (of all places), but I think she will love it. My all-time favorite activity from the ages of approximately 3 to 8 was making “pony houses” for (you guessed it) My Little Ponies, so there is a good deal of nostalgia at play. Shout out to my BFF, pony-house-making accomplice and across-the-street neighbor, Emily – I know you’re reading! :)
— Light-up sneakers, because they are the number one item on her wish list. Found a pair that is not too garish :)
I also have my hopes that a loved one will get her a doctor’s kit, and if I see no one has purchased it a few days before the 25th I may snap it up – or might wait for her birthday :)
Shep (who is about 1 and a 1/2) will be receiving…
— A dinosaur backpack and dinosaur lunchbox for his big upgrade to preschool!
— The most adorable apple sweater. Since I buy 90% of my kids’ clothes secondhand, I don’t mind splurging every so often, and I thought this top was so cute! Heirloom-worthy :) I’d been eyeing this for months and snagged it on Black Friday.
— A photo memory game with all of his grandparents, cousins, and aunts and uncles. We made one for June around this age and she loved looking at the cards even before she could play the game!
— The Christmas version of his favorite book, because he is OBSESSED.
As well as stockings, of course! Below, tell me what you’re getting your kiddos this year — I love seeing people’s actual lists!
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Love to hear what you are giving these little guys! And you know I love your spontaneous pony pick!! I am expecting some pony house photos post Christmas ????????????! Also that photo of them is adorable!!!!
Will be sure to send you some!!
I love this post! I am also a nosy/curious person, so I am always up for a peek into people’s day to day lives! We do not have children yet, but we are gifting our niece and nephew highlights magazine subscriptions! We are including a pack of triangular shaped crayons – they don’t roll off tables! – for our niece (age 3) and twistable colored pencils for our nephew (age 7)!
June has a Highlights subscription (from her grandparents!) and it is a *highlight* of every month! :)
So I would like to frame this photo and put it on my desk. It’s just too sweet! And I love your transparency here too, friend. I think there should be more gift guides like this, where actual purchased and given items are shared in lieu of just suggestions or ideas! Kudos.
We are getting my 2 (almost 3 year old) a dollhouse! I think she’s going to love it. She’ll also be getting a ton of books, some slippers (she LOVES slippers), and Christmas pajamas.
We just bought June her first pair of slippers (the rainbow ones from my kiddo gift guide this year), and they have been a big hit!
For my son, who is 19 months:
Two gifts from mom and dad: a very cool nightlight that projects stars on the ceiling (for BEFORE bedtime only haha), and some cute clothes in the next size up
From Santa: a play kitchen, a bubble mower, and a book. A stocking too, filled up with things he’ll love and pjs in the next size up.
My niece has one of those star nightlights and June LOVES it when we visit!
That apple sweater!! SO cute!
We are feeling really good about the current toy situation in our house so we are focused on a couple of “bigger” gifts for Charlie this year…especially now that we have space for them and will be opening them from home! We got him a balance bike and helmet and asked for an indoor mini trampoline from grandparents–thinking it will be fun for him this winter when we’re home with the baby, and hopefully, it will redirect his jumping on the bed habit ;) And books as always!
We kept things simple this year: two board games (boggle jr and hi ho cherry-o) and a carrier for a baby doll for my daughter (almost 3) and a new upgraded lunch box for our son (five). Our extended family tends to go all out and with a new baby, I didn’t want to deal with lots of extra stuff! Might add in some markers and a coloring book each for stockings. Our 3mo baby gets some silicone bibs to get ready for solids in a few months. Haha!
LOVE this!! My Kids Gift Guide is what my girls will be receiving this year….
It really is the most wonderful time of the year x
http://ellieloveblog.co.za/2019/11/christmas-gift-list-for-kids.html
I’m just so glad other people are as curious as I am about “real life gift guides!” :) We have a 3.5 year old girl and a 1.5 year old boy – our tree will have (for her) a ukulele, floor puzzles, Alphabots and unicorn slippers. For him, we’ll have the Melissa and Doug latches puzzle, Doodle Pro, Lego Duplos, superhero capes and masks, and Learning Resources counting bears. They also each get a book and we’ll unwrap Uno Attack as a family on Christmas Eve to play together on Christmas!
First, that picture is adorable! And as much I like gift guides, this is so much better!! Our kids are 3.5 and 6 years old. Our six y/o is getting a Lego set (her new favorite thing!), the Anna Barbie from the new Frozen movie with extra clothes (very important!). Also, the Frozen II soundtrack, a pair of leggings and a backscratcher (random, I know, but I think she’ll love it!). Our boy will get a set of transformer toys (the only thing on his wish list, ha!), a couple of Ninja Turtle figures and a smaller Lego set. They also each get a book and then a board game to share! Super excited about the last one, since it was one of my favorite games as a kid (Enchanted Forest).
Merry Christmas!!
They are Precious!! I’m pretty much beside myself that Santa has found my childhood dollhouse for Libby Sloane (4). It’s by playmobil and they no longer make it, but it’s fabulous. We’ll start slow and add the extras down the road. She’s also getting some fun things in her stocking- a unicorn watch, unicorn headband, a swimming mermaid for the bath (and pool this summer) and bath bombs and socks. Santa will leave her with some doodlepads (she LOVES to draw), and headphones, too. In lieu of gifts with my brother/sil/nephew, we are all going to great wolf lodge, so we are gifting LS a wolf ornament to represent that! For Barrett (6m), Santa will leave him with the radio flyer push walker, an avacado guitar, and some secondhand baby trucks/cars he can push around in the months to come. We are busting out the exersaucer from the attic for him! We have grandparents gifting him some fun colorful toys by fat brain that seemed neat from a local shop. I’m hoping to clean our playroom out this week (again!). I need to keep the pinhole press in mind for Easter baskets!! LS still LOVES her family member photo book!
poor second child is 7 months. How easily I forget!
I much prefer this to “gift guides”! Our daughter’s birthday is only 22 days before Christmas, so she got a play kitchen for her birthday. For Christmas, she is getting a sit/stand scooter, crayons and markers. I’ve also had my eye out for a doll stroller and maybe a princess dress for dress up. She is only 2 so she doesn’t really understand the concept of Santa quite yet. We did talk about Santa bringing a potty, but I don’t think I’m quite ready for it yet.
[…] Last year’s post if you’d like ideas for a 4-year-old and a 1.5-year-old! Affiliate links are used in this post! […]