Well the title explains it all! Help me lol
This is exactly why my kids now get experiences. They get 3 Santa gifts (which still cost me an arm and a leg) and then a few small things from us, but the bulk of their Christmas gift is a trip somewhere. Last year it was a cruise, this year is Myrtle Beach, next year is either another cruise or the west coast. It's SO much better than a million toys under the tree that the won't play with in two weeks.
Oh my gosh, Nervy Girl. That's my 7 year old!!! What a fabulous idea. I am telling his Grandmother that tomorrow!
I have a 4 year old, as well, and I am at a loss. With 2 boys, it's really hard to think of things for the younger one. He's usually just really happy playing with his brother.
I hear it's supposed to snow a lot this year. Is he all set with a sled, boots, snow pants, etc? My nieces and nephew always get those items from Santa.
A membership to the zoo with a book about animals or a camera. A membership to the YMCA with a new swim suit, goggles and towel. A membership to a children's museum, planetarium or aquarium. A suitcase of his own for family trips. A sleeping bag for camping trips and sleep overs. A flashlight. Toboggan. Ice Skates. Snowboard. Snowshoes.
I like the family membership to a local zoo or children's museum.
One of the best things people have given my son is tape. I don't know if your kid is creatively inclined, but rolls and rolls of tape, art supply stuff, play dough, pipe cleaners.... kids love this stuff. My folks thought I was nuts when I told them to get Kiddo 'tape' for his fifth birthday-- until they saw his eyes, wide and happy, with many packs of scotch and masking tape for him to use.
Now they know! Tape, hole punch, brass fasteners, sculpey-- if you have a creative kid, these are wonderful.
-A tool box of his own so he can "help around the house".
Buy a small plastic tool box & fill it with real tools from the Dollar Store: a
set of pliers, screw driver (flat head, star) etc.
-A day of fun where he can do what he wants (lunch, arcade etc.). Just give him a certificate & sm othr things w/it, so he doesn't feel let down.
-His own plastic mug w/his name on it
-A growth chart for his wall where you can measure his growth. (fun to see).
-A plastic kids' lawn mower so he can "help" mow the lawn.
-Easel for drawing. White board on one side.
-Bulletin board for his room
-sm kids' desk
-new sheets for his bed w/his fave cartoon character
-tiny Nerf football
-foam basketball
-sticker books (stocking stuffers)
-Dream Lite for his room (great for falling asleep)
-kids' baseball cap (stocking stuffer)
-kids' plastic golf set
-cozy fleece blanket
Edit: toddler gloves/mittens (stocking stuffer), pair of child sunglasses
We got a family zoo membership this year for Christmas. It has been awesome.
Sleeping bag, tent, lantern. Then take him camping.
I love giving gifts that keep kids active.
Bikes, skates, scooters.. Include pads and helmets.
Outdoor active toys..
The Twizzler was one of our daughters all time favorite toys.
http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Swings-###-###-####-Twist-Wh...
She also loved the Air Pogo
http://www.playsetparts.com/air-pogo/?gclid=CJSbxdTHvboCF...
I'm not sure why your son doesn't need anything and I'm not sure how much you spend at Christmas so my answer may be off the mark.
But I share the same problem, because my almost 4 yr old has an older brother and gets lots of hand-me-downs. This year his older brother will be getting a real "grownup" bike with gears, and we have no ideas what to give to the younger son that is of similar cost parity. My younger son is really fixated on trains and puzzles, and we have so much of that already.
I'm leaning towards one of those "lovesac" bean-bag chair type things.
And/or a really good sled.
(Which of course the older brother will use too.)
And I am considering fish tank as family gift.
I'm trying to keep away from giving lots of little toys this year as they get so many toys for birthday gifts and from family members.
You got some great ideas!! I have given my kids tape too, lol. They loved it. Also character band aids. Yes to zoo or museum membership and tools and grown up art supplies. One of my kids favorite things has been a fancy box of grown up watercolor pencils. They are so much more satisfying to use than those crappy cheap ones. And I love the tent idea too. You can spread these out over time, doesn't have to be all at Christmas either.
Season pass or tickets to a local theme park, museum, sports team, etc
Books - even kids who have everything can always have more books
Art supplies - crayons, markers and paper always run out eventually
Gift cards to his favorite restaurants and let him pick when you go
My kids enjoy getting boxes of baking goods "jiffy mixes" to make with mom. It isn't fancy but they love helping to mix things up. My preteen loves decorating cakes so she has asked for frosting to decorate styrofoam blocks and to use my piping tips to create.
My little boy likes his own bath soap "cars" of course. And some bath towels.
I had this predicament last year. I thought about a buying a family trip to Great Wolf Lodge right after Christmas. I ended up not doing it (family obligations got in the way), but I still think it's a great idea. My kids would have a blast.
Sled or kid snowboard
Snowman kit or snowball maker
Arts & Crafts jar (filled with stickers, markers, tape, water colors, yarn, beads, etc) with lots of paper
One thing that we got both our boys at that age was a toolbox filled with all kinds of art supplies - crayons, markers (big & small), water colors, scissors that cut different shapes, hole punches, glue, glue sticks, etc and coloring books and paper (construction & regular computer paper). Both boys loved it !
Every year we get a season pass to the local theme park and this year we are also getting a family pass to the closest aquarium and we may do the zoo, too.
We have agreed to cut WAY back on the physical presents. Four items each. We haven't set a price limit though since we have three boys of different ages who at into way different things.
Ask his preschool teacher what he plays with at school...maybe you can get him one.
My girls 10 an 15, don't have any idea what they want. My 15 year old loves clothes, shoes and purses and my 10 yr old sews so we will get her supplies. We get both girls jewelry and for the last three years I have made them an photo book using IPhoto's which is about $150 each but for their big gift this year we are getting theatre tickets (Phantom, Mama Mia, Beauty and the Beast, Evita and Jersey Boys). There is a great lineup of shows this year in Phila. 😊
That sounds like my kid at that age. A couple of years ago when our finances were really super tight I only had like $15 to spend on gifts for him. After I quit feeling guilty, I went to Dollar Tree and had a romp. I came out with a couple of bags of stuff that he had an absolute ball with. And when all was said and done, we did our Christmas thing with snacks and treats and he wound up pulling out toys from LAST year and it didn't faze him one bit. I say don't break the bank. Our finances are still kinda ratty, but I say shoot, we have each other and a roof over our heads. There's plenty of love in our home and nobody is starving. I don't know your circumstances, but get him a few goodies and don't pull your hair out, especially if he doesn't need anything. Has he told you anything special that he WANTS? Work with that! Have fun.
Cute pajamas that glow in the dark
T shirt with his favorite character on it.
Sneakers that light up.
Sleeping bag
something new for his bedroom to make it less babyish and more big boy?
books
OMG Micky below has great answers!
Technically, none of us "need" anything for christmas. Just get him something he would like, or maybe a visit to the zoo or somewhere fun he's been wanting to go to. Good luck.
From the time my children were babies, we only gave them 3 gifts. That cut down on the excess.
A box filled with art supplies or cars or whatever he enjoys would be a great gift.
Socks and underwear and pajamas are also great gifts...
We made sure they had a few things to open, and then let it go. We didn't have to spend a lot and they had a fun time.
It's never too young to start kids thinking about others. Compassion begins at home. Start by going through the things he has, and separating them into 2 piles: keep and donate. For every 2 things that go in the "keep" pile, 1 goes into the "donate" pile. Find a local agency that accepts gently used toys and books for kids who are homeless, whose mothers have just left abusive relationships, who are new to the US, or who are in foster care. Then TAKE YOUR CHILD with you to donate - not to the children specifically, but to someone in the agency who can thank him.
Do the same with your own things first, so he can see you doing it. Do another purge in the spring during cleaning, and get rid of your housewares that aren't used. Families starting out again can really use them. In the summer, do it again but this time with food. (Food pantries are extremely low during the summer months, and kids are not getting any free school lunches.)
You can also spend time baking or cooking things to give to others - cookies for the neighbors or the preschool teacher or someone at church. Giving of oneself is the greatest gift of all - and in keeping with the Christmas spirit.
Either you are giving your child way too much during the year so there's nothing left to give at Christmas, or you are a sensible mom who doesn't overload him all year 'round! Either way, you recognize now that he doesn't need stuff as much as he needs people!
karate lessons
piano lessons
cooking lessons
robotics or building class (yes, they have them even for preschoolers)
horseback riding lessons
ice skating lessons
archery lessons
dance or hip hop lessons
or if you wanna go for broke...hot air balloon ride or helicopter ride
We've been pondering with the idea of a few gifts and maybe a weekend get away(clothes, gift cards and stocking stuffers). Our girls haven't asked for anything. We think the weekend get away would be great family time as they are growing up to fast. In the past they have each picked an angel off the giving tree at church and purchased a toy or something another child needs more then they do.
Don't get him anything. (gasp, shock! How could someone say that!) But I mean it. If he doesn't need anything, don't feel like you have to get him anything. You probably have relatives who will get him toys or clothes... and for a three year old, a few small presents are enough.
Save the money you would have spent until there is something you want to spend it on! You will be teaching your entire family a great lesson and you'll have money for a family vacation, or lessons for your son, or whatever in the future.
