As much as we would love this to be about what WE all want for Christmas it is about the presents we have chosen for our babies, toddlers and kids. It is always so hard to decide what to buy and importantly how much to spend. When they are little there are lots of lovely toys and gifts but they equally don’t really understand or need any of it. As they get older it is all about striking a balance between fulfilling the list to Father Christmas and not going overboard. I know I am certainly guilty of the latter despite my best intentions.
Between the team we have a range of age groups to buy for and so hopefully this should provide you with a bit of inspiration on the present front. We are focussing on the main presents we will be buying but I am sure there may be a few little extra’s creeping in to stockings on Christmas Eve.
{Lottie}
With two girls we already seem to have acquired most of the usual larger presents over the last few years. There have been toy kitchens, trikes and a dolls house so this year I was struggling a bit on a main present to get them. As they don’t need anything big we have chosen to get each of the girls a couple of these Disney Princess sets from the Disney Store. Molly is obsessed with Disney and Alice only wants to play with what Molly has. Despite Edd’s dislike of all things princess/Barbie esq even he admitted they are really rather sweet and they will love all the little characters that come with them.
We have then chosen a few other little bits such as some Sylvanian Families and the cutest Maileg bunny and cradle for them each to satisfy my desire for something non Disney.
{Charlotte}
Mabel is going to be the lucky recipient of the Ikea Kitchen so that she can learn to cook mummy and daddy lots of yummy dinners!
She will also be having a Scuttlebug to scoot around on. These are fantastic. Super easy for toddlers to move about on and as a big bonus they fold up making storage easier or perfect for a trip out.
{Lolly}
Lolly has decided not to buy Hector any Christmas presents this year given that he was thoroughly spoilt for his first birthday by friends and family only two months ago. Instead Lolly will be popping a bit of money into his savings account and perhaps purchasing a token book or a toot toot safari animal.
{Lorna}
Little Anabelle will be thanking Santa for the lovely Dolls House from Asda. Quite possibly the best value dolls house we have come across. It is so well made and perfect for little girls. The furniture and dolls sets make the perfect addition or present for Grandparents to buy. Word of warning, last year this sold out before Christmas so get your skates on.
Elliott and Joseph will be getting a rather fancy Smart TV with 3D glasses between them. That is some seriously lucky little boys there. I hope they leave Santa an extra large glass of Sherry!
{Becky}
Leo is having four things for Christmas this year. The first is a chess set. He obviously wont have a clue how to play it but he really loved playing with the pieces on holiday this year and Anthony would like to teach him at some point when he’s a bit older.
There will also be Hungry Hippos. No explanation needed.
He is having some of these interactive dinosaurs from his Nana and Great Nannies. They are quite big toys and the idea is that when one moves another one reacts. He loves dinosaurs and he is forever making up stories about them so these will be great to further his imagination.
Finally he LOVES Disney’s Cars. He has a little lightning McQueen and this rally set will be a fun addition as he loves things that move fast or go round and round. And it’s a great price as well. It’s also something he can play with independently so that Becky can get some general housework done!
{Fern}
Fern is similar to Lolly when it comes to present buying. It’s Elle’s birthday on 12th Jan, as well as being her first Christmas, so goodness knows what crazy treats the family will be buying for her!
Fern is going with practical things that she needs – so an all-in-one weather proof suit for the childminders (pretty essential when the Cornish rain sets in). She also has a sneaky feeling that Elle is going to be walking over the Christmas period, so might get her first pair of shoes too – any recommendations would be appreciated!
So there you have it. Our gifts for our little and not so little children. What have you chosen to purchase as the main gift or are you like Lolly and Fern and leaving the present buying to friends and family?
Similar situation to Lolly and Fern – It’s Juliet’s first Christmas and I always said I’d only buy her one gift. I’ve already broken that and bought her two – Peepo and a rag doll – but that’s her lot! She won’t remember but I wanted her to have something she’ll hopefully have for a long time that we can say was from her first Christmas. I’m interested to see what her extended family buy for her. And how plastic it all is!
Peepo is the best Jennifer. My girls still adore reading it. We were slightly ashamed that most of our chosen presents are in fact of the plastic variety! Why does that happen?! x
The love of the classic wooden toy is definitely one of those things parents try and push on to their children when really my favourite toys as a child were prolly pockets and I coveted those shoes where you could keep trinkets in the soles literally for years!
Oh I so wanted Magic Step shoes (the ones with the keys in the sole) but was never allowed them. I was gutted! x
Juliet’s 3rd birthday is at the end of this month, so we have already exhausted a lot of our present buying inspiration in getting her a My Little Pony Princess Celestial Castle. It’s not only plastic tat, it’s plastic tat which I think is taller than her. But she’ll love it, which is sort of the important thing.
For Christmas I don’t think we’re doing ‘big’ present for her, we may buy her an activity instead (swimming lessons, theatre tickets to see The Gruffalo, something like that?) but we’ve got her some bits and pieces and I’m sure our families will come to the fore with all sorts of rubbish. And of course there’s always the stocking…!
Oh gosh. My Molly would adore a princess celestial castle! Molly’s birthday is also at the end of this month so it’s always hard to find two lots of presents and she normally ends up with horrendous amounts of stuff. This year she wants Barbies so I reluctantly chose one for her but my sister has informed me that she has bought her a neon pink barbie convertible!! My husband will not be impressed as I think he is still in denial that his little girl likes barbies and my little pony! xx
They’re only £43 on Amazon at the moment… Just saying 😉
I’m sort of not fussed about the plastic and the fact that she wants to wear princess dresses all the time. It’s fine. She’s picked up a love of Lego from her big brother, and attempts to stab her soft toys with his toy sword, so I feel that she’s getting a gender balanced upbringing. And am in no way worried about her violent tendencies…!
I’m the same as Fern, it’s my boys first birthday on 11th Jan!
I’m getting him some twirly woo soft toys (it’s the only to show he watches – 1 or 2 episodes allowed after tea!) and we have just bought a new house so he will also be getting a pop up tent to use either in his new bigger room or the garden come summer.
I have no idea for his birthday. Family are going for books, clothes, garden toys (sandpit, waterpit) and my mother bought him a mini mini car/scooter thing when she bought her mini earlier in the year!!! Interesting!
This is a great idea Claire, we may have to copy you on that for Elle’s birthday! Would be perfect for the beach too come the Summer time, when they’ll be toddling around! (How quickly has the first year gone btw!! I know everyone tells you it does, but it’s literally flown past!)
x
It’s gone so fast I cannot believe it! I’m already back at work so looking forward to having 2 weeks off as a family over Christmas. I’m just praying the house completes soon, I can’t imagine Patrick’s first Christmas anywhere but in the new house!
Claire – Hector is a huge fan of the twirlywoos too! I actually don’t mind it as it tries to teach kids something as opposed to mindless noise pouring out the TV. Like you we limit to a couple of episodes a day. As for the water pit mention, you’ve given me a great idea. I’m tempted to buy Heccy a water table for next summer – he’s obsessed with the stuff!
An update on the dinosaurs for any mama’s with boys who love them.
They. Are. Amazing.
They got delivered to my mom’s house last week and I went to see them at the weekend. I couldn’t actually believe they were so good. Laughing with each other and spouting out dino trivia. I cannot wait for Leo to open them. He is going to go crazy!
x
The IKEA kitchen is such a hit with Frankie. We bought it for her for Christmas 2 years ago and she plays with it every day along with the amazing IKEA food and saucepans. We’ve managed to avoid the plastic toot, but my huge family makes up for it, my brother is especially good at buying noisy toys (a keyboard with a microphone and motor-trike so far). Cheers!
Now that Frankie is 3 the request for half of the Argos catalogue has begun. “I want that” is heard after every advert on the Disney channel. Sigh. This year she’s getting a light up globe as her “big present”, some Avengers figures, Frozen anything and books. Always books 🙂
They do love their kitchen’s don’t they. That and the food is the one wooden toy that the girls actually play with. What is it with families and noisy plastic?! x
I will struggle this year too as my daughter has just had her 4th birthday. Ours get to choose 3 things to ask Santa for – if they can’t think of anything they can ask for surprises. Usually football or sports related things for my little boy who is 6 years old.
I love that they are allowed to choose 3 things. I may start imposing that restriction on Molly although in fairness the only thing she wants is a Barbie and when I ask for any other suggestions she just replies that she has already told me she wants a Barbie! x
I just say that Santa needs to give lots of toys to other children in the world – also reduces and last minute ‘change of mind’ synarios on Christmas Eve’!!
I saw a lovely thing recently – the four gift rule..
Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear
Something to read
I too have a similar situation – it’s my little ones first birthday on 27th! He obviously doesn’t know anything about this Christmas/birthday but it worries me that I’m going to have a job on my hands to make sure he feels like he has a separate Christmas and birthday. So I’m starting as I mean to go on and bought him separate Christmas gifts and birthday gifts which will be wrapped in the right kind of wrapping paper (my mum who also has a Christmas birthday recalls feeling disappointed as a child that her birthday gifts were sways wrapped in the left over Christmas paper). I’ve bought him a few fun toys for Christmas (read hideous plastic crap that he loves) – a Fisher Price Beat Bo, a Pop n Play elephant and a vetch bubble whale for the bath. For his birthday he is getting a toot toot drivers garage and some cars. I’ve asked family to buy gifts that are too old for him right now on the thinking that it will be a whole year until he gets new toys again so I can put them aside to be brought out throughout the year. He’s getting a little tikes car, megablocks, a sand and water pit and scuttle bug from all his grandparents. Lucky little boy. Now I’m off to clear some space for all this plastic!
Wow this all sounds lovely Georgina, these babies are very lucky!! And a very good point that the babies with Christmas/New Year birthdays won’t get more presents again for a whole year. I’m going to speak to our families about getting presents that Elle can ‘grow into’ over 12 months now – thanks!!
And you’ve reminded me how important it is to keep her birthday as a separate occasion x
We’re well versed in Christmas birthdays in our house, with mine on the 23rd and my brother’s on the big day itself. We’ll be 30 and 35 this year but still get presents wrapped in Christmas paper or Christmas cards scrawled with ‘PS happy birthday too!’
I can’t tell you how happy I was to read your comment! It might seem small, but my parents were always really careful to keep our birthdays separate too and I grew up loving my December birthday. You sound like you’ve got this spot on and I love the idea of older gifts to bring out throughout the year – my little girl will be one early in the new year so would be a great idea for her too!
My eldest daughter has just turned 3, and the new little girl will be 3 months at Christmas.
I am debating between a dolls house or a farm for the eldest (although she has asked for a barbie type doll). I’m swayed towards the farm as our house is awash with babies and dolls. Although I’ve seen some really lovely dolls houses on the Sue Ryder website, and in real life at the charity shop, the seem reasonable and it means doing a little charity goodness at the same time.
I’m not sure what to about the baby, especially as she doesn’t even need clothes as she has all her sisters hand-me-downs, but it seems mean to not get anything!
Liz I have exactly this problem with my girls. They are only 19 months apart so play with very similar toys and Molly has had most of the bigger presents so I struggle to know what to get Alice. It’s the same with clothes but I do find that I treat Alice to a few new outfits, pjs etc to make myself feel better for all the hand me downs. I don’t think I really got her much for her first Christmas but did buy a token book and soft toy that was her own. We got the girls a dolls house last year (the Asda one Lorna mentions) and then family bough them some room sets and dolls to go with it but a farm has always been another possible option so think your girls would love either xx
It’s our little girls first Christmas this year too! We’ve got her a wooden pram that also doubles as a baby walker, she’ll be 8 months so the hope is she’ll use it when she’s ready to start walking but then can also use it as a dolls pram after. I was just getting her the one gift but after reading this I’ve just ordered ‘Peepo’ on Amazon!!x
They do love a little dolls pram and love that yours doubles as a walker. You won’t regret Peepo! I can also recommend Each peach Pear Plum by the same authors x
I used to love Each Peach Pear Plum. Now I can recite it by heart.
Some plastic is great – Lego, playmobil, animals, POp n play elephant! etc, but so far (with my daughter aged nearly 2) we’ve managed to avoid most plastic/battery/flashy toys. It’s not the plastic that puts me off but the fact that they only do one thing, closing down the opportunity for open ended play/use of imagination. This probably isn’t the case for older children’s plastic toys, but is for most plastic baby/young toddler toys.
We’re going for a play kitchen for this Christmas and possibly a simple dolls house for her birthday in February plus some arts supplies, books and a couple of other small bits and pieces. I love looking at websites like Myriad online and at the Haba, Djeco and Grimms ranges of toys, they’re beautiful!
My husband is obsessed with buying lego for the girls. I think it is just so he can build it! Must go check out those websites now x
I love the little rhyme I have read a couple of times on social media to help you stop and think about how many pressies you buy…
Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read!
We’re thinking a little table and chair for Isabelle, she has just found a love of colouring in and I’m sure she would really like her own little table to work at. If anyone can recommend any that they have I would be very grateful.
We also managed to collect 24 Christmas books last year so Isabelle will have a different Christmas bedtime story each night of advent.
That rhyme is so sweet. And adore the book idea. Definitely one to remember for next year xx
So many lovely ideas here!
We were just planning small gifts – I love the idea of a special book for your first Christmas and also the advent bedtime stories!
That rhyme is so sweet, definitely one to remember in years to come!
I too have a winter baby. This will be her first Christmas and her first birthday is on the 5th January.
I’ve went OTT. I know I have. It’s ridiculous but I just can’t stop buying ALL. THE. THINGS.
Her big present this year is a wooden Silver Cross dolls pram. She’s still in 3-6 months clothing so will need a growth spurt over the next few weeks to be able to use it! ?
That pram is divine. Lucky little girl x
Lottie, the princess dolls are so cute! Niema has Snow White and takes her little case everywhere. Holly used to collect the big animator dolls but these are just perfect for Niema as she can lift the without falling over. I’m planning to get her a couple more for Christmas too – the little animals and accessories are gorgeous!
We try to stay as simple as possible, especially when they’re little. I tend to save up a few practiacal bits and pieces, like clothes and stationary, packed lunch bags and nice toiletries so there’s more to open. Holly’s first Christmas list (at 4) had just one item – a rubber duck. It cost a whole 67p and she LOVED it! Another Christmas both kids just wanted A4 paper. I’ve honestly never seen such excited faces as when they opened a big pack of value printer paper each (I did take it out of the pack and wrap it nicely) I love making Christmas about magical experiences and family time…and so happy to keep gifts simple and useful – ish for as long as possible. Now we’ve just hit secondary school Holly’s list is a little more pricey!
Having said that Niema already has a kitchen and is getting the ikea art blackboard/paint board for Christmas. I’m introducing the messy, expressive one to pots of paint (emoji very worried face)
So pleased to hear the little Disney dolls go down well. I’m pretty sure my girl’s will love them. Molly has the big Snow White animator doll and I’m tempted to get her another. They are only £15 at the moment.
I think simple is great whilst you can as no need to go overboard if they don’t want/need it. Molly adores crafts and so we always have something craft related for Christmas or birthday. I either create little packages myself with various sequins, glitter and card or at the moment I love the Seedling craft packs. I’ve been buying them when they are on offer and have got the butterfly wings, paper dolls and a teddy bear to colour in all squirrelled away for her birthday in a few weeks. I think she would love an art board though and I have been tempted by one. Maybe next year. Need to preserve my flooring for a bit longer!!! xx