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Maria in WI
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 3:18pm | IP Logged
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Can we discuss Christmas presents?  I would love to get my shopping done, or at least close to done before Advent. I am looking for ideas and inspiration  and would love to hear what your plans are for your family.
We try to do one main toy per kid, plus a book and maybe pajamas or slippers, and a few little things for their stockings.
Last year we got my 6yo dd a Geosafari Laptop, which she still loves, but I am stumped as to what to buy her this year.
My 4yo ds got a Boss Bow which he loved to, um, death , within about a month. He wants another bow this year, but I would like something that will at least last until summer.
Then there is the the 2yo and the 1 yo....
I am considering legos for the 2 oldest- at least for my ds4. We have lots of duplos, but he really enjoys his cousin's legos. My dh is worried about having them all over the house, and the baby putting them in his mouth.
We briefly considered getting a Wii as a family gift, but then we realized that once we got all the equipment and games, it was way out of our budget.
So tell me what your plans are! Please!
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teachingmyown
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No plans here, yet. But it certainly is that time! I always try to get done before Advent. This year will be extra challenging because there is just no extra money.
I was going to start a thread on how to scale down Christmas. My kids are actually very content, *I* am the one who wants to see lots of gifts under the tree. 
I did get a couple of good deals at a consignment sale on some larger gifts that will be shared by the kids.
Past big hits have been Kapla, silks for the girls, a castle for ds, play horses for the girls. We do a lot of books which generate as much excitement as any toys. And we do DVDs that the family can enjoy together.
My little guy will be two in December. Last year, he got balls and trucks. This year will be very similar.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 4:35pm | IP Logged
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Focusing scouting.. Boy Scouts for the boys and Frontier Girls for the girls..
Daring Book for Girls
Dangerous Book for Boys
these have pocket ones.. 2 of each.. so those will go in stockings
a scouting cookbook for the stocking of my oldest (who knows all about Santa but plays along )
And I'm hunting for something related to scouts or camping in little people books for the younger kids.. so far I've come up with Berenstein Bears - Bear Scouts, Maisy Goes Camping (the pictures just look like my almost 3 yr old would love it) and the closest board book I've found so far is Going on a Bear Hunt.
I want to get Little People for my little ones and maybe more of the nice plastic animals from Rainbow Resource (Safari or Safari world or somethign like that)
Oh and nice skirts for the girls Frontier Girls uniforms. They don't have to have particular bottoms.. just navy or dark denim, unless they're in a Flag Corp. But I thought it would be nice especially if we start a Flag Corp (we're just starting the program here)
Plus I have some other books in mind for several of the kids..
and I haven't started shopping yet.. this is all my brainstorming and when the reality of money hits I'll scale it back to what works 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 5:07pm | IP Logged
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This topic actually did come up a couple weeks ago, so it's definitely not too early!
gift ideas
I haven't done much of anything yet, but I do have lots of plans...I'm actually thinking more about extended family right now, since I think I have the kids' gifts pretty much set, like I mentioned in the previous thread (not made yet, just decided on  ). We're drawing names this weekend for the sibling exchange on my husband's side this weekend, so that should help with planning!
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Blessings,
Celeste
Joyous Lessons
Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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JenPre
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 8:32pm | IP Logged
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Not to hijack the thread but....what do you give your husbands? I'm at a loss of what to get for mine this year!
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Jen
Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 9:00pm | IP Logged
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well I haven't gotten to thinking of Christmas for him yet but for his birthday next week I think I'll get him a subscription to the local paper (comes out once a week type) 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 9:05pm | IP Logged
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tools? anything he's always coming up short on.. like the right size wrench or socket or screwdriver? Or things that he could organize his tools with.. like the holders that you snap sockets onto.
slippers? if you use slippers then a nice pair of those are good.
music? a cd by a favorite group?
a subscription to sirius or other satillite radio?
an mp3 player he can put his music onto for taking around with him?
new watch?
a world's best daddy type sweatshirt?
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Maria in WI
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 9:35pm | IP Logged
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Oooh, I like the idea of play silks.
My dh an I usually give each other ideas of what to get each other. I know it's boring but when we have a limited gift budget, it is nice to know that you are spending money on something that will be liked.
This will be the first year that we don't do a gift exchange between everyone in my family. With 7 siblings plus in-laws and 15 grandchildren, it is getting to be way too much. We will probably plan an outing or activity instead.
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KackyK
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 9:42pm | IP Logged
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My dh and I one year did something very odd, for us. I don't know if we'll do it again, but it was sort of fun. We bought our own gifts. So I bought myself curtains for the family room. He bought himself some sort of printer thingy or something like that. Anyways, we then wrapped them up and the other opened them. So he opened my curtains. He was surprised because that's not what he would have bought me, but thought it was a good idea (and same with me when I opened his gift to himself). It worked that year for us. Better than when we both bought each other bowling balls unbeknownst to the other. Call us Marge and Homer!
This year I have no dh clue and as the years go by, he doesn't like anything. Sometimes I think I've done a good job and he'll return it  He's very very practical. No fluff at all. Because he's so "I don't need anything" now, the above idea doesn't work because he refuses to even buy himself anything ugh!
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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organiclilac
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| Posted: Oct 21 2009 at 10:21pm | IP Logged
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KackyK wrote:
| He's very very practical. No fluff at all. Because he's so "I don't need anything" now, the above idea doesn't work because he refuses to even buy himself anything ugh! |
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This describes my husband perfectly! He is so hard to buy for. However, he and ds have been getting into board games lately, so I am thinking about getting him that Settlers of Catan game that was talked about on another thread. Since it's something that he can do with our son and not "just for him" I am hoping that he can enjoy something that is not entirely practical.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Sarah M
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organiclilac wrote:
| so I am thinking about getting him that Settlers of Catan game that was talked about on another thread. Since it's something that he can do with our son and not "just for him" I am hoping that he can enjoy something that is not entirely practical. |
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Oh! That's a good idea. We love that game and it'd be a good gift.
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Barb.b
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The gifts I have trouble with is my 12 yr old dd. My soon to be 7 yr ds is easy at that age, even my 17 yr ds is fairly easy. But what to get girls this age. She is not into nails and stuff like that, she has a nintendo ds but has a few games - the rest out there are either stupid or bad. Anyone with middle school age girl presents?
Barb
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JenPre
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KackyK wrote:
This year I have no dh clue and as the years go by, he doesn't like anything. Sometimes I think I've done a good job and he'll return it He's very very practical. No fluff at all. Because he's so "I don't need anything" now, the above idea doesn't work because he refuses to even buy himself anything ugh! |
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Same here! I've been asking him what he wants for Christmas but he keeps saying "nothing". Although the other night he did mention a movie he wanted to go buy and I said NO! Christmas is coming! So I have one idea to get him He then keeps saying he just wants stuff for the baby....so I might just go get a bunch of stuff for her and put "to Daddy and Baby" on the tag and there we go!
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Jen
Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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JodieLyn
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Barb.b wrote:
| The gifts I have trouble with is my 12 yr old dd. My soon to be 7 yr ds is easy at that age, even my 17 yr ds is fairly easy. But what to get girls this age. She is not into nails and stuff like that, she has a nintendo ds but has a few games - the rest out there are either stupid or bad. Anyone with middle school age girl presents? |
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Barb right now my ideas are clothes and books.. both of which my 12 yr old dd loves. Last year she also got a small pair of earrings and a necklace (she got her ears pierced for her 11th birthday).
Craft supplies are also lots of fun. My 12 yr old dd is learning sewing and wants her own sewing machine (not likely) and fabrics and trims etc.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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KackyK
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| Posted: Oct 22 2009 at 11:52am | IP Logged
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Settlers of Catan is a perfect idea!!! I did buy dh a bunch of games last year (I had forgotten that). His fave, that he makes at least one child play with him EVERY night is Can't Stop!. If you have a dh who likes dice games and math, this is a must!
Now for 12 yold dd...I have a 14yold dd. Mine loves taking pictures. She got the big splurge gift of her own digital (very small!) camera a couple of years ago. She also loves board games. She actually got Settlers of Catan. Another really fun card game, and great for a girl (but my dh loves to play with us too) is Queen's Necklace. She also liked getting a nice purse (I found a cheap small Vera Bradley bag online). For crafts, a nifty knitter could be fun. Oh and does she like cooking? My dd got an ice cream maker when for her bday at 13.
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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Waverley
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I agree that 12 year old girls are hard to shop for. Does she have an ipod or MP3 player? If so, how about an iTunes gift card?
I agree with KakyK about a camera. You can purchase a digital camera for around $90. Last year, my dd received one from all of my siblings and parents. She loves it.
Is your daughter into animals? My dd is and so last year I called our local animal shelter and found out what they needed. One item they needed was polartec blankets for their cats. I bought a bunch of polartec remnants and gave them to my daughter along with a coupon for a date for she and I to make the blankets and deliver them to the shelter. We had a great time doing this.
As for husband's, my husband never wants anything either. But what he loves is handmade gifts from the kids. Each year I frame or have framed a piece of art one of the kids makes for him. I then have the child write a note on the back of the frame. My husband loves having these hanging in his office.
If your husband drives or travels for work, maybe you could laminate photos of you or your kids or small pieces of children's artwork. Your husband could then keep these in one of his visor pockets or attached to his dashboard with velco. Another option is that many of the really small holy card stands come with a piece of double-sided tape that you can use to adhere the stand to a surface. You could adhere the stand inside the car somewhere and he could display his photos and/or artwork that way.
I can't wait to hear everyone else's suggestions!
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Waverley
wife to Dh for 19 years, dd (16), dd (11), dd (8), ds (6), dd (4), dd (9-13-1996)
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SuzanneG
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Waverley wrote:
| If your husband drives or travels for work, maybe you could laminate photos of you or your kids or small pieces of children's artwork. Your husband could then keep these in one of his visor pockets or attached to his dashboard with velco. |
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I do this every Christmas or Birthday. On one side is a group photo of the girls, and on the other side is a picture of the two of us....this year it was a "kissing picture" , on a color background/border, laminated with a hole punched through the top, with a little string, and he puts it on the 4WD shifter. It's kind of a joke between us, which side is turned outward ....depending on who's in the "doghouse"
I like the velcro idea. I'm having hysterical visions of little photos of me velcroed all over the interior of his truck
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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JodieLyn
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you can also get keychain digital picture frames
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Oct 31 2009 at 4:33pm | IP Logged
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JenPre wrote:
| Not to hijack the thread but....what do you give your husbands? I'm at a loss of what to get for mine this year! |
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For any gun-enthusiast-hunting husbands....my dh says his all-time favorite gift from me was the Shotgun Shell Light String.
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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Mackfam
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SuzanneG wrote:
JenPre wrote:
| Not to hijack the thread but....what do you give your husbands? I'm at a loss of what to get for mine this year! |
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For any gun-enthusiast-hunting husbands....my dh says his all-time favorite gift from me was the Shotgun Shell Light String. |
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I am sooooo not showing this to my husband!!! You are such a romantic schmaltz, Suzanne!
I thought I was romantic!!! My husband's favorite-ever gift from me is the silicone treated gun sock!!!!!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: I know it's only October, but....
