Christmas Gift Ideas: Our Favorites

My goal is to have all my shopping done by the first day of Advent which happens to be Sunday, November 27.  I like to have that obligation of shopping finished and spend time at home enjoying the Christmas season.  I am a huge internet shopper, I LOVE getting boxes dropped off right at my door.  The stores are already so crowded and crazy and I know that some people find that exciting and invigorating, but I just can't stand it.

I know that finding good, classic stuff can be hard...there is just SO much straight-out JUNK for kids in the stores today.  I swear, sometimes my mouth drops open at what lines the toy shelves...dolls that look like hookers, or better yet, vampire hookers (yes, really, I saw them with my own eyes!), plastic crap that looks like it will fall apart at one touch, or not even work at all, all this TV show commercialism stuff left and right.  ICK!  I don't want that junk in my house.  It's just useless clutter, and is an insult to our children's smart little brains.

I do end up spending a little more on good stuff, but to me it's worth it, because it just gets handed down from sibling to sibling, and really really played with, not just broken and thrown away.  I have always loved adding to our collections (and always have something to offer when those relatives ask, "What should we get them?)...whether that collection be Legos, or a train set, or Magna Tiles.  I know that these things will still be around when I have grandchildren.  (Hopefully lots and lots of grandchildren. :)

Here's our favorites and some things that might be under the tree this year:

1. Magna-Tiles   (There is a run on these-apparently the factory can't keep up-please search around at specialty educational toy stores, because Amazon's prices are really high on this particular product.) A few of you asked me what in the world these cool blocks are when I posted this picture in one of my Ordinary Day posts.

They are called Magna Tiles and Patrick and Andrew probably play with these the most out of any toy.  Honestly, they are really irresistible even to me.  All the sides of each tile are magnetized so they click together.  We bought the 32 piece set,  but this year I am adding the truck and I'm going all out and getting the 100 piece set which I would have bought in the beginning had I known this was going to be an all time favorite.  (Geez oh Pete's I have to get that boy above a hair cut.)

2. The boys also love Zoobs. We have thiscase of them.  They come with a huge set of instructions for all different types of models.  Andrew loves these (he is 8.)  Patrick (almost 4) just started being able to snap them together. Andrew is asking Santa for the Zoob car designer kit.

3. Build A Road set-It has little cars that DO need a battery in them just so you know, but the batteries seem to last forever, and the cars really zip around.  The kids can snap the track into all different configurations.  Patrick is just beginning to be able to snap the pieces together himself but he loves to play with this when I help him build a track.

4. Magna Doodle-A cheap old magna doodle has always been a favorite with each of the kids.  Patrick and I play a game where I draw something and then he guesses what it is and then he draws something and I guess.  I never get it right, go figure, and he loves that.

 5. Kapla blocks -My parents had a set of these at their house last year and at first I thought, "What's the big deal with a whole set of little planks?"  Well, my kids (and my husband!!!) played for hours with these things and Santa brought us our own set.  It takes concentration and skill to build with these blocks.  The set comes with a big book of ideas.

6. Indoor Soccer Set-This year's all time favorite-thank you Aunt Tracy! It has gotten many a boy tired before bed time and my boys playing together-ages 17-3. It comes with 2 nets and a different ball...one that has a flat side so it doesn't sail in the air.  What a great invention!  Except that my children, because they know I will only get mad if I hear lamps fall, use a little "real" soccer ball. There is a game at my house (in my living room) almost every evening...the furniture pushed back, teams chosen, and sweaty kids rolling everywhere.  I go hide in the den.

7.  PlasmaCar-Andrew and Patrick wore this thing out with miles and miles of riding.  They would also wear out the tops of their shoes with miles and miles of dragging, but I didn't mind.  That energy burning exercise is all I'm looking for.

8.  Drawing books and sketch pads.  Once in awhile Michaels will have a 50% sale for their nice sketchbooks.  I have found all sorts of drawing books at book stores.  

9. A vintage typewriter from Ebay.  Abbey loved this when she was younger and her friends did also.  Make sure you get one that comes with tape-they don't sell that at Office Max anymore. :)

10. Paper Fashions Klutz book-One of Abbey's all time favorites- she played with it from about 3rd grade till about 6th grade.  (I have seen this book at Michaels also.) She received it with a big sketch book and a little pair of scissors-it comes with the all the cute paper.  She filled a big folder with fashion designs.  Aren't they cool?  When I was pregnant with Patrick she did a couple maternity designs for me.  How cute is that?

11. Shrink Art Jewelry Kit-Abbey also loved this craft book. She even had a little business going in 7th grade selling earrings to her classmates.  I spent many an evening, baking shrinky earrings, thinking, "Oh boy what did we get into here?"  She loved it though and could hardly keep up!

12. Snap Circuits -Matt (12) has always loved these and I saw Andrew (8) had it out the other day.  I have never figured it out but the kids seem to be able to make things work.  I know they've tricked me with a door bell sound before.

13. The Razor Rip-Rider-This thing is crazy and gives me a heart attack but all the kids love it.  It goes really fast and the wheels in the back allow you to spin in circles.  We've gotten lots of use out of it.


14. Of course Legos are a huge favorite here.  My favorite is the Eiffel Tower that Matt built.  I am glad that we bought it when we did because it now sells for $1,189.  No joke.   I think Andrew's favorites are the Star Wars Lego and Lego City series.  I can't imagine life without Legos.  As you can see, they can quickly take over a room.

15. Jumbo Zoo Animals-This is a cheap little set of BIG zoo animals.  It's really hard to find big models of animals and I searched high and low.  These go in the bath tub, the pool, the sandbox.  Sometimes it seems that they all get along so well, and sometimes there are a few battles.

16. Zingo-One of my favorite games to play with Patrick, and all the kids enjoyed it through the years.

17.Duplos-Especially the Thomas the Train duplos.  Some of these blocks are 17 years old, no kidding.  All the kids, even Abbey, played with these.

18. Trains, of course!  This collection started 17 years ago and I just love it.  We started with the most basic set (and I think it was maybe just a Melissa and Doug-not a Thomas brand) and added to slowly and surely over the years.  Even with all the boys, I think it was one of Abbey's all time most played with set.  I just love those little Thomas characters.

19. Groovy Girls   Abbey loved these little rag dolls! She had some of the clothes that are made for them, but she would often just sew or pin her own together out of little quilting quarters I would pick up, or just plain felt.  Her and her friends would put together the cutest little outfits on these girls.

Now that I have two teenagers, my Christmas shopping is different-boohoo.  I am taking Abbey shopping for clothes to wrap and put under the tree, because I no longer trust myself to pick out the "right" stuff.   Isaac has never been one to ask for much and I have to MAKE him think of something...anything.  I still try to throw some surprises in there, because what's Christmas without surprises?

They are all getting: boots, underwear, socks, pajamas. Even Jeff.  He's also asking for a Garmin GPS thingy for running.  A couple kids need new winter coats-the hand me downs look too thin for this big winter we might be getting.  I always stock up on winter gloves and hats, and of course, what is a Christmas without Santa bringing a shiny new sled?

Here's some things that wind up in our stockings on Christmas  morning.  It's funny because lots of these things you can just find during your weekly grocery shop.  Mrs. Claus I'm sure is in charge of this aspect of Christmas. :)
-flashlights/headlamps for reading in bed
-new pens and pencils for school
-cheap gloves (the kind that cost $1)
-gum/breath fresheners
-socks and underwear
-for girls: little make up items, hair bands and ties, nail polish
-candy
-new toothbrushes
-dollars
-card games
-ITunes gift cards
-ornaments


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