Stop!!! Read Me!!!

Sorry...been busy with the trials called my life lately! Anyway...so what are you getting your fellas for CHRISTmas????

Oh joelynn, I hope things calm down for you soon. I know this season is a busy and sometimes very difficult one!My husband is probably going to get my oldest son a bunch of dirt bike gear since he has a little Honda50 now (Daddy bought w/o consulting me first!) He will also be getting some books since he's tired of "baby books."My 3 year old I'm still deciding. I know some books, and other than that, I'm not too sure. I like to go educational. I guess with my 6 year old it's not too educational since he's getting riding boots, gloves, helmet, etc.

For my 3 y/o we are getting one of those Leapster handheld games with a couple of games. Her bday is also 3 days after CHRISTmas. My 9 y/o wants a scooter, telescope, and a PSP game system. So we are looking into that. We don't usually buy them a lot of stuff throughout the year so it's hard not to go overboard but this year we are sticking to the 3 gift rule plus small stuff to put in the stockings. My FIL is making my dd her first dollhouse so I'm out looking for stuff to put in it that she can actually play with. Fisher Price has several things I'm looking at as well as Pottery Barn Kids. It can add up quickly...so we've set a budget per child as well. The trials I was speaking of are in regards to our house. We moved in with a lease/purchase but now the owners are pushing for a closing before the year. Dh has been offered anther job that may have us moving anyway so we decided to hold off on this house. We may have to move after the holidays regardless if we know anything about the new job or not. I'm condensing this because it's too much to post but just say that we didn't need this right now. So we are concentrating on CHRISTmas and nothing else until after the first of the year.

(((((joelynn))))) It's hard to be in limbo. I will keep you in my prayers.

Thanks...greatly appreciate that. ME-:arrow:!

I have already bought my boys their "big gifts" for Christmas this year.I have to buy a few more $1 gifts and candy for their stockings and their Christmas Eve PJs, some trucks and balls for my 2 littles and some more Educational type stuff (books, flashcards etc), but I am basically through shopping for the "major" gifts I bought my 3 y/o a 16 inch Spiderman Bike with training wheels...He is SOOOOOOOOOOOO going to love it! I bought my two 1 y/o's ride on toys - The older 1 y/o is getting a spiderman ride on toy with little action figures and the other 1 y/o is getting a ride on toy that converts to and from a "walker type" toy to help encourage his BIG 26 lb self to walk. I bought all the boys a 2007 teddy Bear. I plan to buy them a teddy bear with the year embrodiered (sp?) on it every year.

My little man is 20 mos old TODAY! We are looking at Magna doodle, some duplo blocks and one of those big rubber balls with a handle that you sit on and bounce. We've seen him enjoy these toys at the babysitters and other kids' homes. then some basic puzzles and probably some clothes. Someone on the forums a loooonggg time ago said that they buy each person in their family: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read. Sounds like a great way to balance gift giving and not go overboard!

Oh, I like that! I have been worrying lately about H having too much stuff. He is the only child of an only child of an only child, so....you know. I had it sort of called to my attention when we had some folks over for a dinner meeting Friday and their little girl said "Wow---You sure have a lot of toys!" I so don't want him to become one of those "entitled" kids.

I like that, too.

We only do small gifts for the kids around Christmas time. We have a time with a small wrapped gift for each child, usually around Christmas Eve. Last year we had a new cup for each, and a toy or something, plus a gift for the whole family. I can't remember what it was! (Man! My mind is like a sieve. I can't remember anything anymore.) This year it will probably be a stuffed animal or a car/truck, and we've bought a bunch of Adventures in Odyssey and other audios for the family. (We live a minimum of 1/2 an hour from everywhere, so we listen to these in the car all the time.) We are already inundated with stuffed animals, but the bigger boys have been begging for a guinea pig (not happening) or a house rabbit (so not happening). I found a web site with little stuffed beanie kinds of guinea pigs and mini-lop looking rabbits, so I thought we'd splash out on a guinea pig for one and a rabbit for the other. They can make cardboard homes for them and feed them pretend food to show us how well they will care for their animals. I view this as kind of a trial run before we get real, live animals someday. Like when they are in their 30's or so. :evilgrin: (We have pets; dogs, cats, chickens, so they aren't deprived. We're just not ready for another guinea pig or hamster or anything. The little cemetery out back is getting full, and I'm worn out from dealing with the shoebox coffins and the elaborate weed-bedecked funeral processions and the crying, grieving kids for months and years after the event.)

My children have way too much stuff!!! It never goes well when I say it's time to thin out... So I mentioned to my daughter that her birthday (and her brother's) are coming right up, and so is Christmas, and isn't it sad that they don't have room for any more presents, because it sure would be fun to get some new stuff. She asked how she could make room, and I handed her a box (a big box) :eyebrows: and said that I'm sure there are some toys they have that they don't play with much anymore, that they could give to kids who don't have any toys. Thay way, they other kids would be happy to have toys, and my kids would have room for the new toys that could then come their way. She grabbed the box and started putting things in. It's slow-going, but hopefully it will get better. She just put in junky happy-meal type toys so far. I praised her and said great! now you have room for a few tiny things. She is considering a few more... :) Seriously - it is aproblem how much stuff they have. My next strategy is to offer another way (besides extra chores) to earn money to buy Christmas presents they want to buy for family members. I will offer to buy whatever old toys they want to sell me. We'll see how much they can part with, and then come up with a price. Wish me luck!! As for their Christmas gifts for this year, I have already got pretty much everything. I got them new winter coats, some fun books, craft stuff, and some toys they absolutely do not need, but I know they will love. They also have grandparents who will spoil them rotten. :) I absolutely LOVE Christmas! I decorate the day after Thanksgiving, and do it up grand! My children love it, and each have their own nativity set to play with (I have to say that their baby Jesus figures go on way more interesting adventures than the real man did! :) ). We do pageants, 12 Days of Christmas to the neighbors, and all kids of fun stuff. I like to have my shopping mostly done, so I can fucus on the real Christmas whil we are out and about. I absolutely LOVE Christmas!

Another way to deal with toy overload is to put some away in a box for awhile. Take about 1/2 of the toys and just put them out of sight. Then, in a few weeks, switch and put the other toys away and bring out the toys that you had in the boxes. It's like Christmas every few weeks! Also kids appreciate their toys more, getting to see them anew. You'll also notice that there are favorite toys, toys that aren't played with because they are outgrown or need to be grown into. It's a great way to get a better handle on what the kids have and to see what they really do play with the most. Sometimes, when you bring the toys back out, the kids realize they didn't really miss a particular toy and they are willing to go ahead and give it away. :D